ROOTS OF BHAKTI VARANASI YOGA YĀTRĀ

March 2 - March 8, 2027

Arrival: March 2 (please arrive by 1pm if possible. First class begins at 3pm)

Departure: March 8 (morning practice ends at 8am. Hotel check out is at 11am)

Join us on a sacred journey to Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the most spiritually significant places in India. Known traditionally as Banaras or Kashi, the city sits on the banks of the holy Ganga River and has drawn seekers, yogis, writers, musicians, and scholars for thousands of years. Life unfolds here along the ghats, the wide stone steps that descend into the river, where daily rituals, prayer, cremation ceremonies, music, and devotion shape the atmosphere of sacred life.

This Yātrā (a Sanskrit word meaning pilgrimage or sacred journey) invites us to step away from the ordinary pace of life and immerse ourselves in the living traditions of yoga.

Together we will deepen our practices through daily yoga, meaningful discussions, and ceremonies such as Āartī, Pūjā, and Satsang. Our days will include visits to Varanasi’s temples and ghats, walks through the city’s ancient lanes, and time observing the rituals that unfold along the Ganga. One morning we will take a quiet sunrise boat ride on the river for meditation, a traditional way to experience the city as the day begins.

This is a journey not only to India, but inward, toward the spiritual centre of the Self.

OUR HOME FOR THE WEEK

Originally built in 1927 as a family haveli overlooking Assi Ghat, this riverside residence carries the quiet elegance of old Banaras, another name for Varanasi. Once a private home, it was later converted into a small heritage guesthouse.

Today it still feels more like a lived in riverside house than a conventional hotel. Filled with antiques, books, and art collected over generations, it has long attracted musicians, scholars, and artists drawn to the spirit of the Ganga. Staying here offers a rare opportunity to experience historic Varanasi while waking each morning to the light rising over the river at Assi Ghat.

ARRIVAL

March 2

Fly into Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (VNS) in Varanasi. Most international travelers will connect through Delhi or another major Indian city before taking a short domestic flight to Varanasi.

Taxis are available at the airport, or the hotel can arrange a pickup for you at your own cost. The drive from the airport to the hotel is approximately 45 minutes to one hour, depending on traffic.

DEPARTURE

March 8

Our final morning practice will conclude at 8am. Check out from the hotel is 11am.

The hotel can arrange a taxi back to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport for your departure if needed.

7am - 9am Morning Practice 

9:30am - 10:30am Breakfast 

10:30am - 6pm Discover Varanasi, Visit Temples, Participate in Ceremonies, Take Classes with Locals

7:30pm - 8:30 Dinner together

*Schedule is subject to change depending on what events we have planned for that day