Photos show the Central & East India region. See the retreat's own site for its rooms and grounds.
Near Old SRAP College, Hospital Road, Bara Chakia (East Champaran), Bihar
Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre
Free 10-day silent Vipassana in East Champaran
- Retreat centre
- Meditation
- Silent retreat
- Spiritual
- Countryside
Details checked on the official site, October 2026. We never take bookings or commissions.
Dhamma Upavana is a small Vipassana centre at Bara Chakia in East Champaran, north Bihar, about 50 km from Muzaffarpur. It runs free 10-day silent courses in the S.N. Goenka tradition twice a month for about 32 students, with men and women housed separately.
Our take · editors' note
Suits: Suits beginners in north Bihar wanting a free 10-day silent course in a small, quiet centre at Bara Chakia, with 10-day courses running through most of the year.
Maybe not for: Not for experienced students seeking long or advanced courses on site, or anyone unwilling to give up their phone and conversation for ten days.
Great for
- first-timers
- digital detox
- spiritual seekers
Maybe not for
- Short breaks (11-night minimum)
- Staying reachable by phone
10-day courses start on the 3rd and 17th of most months
About 50 km from Muzaffarpur and 85 km from the Nepal border at Raxaul
Run by the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust
Reviews elsewhereGoogle Maps
Price and dates
Free
donation-based
- Stay
- Meals
- Meditation
10-day course is free incl. food and lodging; only past students may donate
Courses here are free or by donation. Never pay an agent or another website to book.
Indicative. Checked on the official site, October 2026.
Fixed course dates · apply on their site
- 10-day Vipassana course11 nights
- Short 1–3 day courses (past students only)1 to 3
Rooms: Small centre with room for about 20 men and 12 women
Programme names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
Practical facts
Classes in · Women
Classes in
Hindi, EnglishWomen
Small women's side for about 12 (about 20 men); men and women are kept fully separate.
Upcoming dates
- Nov3
10-day Vipassana course
Open3–14 Nov · 11 nights
Hindi, English
Open - Nov17
10-day Vipassana course
Open17–28 Nov · 11 nights
Hindi, English
Open - Dec3
10-day Vipassana course
Open3–14 Dec · 11 nights
Hindi, English
Open - Dec17
10-day Vipassana course
Open17–28 Dec · 11 nights
Hindi, English
Open
From Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre's published schedule, checked October 2026. Open, full and wait-list labels are as of October 2026; after three weeks we show “Check site” instead. Dates change: confirm on the official site before you plan travel.
A typical day
4:00 am wake-up bell … 8:15–9:30 pm group sitting, then questions; lights out 9:30 pm
- 4:00 amWake-up bell
- 4:30–6:30 amMeditation in the hall or your room
- 6:30–8:00 amBreakfast and rest
- 8:00–9:00 amGroup meditation in the hall
- 9:00–11:00 amMeditation as the teacher directs
- 11:00 am–12 noonLunch break
- 12 noon–1:00 pmRest; time to meet the teacher
- 1:00–2:30 pmMeditation in the hall or your room
- 2:30–3:30 pmGroup meditation in the hall
- 3:30–5:00 pmMeditation as the teacher directs
- 5:00–6:00 pmTea break (fruit for new students)
- 6:00–7:00 pmGroup meditation
- 7:00–8:15 pmRecorded evening discourse by S.N. Goenka
- 8:15–9:30 pmGroup sitting, then questions; lights out 9:30 pm
As the retreat describes it. Schedules change with the season and the programme.
What's included
Included
- Course, lodging and simple vegetarian meals, at no charge
- Recorded instructions in major foreign languages
- A chair if you can't sit on the floor
Not included
- Washing machines (hand-wash small items in breaks)
When to go
Best Oct–Mar. Oct–Mar is pleasant (Dec–Jan is cold and foggy); Apr–Jun is very hot; Jul–Sep is monsoon
- Winter · Dec–Feb
- Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov
Weather by month
10° to 37°C through the year · wettest in July
Average daily high and low (°C) and rain for the month (mm).
Best monthsRain: dry to very wetHighs: cool to hot
Long-term averages (1981–2010) for the area around Near Old SRAP College, Hospital Road, Bara Chakia (East Champaran), on a grid of about 1 km; any one year can differ. Data: CHELSA V2.1 (Karger et al., 2017), CC0.
Getting there
Nearest airport
Patna (PAT), ~3.5–4 hr drive (about 130 km)By train
Muzaffarpur Jn, ~1.5 hr by road (about 50 km); Chakia has a local stationFrom big cities
- ~730 km from Kolkata, best to fly
- ~1,100 km from Delhi NCR, best to fly
- ~1,630 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
From your town
See the drive, the nearest airports and the easiest way to get to Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre from where you live. The trip estimate below uses it too.
Estimate your trip
Free or by donation: just the travel to plan
- Stay at Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre
- Free · donation of your choice
Rough estimate from the published starting price; set your town in “From your town” above to add the drive. Rooms, seasons and programmes change the total; Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre's own quote is final.
Before you book
Arrival
Fixed course dates onlyCouples
Couples stay separatelyPhones
Phones handed inFood
Vegetarian foodBooking
Apply on their site
Not stated on their site: taxes. Ask the retreat before you book.
Good to know
- Apply online for a specific course date; complete silence and no devices for the whole course
- A small centre, so courses can fill quickly
- Short courses are only for people who have finished a 10-day course
What to pack
1 thing the retreat asks you to bring, plus 1 tips
The retreat asks you to bring
Also useful
General tips for the setting and the months people go, not from the retreat.
Tick things off as you pack. Nothing here is saved.
Day, inclusions, packing and facts from Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre's official information, checked October 2026: dhamma.org/en/schedules/schupavana, upavana.vridhamma.org, upavana.vridhamma.org/about, dhamma.org/en/about/code, dhamma.org/en/about/qanda. Ask them if anything matters for your stay.
Read before you go
Contact Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre
Ask about dates, rooms and programmes directly. They take bookings themselves; nothing passes through us.
Courses here are by application
Apply on their official site; they confirm a place by email. Please don't send them booking enquiries.
Apply on their site (opens in a new tab)- Mobile
- +91 91355 84230
- Mobile
- +91 99344 30429
- Mobile
- +91 99348 82150
From Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre's official website, checked Oct 2026.Their contact page
Questions people ask
How much does a stay at Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre cost?
Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre doesn't charge a fixed fee; it runs on donations. 10-day course is free incl. food and lodging; only past students may donate.
What's included in the price?
The official site lists: Course, lodging and simple vegetarian meals, at no charge; Recorded instructions in major foreign languages; A chair if you can't sit on the floor. Not included: Washing machines (hand-wash small items in breaks).
What's the minimum stay?
Stays follow fixed course dates, and the shortest is 11 nights.
When is the best time to visit Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre?
The best months are Oct–Mar. Oct–Mar is pleasant (Dec–Jan is cold and foggy); Apr–Jun is very hot; Jul–Sep is monsoon.
7 more questionsFewer questions
How do I get to Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre?
Nearest airport: Patna (PAT), ~3.5–4 hr drive (about 130 km). By train: Muzaffarpur Jn, ~1.5 hr by road (about 50 km); Chakia has a local station. Times are rough estimates by road.
Can couples stay together?
No. Couples stay in separate rooms at Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre.
Can I use my phone?
Phones are handed in at Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre, so plan to be unreachable during your stay.
What food is served?
The food is vegetarian.
How do I book Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre?
You book directly with Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre, by applying on their official website. Courses run on fixed dates, so check their calendar first. RetreatAdvisors doesn't take bookings or commissions.
What should women travellers know?
Small women's side for about 12 (about 20 men); men and women are kept fully separate.
What language are classes in?
Classes are taught in Hindi and English.
Answered from our research on Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre's official information. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with them before you book.
Researched from the retreat's official website and public sources. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with Dhamma Upavana Vipassana Meditation Centre before booking.
- Photo: Milan Popovic, Unsplash
- Photo: Jared Rice, Unsplash
- Photo: Lisa Hobbs, Unsplash
- Photo: Yogi Madhav, Unsplash
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