Our centre in Dharamkot,
Dharamshala
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.

Getting there: Village Dharamkot is located
just above McLeod Ganj, also known as 'Upper Dharamsala.' There
are two main ways of getting to Dharamshala: 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 Dharamshala, 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 metres directly
below the Vipassana Meditation Centre. From TIPA Road, take the
trail down to the Yoga Centre, which turns right 200 metres 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.
A New Retreat Centre in Dharamshala
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.

Our Centre in Arambol,
Goa
Nestled in the shade of palm and mango trees, just a few minutes
walk away from the sea, our Centre in North Goa offers a peaceful
and natural environment for Yoga practice. Although located in the
heart of Arambol, the Centre provides a serene retreat. The practice
space, constructed of natural material, offers a great sense of
openness and oneness with the surroundings. Basic huts are provided
with inbuilt lockers for students. The huts can be booked online.
The Centre in Goa operates during the Winter Season, from early
October until the end of March. The Centre is open for booking and
information from 1.00 to 3.00 pm everyday.

Getting there: How to get to the centre in Arambol?
From Delhi and Mumbai several trains go to Goa. The destination
station is either Pernem (from which there is a direct bus connection
to Arambol) or Madgaon. From Madgaon or other places in Goa there
are government and private buses to Panjim or Mapusa. From Panjim
or Mapusa you can take a taxi or bus to Arambol. The centre is located
in Madhlo Vaddo about 10 minutes walk from the Church in Arambol,
then left and after 1 minute walk again left. It is right next to
Piya’s guest house and Panda's Tai Chi Garden. You can see
the centre's yoga banners both from the beach and from the road.
Indicative map of Goa Centre

Please note : The Dharamkot
Centre operates from the beginning of April until the end of October.
The Goa Centre operates from early November until the end of March.
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