Photos show the Central & East India region. See the retreat's own site for its rooms and grounds.
Rikhia, near Deoghar, Jharkhand
Rikhiapeeth
Seva, sadhana retreats and yajnas at Satyananda's ashram
Details checked on the official site, October 2026 · We never take bookings or commissions
Rikhiapeeth is the rural ashram 12 km from Deoghar where Swami Satyananda, founder of the Bihar School of Yoga, lived from 1989 until his death in 2009. Accepted applicants join ashram life built around seva for nearby villages, or come for short sadhana retreats and yajnas, mostly from October to December.
Swami Satyananda's home from 1989 until his samadhi in 2009
Headquarters of Sivananda Math, with large yajnas such as Sat Chandi
Short sadhana retreats: Tattwa Shuddhi, Kriya Yoga, Vigyan Bhairav
By donation
pay what you can
- Stay
- Meals
- Yoga
- Meditation
No fees or suggested donations published; confirm when applying
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 courses, or arrive any day
Couples
Not stated: ask the retreat
Phones
Not stated: ask the retreat
Food
Not stated: ask the retreat
Booking
Apply on their site
Taxes
Not stated: ask the retreat
Great for
- spiritual seekers
- deep practice
- budget travellers
Maybe not for
- Anyone wanting private luxury or room service
Good to know before you go
- Apply online and wait for an acceptance letter before you travel
- Seva (service) is central to daily life, and trips into Deoghar are not allowed during a stay
- Bring a medical certificate if you have health issues, plus a torch and alarm clock
Programs & stays
Rooms: Ashram accommodation for accepted applicants; room types aren't described online
Program names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
When to go
Best Oct–Feb. Oct–Dec is the main season for retreats and yajnas; Apr–Jun is very hot; Jul–Sep is monsoon
- Winter · Dec–Feb
- Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov
Getting there
Nearest airportDeoghar (DGH), ~30 min by taxi
By trainJasidih Jn (JSME), ~30 min
- ~370 km from Kolkata, best to fly
- ~1,420 km from Delhi NCR, best to fly
- ~1,580 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
- ~1,950 km from Chennai, best to fly
Researched from the retreat's official website and public sources. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with Rikhiapeeth before booking.
- Photo: Jared Rice, Unsplash
- Photo: Lisa Hobbs, Unsplash
- Photo: Yogi Madhav, Unsplash
- Photo: Olga Pukhalskaya, Unsplash
Run Rikhiapeeth? Claim this listing to correct details and answer questions as the official team.
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