Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
Sivananda Ashram (The Divine Life Society)
Prayer, meditation and Vedanta talks at Sivananda's ashram
Details checked on the official site, October 2026 · We never take bookings or commissions
The headquarters of The Divine Life Society stands on the right bank of the Ganga about 3 km from Rishikesh town, and its guest house takes in seekers who want to live inside a working traditional ashram. Days revolve around early meditation, temple worship, yoga sessions and discourses on Yoga, Vedanta and the Gita, with deeper study through its two-month academy courses.
Swami Sivananda's headquarters on the Ganga
Daily yoga, Gita and Vedanta talks, night satsang
Two-month Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy courses
By donation
pay what you can
- Stay
No rates published; written permission from the General Secretary is needed before arriving
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
- solo travellers
Maybe not for
- Anyone wanting private luxury or room service
Good to know before you go
- Write to the General Secretary and wait for written permission before you travel; the ashram has never taken room bookings by phone or WhatsApp.
- A fake site (sivanandaashram.co.in) has collected money in the ashram's name — use only dlshq.org and sivanandaonline.org.
- Expect a traditional timetable: early group prayer and meditation, temple worship three times a day, yoga classes, talks and a night satsang.
Programs & stays
Rooms: Guest accommodation for visitors with prior written permission; no room details published
Program names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
When to go
Best Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov. Oct–Mar is pleasant; Apr–Jun hot; Jul–Sep monsoon. Academy courses run Mar–Apr, May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov
Getting there
Nearest airportDehradun (DED), ~45 min drive
By trainYog Nagari Rishikesh, ~15 min; Haridwar Jn, ~45 min
- ~6 hr drive from Delhi NCR
- ~1,760 km from Kolkata, best to fly
- ~1,820 km from Mumbai, best to fly
- ~1,910 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
Researched from the retreat's official website and public sources. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with Sivananda Ashram (The Divine Life Society) before booking.
- Photo: Fred Hsu from San Jose, United States, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Ken Wieland from Philadelphia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Travel With Enfield, Unsplash
- Photo: Prashant Bamnawat, Unsplash
Run Sivananda Ashram (The Divine Life Society)? Claim this listing to correct details and answer questions as the official team.
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