Photos show the Tamil Nadu & Auroville region. See the retreat's own site for its rooms and grounds.
Perumbakkam, west of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Dhamma Arunachala Vipassana Meditation Centre
Silent 10-day Vipassana courses near Arunachala
Details checked on the official site, October 2026 · We never take bookings or commissions
Dhamma Arunachala is a newer Vipassana centre in the S.N. Goenka tradition at Perumbakkam, west of Tiruvannamalai town. It runs free 10-day silent residential courses about twice a month, plus short courses for old students and occasional courses for teenagers.
New 10-day courses start roughly every two weeks
Two meditation halls on the site
About 8 km west of Sri Ramanasramam and Arunachala
Free
donation-based
- Stay
- Meals
- Meditation
Free incl. food and lodging; donations accepted only after completing a course
Courses here are free or by donation. Never pay an agent or another website to book.
Indicative. Checked on the official site, October 2026.
Before you book
Arrival
Fixed course dates only
Couples
Couples stay separately
Phones
Phones handed in
Food
Vegetarian food
Booking
Apply on their site
Taxes
Not stated: ask the retreat
Great for
- deep practice
- budget travellers
- spiritual seekers
- digital detox
Maybe not for
- Short breaks: the minimum is 11 nights
- Anyone who needs to stay reachable by phone
Good to know before you go
- Apply online for a specific course date through dhamma.org
- Courses are taught in English and Tamil
- Phones are handed in, and men and women stay apart for the whole course
Programs & stays
Rooms: Centre accommodation with men and women housed separately; room details are not published
Program names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
When to go
Best Nov–Feb. Dec–Feb is the coolest; Oct–Dec brings north-east monsoon rain; Apr–Jun is very hot
- Winter · Dec–Feb
Getting there
Nearest airportChennai (MAA), about 4 hr by road
By trainTiruvannamalai, about 10 km
- ~5 hr drive from Chennai
- ~5 hr drive from Bengaluru
- ~780 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
- ~1,360 km from Mumbai, best to fly
Researched from the retreat's official website and public sources. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with Dhamma Arunachala Vipassana Meditation Centre before booking.
- Photo: Sonika Agarwal, Unsplash
- Photo: Niranjan B S, Unsplash
- Photo: Sarang Pande, Unsplash
- Photo: Anjith Paul, Unsplash
Run Dhamma Arunachala Vipassana Meditation Centre? Claim this listing to correct details and answer questions as the official team.
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