Welcome
to
H.I.Y.C
Our centre in Dharamkot, Dharamsala
The Dharamkot Centre operates from the beginning of April until the end of October
Established in 1985, the Centre in Dharamkot was built with the desire to give visitors a feeling of inspiration and devotion. The Yoga Hall provides all the practical needs for students, as well as unique artistic beauty. The land surrounding the structure is given as much care and significance as the Yoga Hall itself. Being just a bare piece of land when we started, our Centre is now home to 150 trees, and several varieties of flowers, roses and shrubs. In order to attract as much wildlife as possible, four ponds have been introduced into the gardens.
At the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre, we not only wish to encourage an awareness of the body, mind and spirit, but also sensitivity and gratitude for our natural environment, which in itself is devotion and respect to the highest principle of nature - Prakruti.
Established in 1985, the Centre in Dharamkot was built with the desire to give visitors a feeling of inspiration and devotion. The Yoga Hall provides all the practical needs for students, as well as unique artistic beauty. The land surrounding the structure is given as much care and significance as the Yoga Hall itself. Being just a bare piece of land when we started, our Centre is now home to 150 trees, and several varieties of flowers, roses and shrubs. In order to attract as much wildlife as possible, four ponds have been introduced into the gardens.
At the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre, we not only wish to encourage an awareness of the body, mind and spirit, but also sensitivity and gratitude for our natural environment, which in itself is devotion and respect to the highest principle of nature - Prakruti.
In Dharamkot, we also plan to have a library covering all aspects of Yoga and spiritual philosophy. A small Children's School operates during the Spring and Summer months. Accommodation for students is available on campus and a variety of housing options are found very close to the outskirts of the Centre.The Centre is located in Village Dharamkot, just above McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala and operates during the Spring, Summer and Autmn Seasons, from early April until the end of October. There are meetings for information and course bookings every Monday at 1.30 pm.
click to see schedule of Dharmsala >>
Getting there: Village Dharamkot is located just above McLeod Ganj, also known as 'Upper Dharamsala.' There are two main ways of getting to Dharamsala: the first is to take a government or private bus directly to Dharamsala or Mcleodganj from any major city in Northern India such as Kulu, Mandi, Dheradun, Rishikesh, Agra or Delhi. The second way is to take a night train from Delhi to Pathankot, and then to proceed by bus from Pathankot to Mcleodganj. There are also direct flights now available between Delhi and Kangra.
Train reservations can easily be made through the Foreigners Reservation Office at railway stations in Mumbai, Madras, Calcutta and Delhi. Payments can be made in English Pounds or U.S. Dollars. If you are paying in Indian Rupees, you may be required to show an encashment certificate.Once you arrive in Dharamsala, you may take a bus (8 Rupees) or shared jeep (10 Rupees) up to McLeod Ganj.
From there, you can walk (20 minutes) or take a rickshaw via the TIPA (Tibertan Institute for Performing Arts) Road to our Centre, located on the footpath between Dharamkot and Bhagsunath, just 50 meters directly below the Vipassana Meditation Centre.
From TIPA Road, take the trail down to the Yoga Centre, which turns right 200 meters from TIPA and which is located just a short distance before the rickshaw stand in Dharamkot. Look for the Centre's bright orange-colored sign above the trail.
A good landmark to mention if coming by rickshaw is Dev Cottages.
From Mcleodganj, rickshaws charge ~40-50 Rupees, and taxis charge ~70-80 Rupees.
Alternatively, you can take a rickshaw from Mcleodganj to Village Bhagsunag (~30 Rupees) and come by foot on the trail up to the Centre (10-minute walk).
The Centre consists of two large semicircular buildings and a yellow house.
New Retreat Centre in Dharamsala
We are pleased to announce that we have acquired four acres of land located by the riverside, one-hour away from our Dharamkot Centre, on which a Retreat Centre is being built. We plan to develop a farm, based on the principles of Permaculture, producing fruit, herbs and milk for 35 students. Modest natural dwellings and a swimming pool are also included in this plan. This Retreat Centre is a natural extension of our work, and represents the principles guiding us in our journey. The focus on teaching and need for quietness to experience its depth, have, in the past, suffered as a result of outside distractions for participants of the Intensive Courses especially. We therefore now plan to hold these Intensive Courses in this more natural, still environment. The new Centre is located on the banks of a little river, coming straight from the snowcapped peaks of the Himalayas. There is forest all around and the place is truly peaceful. Such a project requires people - dedicated to providing an environment which encourages the inner journey to be joyful one and where we have the resources necessary to support students on their path. Therefore, we also plan to set up a commune separate from the Retreat Centre with various projects, such as: Organic Farming, Permaculture and other environmental and social projects that are strongly linked to our spiritual journey. Till date, around 600 fruit trees have been planted in a conventional way, and at the moment, we are looking for someone with a strong Permaculture foundation to continue the project for a 3-month period: in April/May/June or in September/October/November.
