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Photos show the Near Mumbai & Pune region. See the retreat's own site for its rooms and grounds.

Alate, Hatkanangale (Kolhapur district), Maharashtra

Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)

Large Vipassana centre with pagoda cells near Kolhapur

Retreat centre
Meditation
Silent retreat
Spiritual
Countryside

Details checked on the official site, October 2026. We never take bookings or commissions.

More in Maharashtra More meditation retreats

A large Goenka-tradition Vipassana centre on 22 acres at Alate near Hatkanangale, east of Kolhapur, with a 250-seat hall and a pagoda of individual meditation cells. It runs free residential 10-day silent courses in Hindi and English, funded by donations.

Our take · editors' note

Suits: Suits Marathi, Hindi or English speakers wanting a strict 10-day course at a large centre near Kolhapur, with some single rooms.
Maybe not for: Not for anyone who wants a quiet small group (courses take 100–150 people) or freedom to leave early.

Written by RetreatAdvisors editors from the retreat's official information, October 2026. Not a guest review, and nobody paid for it.

Great for

deep practice
spiritual seekers
digital detox

Maybe not for

Short breaks (11-night minimum)
Staying reachable by phone

22 acres in a state park zone with views of hills and fields
Fan-shaped hall for about 250 and a 153-cell pagoda
Running since 2001

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
3-day course (old students)3 nights
Children's and teenagers' courses1–8 nights

Rooms: Residential blocks for men and women; pagoda with 153 meditation cells

Programme names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.

Practical facts

Classes in · Single rooms · Women

Classes in
Hindi, English, Marathi
Single rooms
Available
Women
Separate women's side with 12 single and 26 double rooms and its own dining hall

Upcoming dates

All dates in the calendar

Nov18
10-day course for old students
Open
18–29 Nov · 11 nights
Hindi, English
Open
Nov20
Satipatthana Sutta course for old students
Open
20–29 Nov · 9 nights
Hindi, English
Open
Dec2
10-day Vipassana course
Open
2–13 Dec · 11 nights
Hindi, English
Open
Dec16
10-day Vipassana course
Open
16–27 Dec · 11 nights
Hindi, English
Open

All dates in the calendar Official schedule

From Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research 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 … 9:30 pm lights out

4:00 amWake-up bell
4:30 amMeditation in the hall or your room
6:30 amBreakfast and rest
8:00 amGroup meditation in the hall
9:00 amMeditation as the teacher directs
11:00 amLunch, then rest; teacher interviews at noon
1:00 pmMeditation in the hall or your room
2:30 pmGroup meditation in the hall
3:30 pmMeditation as the teacher directs
5:00 pmTea break (fruit for new students)
6:00 pmGroup meditation in the hall
7:00 pmRecorded evening discourse by S.N. Goenka
8:15 pmGroup meditation, then questions until 9:30
9:30 pmLights out

As the retreat describes it. Schedules change with the season and the programme.

What's included

Included

Course teaching at no charge
Lodging for the whole course
Simple vegetarian meals
Single or double room

When to go

Best Oct–Feb. Oct–Feb is dry and mild; Mar–May is hot; Jun–Sep has heavy monsoon rain

Winter · Dec–Feb
Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov

Weather by month

15° to 36°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 Alate, Hatkanangale (Kolhapur district), 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
Kolhapur (KLH), ~45 min drive (about 25 km)
By train
Hatkanangale, ~15 min drive (6.5 km)
From big cities
- ~410 km from Mumbai, best to fly
- ~600 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
- ~740 km from Bengaluru, best to fly

From your town

See the drive, the nearest airports and the easiest way to get to Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre) from where you live. The trip estimate below uses it too.

Estimate your trip

Free or by donation: just the travel to plan

Nights

People

Stay at Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research 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; Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)'s own quote is final.

Before you book

Arrival
Fixed course dates only
Couples
Couples stay separately
Phones
Phones handed in
Food
Vegetarian food
Booking
Apply on their site

Not stated on their site: taxes. Ask the retreat before you book.

Good to know

Hatkanangale railway station, where Mumbai and Pune trains stop, is 6.5 km away
Apply online through dhamma.org; there are 10-day courses most months
Phones and valuables are handed in for the whole course

What to pack

1 thing the retreat asks you to bring, plus 1 tips

The retreat asks you to bring

Enough loose, modest clothes for the course (no shorts, leggings or sleeveless tops)

Also useful

General tips for the setting and the months people go, not from the retreat.

A torch for paths after dark

Tick things off as you pack. Nothing here is saved.

Day, inclusions, packing and facts from Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)'s official information, checked October 2026: alaya.vridhamma.org/about, alaya.vridhamma.org/how-to-reach, dhamma.org/en/schedules/schalaya, dhamma.org/en/about/code. Ask them if anything matters for your stay.

Read before you go

Contact Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)

Ask about dates, rooms and programmes directly. They take bookings themselves; nothing passes through us.

Call +91 97674 13232 Email

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

General / registration: +91 97674 13232
General / registration: +91 96979 33232
Email: dhammalaya@gmail.com

From Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)'s official website, checked Oct 2026.

Questions people ask

How much does a stay at Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre) cost?

Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research 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 teaching at no charge; Lodging for the whole course; Simple vegetarian meals; Single or double room.

What's the minimum stay?

Stays follow fixed course dates, and the shortest is 11 nights.

When is the best time to visit Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)?

The best months are Oct–Feb. Oct–Feb is dry and mild; Mar–May is hot; Jun–Sep has heavy monsoon rain.

8 more questions

How do I get to Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)?

Nearest airport: Kolhapur (KLH), ~45 min drive (about 25 km). By train: Hatkanangale, ~15 min drive (6.5 km). Times are rough estimates by road.

Can couples stay together?

No. Couples stay in separate rooms at Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre).

Can I use my phone?

Phones are handed in at Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre), so plan to be unreachable during your stay.

What food is served?

The food is vegetarian.

How do I book Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre)?

You book directly with Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research 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?

Separate women's side with 12 single and 26 double rooms and its own dining hall.

What language are classes in?

Classes are taught in Hindi, English and Marathi.

Are single rooms available?

Yes, private single rooms are available.

Answered from our research on Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research 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 Dhammālaya (Deccan Vipassana Research Centre) before booking.

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