I have three weeks to see India – where should I go?
I would highly recommend the Sivananda Dhanwanthari Ashram at Neyyar Dam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. They run yoga holidays for Westerners and have a structured timetable designed to help you find your place quickly and easily. Its only a few hours from there to the beach resorts of Kerala so you, and your new best friends, can drop in for a few days of R&R afterwards. www.sivananda.org
If you want the beach go to Goa. Stay in a Rajastani tent at Yoga Magic and do the onsite classes or walk across the paddy field to Brahmani Yoga. Alternatively, if you want a holy city vibe, head up to Rishikesh at the foothills of the Himalayas. There’s a big Iyengar scene there, but lots of other options too – just cruise the boards advertising classes or pop over to the German Bakery or Madras Café and ask the yoga students for their recommendations. Christophe Mouze at Yoga Holidays has put together an excellent guide to the best teachers and places to stay. www.yogaholidays.net
What are the best teacher training and student programmes in India?
By discipline:
Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute www.ayri.org
Bihar School of Yoga
www.yogavision.netKrishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram www.kym.org
Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute www.bksiyengar.com
Sivanada Yoga Vedanta Centres www.sivananda.org
What should I take with me?
Ear plugs (Boots Muffles Ear Wax is brilliant), a miner’s head torch (for all the reading you will want to do in the dorm after lights out), Tampax and a yoga mat.
Everything else is readily available and cheaper in India.
