Yoga at Munger
The school that sent Indian yoga to the world, on the bank of the Ganga
What it is
The Bihar School of Yoga sits at Ganga Darshan in Munger, above the river. It was founded in 1963 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and it is where the system now taught worldwide as Satyananda Yoga was put together: asana, pranayama, and the practices of relaxation and concentration that came out of this campus and are now taught in hospitals and schools on six continents.
Why it matters
A great deal of what the world calls yoga was formalised here, in a town in eastern Bihar that almost no visitor to the state has on a list. The school ran the World Yoga Convention in 2013 with people from fifty-six countries, and it received the Prime Minister's award for yoga in 2019.
How it works
- Decide which programme you want: the school runs short courses and a longer sequential training.
- Apply through the school directly. Its site carries the current application form and dates.
- Residential students live by the ashram timetable and take part in its work.
- Who it is for
- Householders and renunciates alike — that was the founding principle. Programmes range from short yoga courses to a long, sequential training for committed students.
- Not for
- It is an ashram with an ashram's discipline, not a wellness resort. Nobody drops in for an afternoon class.
- Best season
- Oct - Mar
- Difficulty
- Moderate. The discipline is the demanding part, not the asana.
- Cost
- Set by the school per programme. Ask when you apply.
- When
- Programme dates are published yearly by the school
- Booking
- Apply directly to Bihar Yoga Bharati. Tirtham does not book these.
- Book ahead
- Two to six months, depending on the programme
- Languages
- Hindi, English
Rules
- Ashram discipline: fixed hours, simple vegetarian food, seva as part of the day
- Modest dress
- Programmes are applied for in advance; this is not a walk-in
Where
- Munger Fort: It is the enclosure for Munger's principal Muslim shrine and the anchor of the town's pilgrim circuit
- Kastaharni Ghat: The name means "the bathing place which expels all pains"; pilgrims bathe here believing it relieves...
- Chandika Sthan: For darshan at a Shakti Peetha, and specifically for vows about eye ailments
Plan my Yatra. Rather talk to someone? Call or WhatsApp +91 87893 56605, or contact us.