Photos show the Kerala region. See the retreat's own site for its rooms and grounds.
Vazhode, near Vellanad, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala
Dhamma Paduma (Trivandrum Vipassana Meditation Centre)
Silent 10-day Vipassana courses inland from Trivandrum
Details checked on the official site, October 2026 · We never take bookings or commissions
Dhamma Paduma is a small Vipassana centre in the S.N. Goenka tradition at Vazhode near Vellanad, inland from Thiruvananthapuram. It runs free 10-day silent courses that alternate between men and women, plus short courses for old students, while its permanent buildings are completed.
Small rural centre about 20 km inland from Thiruvananthapuram
Ten-day courses for around 20 students at a time
One-day courses for old students on the last Sunday of the month
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
- For now the centre admits Indian students only, as buildings are still going up
- Men's and women's courses alternate, so check which one a date is for
- Apply online for a specific date; phones are handed in for the whole course
Programs & stays
Rooms: Small residential block plus temporary student quarters; each course takes about 20 students of one gender
Program names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
When to go
Best Nov–Feb. Dec–Feb is the driest spell; Jun–Sep monsoon is wet; Mar–May is hot and humid
- Winter · Dec–Feb
Getting there
Nearest airportThiruvananthapuram (TRV), about 25 km
By trainThiruvananthapuram Central, about 20 km
- ~670 km from Bengaluru, best to fly
- ~830 km from Chennai, best to fly
- ~1,340 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
- ~1,690 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 Paduma (Trivandrum Vipassana Meditation Centre) before booking.
- Photo: Ankit Dandhare, Unsplash
- Photo: Arjun MJ, Unsplash
- Photo: Manas Nandurkar, Unsplash
- Photo: Vivek Kumar, Unsplash
Run Dhamma Paduma (Trivandrum Vipassana Meditation Centre)? Claim this listing to correct details and answer questions as the official team.
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