Modi Yoga Retreat — Veerbhadra, India
An Ayurveda and yoga retreat on the Ganges in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
Modi Yoga Retreat sits at 238 Virbhadra Road in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, with the Ganges flowing in front of the property and views of the Himalayas beyond it. It has 29 rooms, and its own FAQ is blunt about what kind of place it is: not a hotel, but a wellness retreat whose programs draw on Ayurveda and yoga.
The estate pairs modern facilities with what the retreat calls vintage architecture, and it was designed according to Vastu Shastra, the ancient system for living in harmony with one's surroundings. Practice is spread across several spaces: a yoga deck on the terrace, an indoor yoga pavilion, and a wellness lounge by the pool. There is also a gym with a certified trainer, and a pool open from 7am to 7pm.
The yoga on the programs' schedules is specific. A residential stay includes daily yoga sadhana: an hour of Hatha or Ashtanga, thirty minutes of pranayama and forty-five minutes of meditation, alongside trataka, yoga nidra, singing bowl meditation and the cleansing practices of jalaneti and kunjal. Programs also include a prakriti parikshan (pulse diagnosis), a body composition analysis, treatments prescribed by the in-house doctors on alternate days, a power walk by the river and the Ganga Aarti. Guests are encouraged to consult a doctor before booking therapies. For disease management or any residential program, the consultation is required.
The retreat's Wellness Zone is built on a philosophy it calls Living Beyond 100, where prevention and cure go together. It combines Ayurveda and naturopathy with diagnostics such as oligoscan. The restaurant cooks to Ayurvedic principles and follows the line "let food be thy medicine." Families are welcome and children are allowed. Pets are not.
Traditions: Ayurveda, Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Panchakarma, Naturopathy, Vastu Shastra
Programs: Shodhan (Ayurvedic Detox), Sukham (Stress Management), Shupth, Panchakarma, A.N.Y. Programs (Ayurveda, Naturopathy & Yoga), Integrated Holistic Wellness Program, Diabetic Reversal, Weight Loss Program