1 / 4

Photos show the Bengaluru, Mysuru & the Deccan region. See the retreat's own site for its rooms and grounds.

Narasipura village, Alur Road, north-west Bengaluru, Karnataka

Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)

Name: 6-day Buddha Dhamma Bhavana meditation course, Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)
Start: 2026-12-01
End: 2026-12-06
Location: Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)

Free monk-led Buddhist meditation courses near Bengaluru

Retreat centre
Meditation
Spiritual
Silent retreat
Countryside

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

More in Karnataka More meditation retreats

The Maha Bodhi Society’s meditation retreat centre sits in farmland at Narasipura, on the north-western edge of Bengaluru. Monks lead residential Buddhist meditation courses of three days to a month through the year, with food and lodging free and donations optional.

Our take · editors' note

Suits: Suits serious meditators wanting a free, silent Theravada retreat on Bengaluru's edge, keeping ten precepts, with shared rooms and a 54-cell meditation pagoda.
Maybe not for: Not for anyone who needs an evening meal, a private room or their phone: there's no food after noon, money and devices are handed in, and you stay the full course.

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

Staying reachable by phone

Courses taught by Buddhist monks of the Maha Bodhi Society, founded in Bengaluru in 1956
Three-storey pagoda with 54 individual meditation rooms
A course most months, from weekend introductions to a month-long retreat

Reviews elsewhereGoogle Maps

Price and dates

Free

donation-based

Stay
Meals
Meditation

Food, accommodation and teachings are free; donations are optional at the end

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

3-day weekend meditation course (English and Hindi)2 nights
5- to 7-day meditation courses (English, Hindi or Kannada)5–6 nights
10- to 13-day courses and a one-month advanced retreat10–31 nights

Rooms: Double-sharing rooms with attached toilets; individual meditation cells in the pagoda

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

Practical facts

Single rooms

Single rooms
Not offered

Upcoming dates

All dates in the calendar

Nov3
6-day Buddha Dhamma Bhavana meditation course
Check site
3–8 Nov · 5 nights
Kannada · Free; donations welcome
Check site
Nov13
3-day weekend meditation course
Check site
13–15 Nov · 2 nights
English, Hindi · Free; donations welcome
Check site
Nov20
6-day meditation course
Check site
20–25 Nov · 5 nights
English, Hindi · Free; donations welcome
Check site
Dec1
6-day Buddha Dhamma Bhavana meditation course
Check site
1–6 Dec · 5 nights
Kannada · Free; donations welcome
Check site

All dates in the calendar Official schedule

From Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)'s published schedule, checked October 2026. Dates change: confirm on the official site before you plan travel.

What's included

Included

Course teaching, free of charge
Simple meals (none after noon)
Double-sharing room with attached toilet
Optional donation at the end of the course

When to go

Best Jun–Feb. Courses run through the year; Bengaluru is mild most months, with hot afternoons in Mar–May

Winter · Dec–Feb
Monsoon · Jun–Sep
Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov

Weather by month

15° to 33°C through the year · wettest in September

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 Narasipura village, Alur Road, north-west Bengaluru, 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
Bengaluru (BLR), about 50 km (1.5 hr)
By train
Bengaluru City (KSR), about 27 km
From big cities
- In Bengaluru
- ~410 km from Chennai, best to fly
- ~660 km from Hyderabad, best to fly

From your town

See the drive, the nearest airports and the easiest way to get to Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara) 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 Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara): 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; Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)'s own quote is final.

Before you book

Arrival
Fixed course dates only
Phones
Phones handed in

Not stated on their site: couples, food, booking, taxes. Ask the retreat before you book.

Good to know

Participants keep ten precepts for the course, including no food after noon and full silence
Phones, money and valuables are deposited in the office until the course ends
Many courses are taught in Kannada or Hindi; check the yearly schedule for English ones

Day, inclusions, packing and facts from Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)'s official information, checked October 2026: mahabodhimeditation.org/mahabodhi-meditation-center.html, mahabodhimeditation.org, mahabodhimeditation.org/contact.html. Ask them if anything matters for your stay.

Read before you go

Contact Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)

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

Call +91 95351 76319 Email

Not sure what to ask?

We'll help you write a clear message about dates, price and rooms. It opens in your own WhatsApp or email, ready to send.

Enquiries: +91 95351 76319
Enquiries: +91 97316 35108
Email: meditation.mahabodhi@gmail.com

From Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)'s official website, checked Oct 2026.Their contact page

Questions people ask

How much does a stay at Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara) cost?

Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara) doesn't charge a fixed fee; it runs on donations. Food, accommodation and teachings are free; donations are optional at the end.

What's included in the price?

The official site lists: Course teaching, free of charge; Simple meals (none after noon); Double-sharing room with attached toilet; Optional donation at the end of the course.

What's the minimum stay?

Stays follow fixed course dates, and the shortest is 2 nights.

When is the best time to visit Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)?

The best months are Jun–Feb. Courses run through the year; Bengaluru is mild most months, with hot afternoons in Mar–May.

4 more questions

How do I get to Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)?

Nearest airport: Bengaluru (BLR), about 50 km (1.5 hr). By train: Bengaluru City (KSR), about 27 km. Times are rough estimates by road.

Can I use my phone?

Phones are handed in at Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara), so plan to be unreachable during your stay.

How do I book Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)?

You book directly with Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara). Courses run on fixed dates, so check their calendar first. RetreatAdvisors doesn't take bookings or commissions.

Are single rooms available?

No, the official site doesn't offer single rooms, so expect to share.

Answered from our research on Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)'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 Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara) before booking.

Run Mahabodhi Meditation Centre (Dhammaduta Vihara)? Claim this listing to correct details, add your own photos and answer questions as the official team, or partner with us.