Retreat Dates

The 8-Day Complete Immersion begins on the dates listed below and continues through Day 8, concluding with the completion of the retreat.

Participation Fee

The Participation Fee covers the complete retreat experience and includes all the facilities, provisions, and arrangements listed below. There are no hidden or additional costs.

• Delhi Airport Transfers: Pick-up and drop-off at Delhi Airport Terminal 3 (International Arrivals) in an air-conditioned bus exclusively reserved for Retreat participants
• Air-Conditioned Accommodation: Accommodation for the complete duration of your selected retreat format
• All Meals and Refreshments: All meals and refreshments throughout the Retreat
• Complete Retreat Arrangements: All arrangements, facilities, and provisions required for the complete duration of your selected retreat format

Whichever accommodation option you choose below, the Participation Fee for the Retreat will include everything listed above, with no hidden or additional costs.

For participants from countries or regions where rates are not listed above, please contact our Admin Team for the applicable region-specific Participation Fee.

Email: admin@yogavedantagurukulam.org
WhatsApp: (+91) 9360 2424 75

Payment Plans

To make registration more convenient, we offer flexible payment arrangements for participants. Please choose the option that works best for you.

Option 1: Pay in 2 Instalments
Pay the Retreat Fee in two instalments: 50% at the time of registration and the remaining 50% 30 days before the retreat start date.

Option 2: Pay in Full
Make the full payment in one instalment.

Application Form

Once you are comfortable with the Retreat Dates and Participation Fee, please read all 25 FAQ questions below carefully before proceeding to complete the Retreat Application Form.

If you have any questions, concerns, or need any assistance with the Application Form, please feel free to contact our Admin Team. We will be happy to assist you.

Email: admin@yogavedantagurukulam.org
WhatsApp: (+91) 9360 2424 75

At present, Yoga Vedānta Gurukulam is an online-only Gurukulam, as we do not yet have our own physical premises. The Tapas Retreat in Vṛndāvana is therefore conducted using accommodation, food, transportation, staff, and other facilities arranged from ashrams and spaces that we take on rent. These arrangements involve substantial expenses, which is why the physical retreat currently has a Participation Fee.

This fee is not a charge for the spiritual teachings themselves. It simply helps us meet a portion of the practical expenses involved in conducting an in-person retreat.

However, you do not need to pay anything to begin your Sādhanā with us. You are most welcome to join our WhatsApp Community, where we offer free daily Gītā study and scriptural teachings.

We currently offer Yoga, Meditation, and Gītā study in English. Tamil sessions will begin in 2027, followed by Hindi in 2028. If you wish to learn Yoga, Meditation, or the Gītā in English and continue your spiritual journey with us, you are warmly welcome to join our Community and make use of these free sessions, shared every day.

Guruji will be the teacher and guide throughout the entire retreat. He lives between Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Vṛndāvana (Uttar Pradesh), and will personally guide you and the other participants throughout the retreat.

Many of the participants are expected to be Guruji’s existing Bhagavad Gītā students. This creates a warm, familiar, and friendly group environment, while also giving new participants the opportunity to experience the retreat alongside people who are already familiar with his teachings.

To better understand Guruji’s approach and teachings, we strongly recommend watching some of his Bhagavad Gītā sessions on YouTube before deciding to join. This will give you a genuine sense of his teaching style, the depth of the subject matter, and what you can expect from him during the retreat.

Watch the complete playlist of the ongoing Bhagavad Gītā sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK_tzEF_ASUY

Absolutely. You are most welcome to join the retreat. You do not need to be someone we already know, nor do you need to have previously attended Guruji’s Bhagavad Gītā sessions, to participate in The Tapas Retreat. The retreat is open to sincere seekers who wish to undertake this journey of Sādhanā and inner transformation.

However, because Guruji will personally be the teacher and guide throughout the retreat, we humbly recommend that you watch at least one of his Bhagavad Gītā sessions in your free time before registering. This will give you an opportunity to experience his teaching style, his approach, and the way he presents the subject.

We believe this is helpful not only for you to understand what to expect from the retreat, but also to see whether you genuinely connect with Guruji’s teachings.

If his teachings resonate with you, you are warmly welcome to join us for this journey of Sādhanā, spiritual inquiry, and inner transformation.

Watch the complete playlist of the ongoing Bhagavad Gītā sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK_tzEF_ASUY

No. If you do not resonate with Guruji’s teachings, it is best that you do not participate in the retreat.

Some people may think, “Perhaps I don’t connect with the teachings online because of the format. Maybe if I attend the retreat in person, I will connect with them more.” This is generally a misconception.

What you do not resonate with online, you are unlikely to resonate with simply by experiencing it offline. The retreat does not present a fundamentally different set of teachings; rather, it gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself more deeply in them through an immersive experience.

Therefore, it is not a good idea to commit to the retreat based on the hope that your perspective will change merely because the experience is in person.

If you currently cannot resonate with Guruji’s teachings online, we respectfully ask that you do not register for the retreat.

Yes, you are warmly welcome to join the Retreat, regardless of your faith or spiritual background.

We only ask that you join with genuine interest, openness, and respect for the teachings and practices shared during the Retreat. The Retreat is not intended as a space to find flaws, debate, or compare the practices of Sanātana Dharma with those of another spiritual tradition.

The intention of the Retreat is to provide a dedicated space to go deeper within, through Sādhanā, contemplation, meditation, and the wisdom of Sanātana Dharma. If you feel a genuine interest in exploring and experiencing this wisdom with an open heart and mind, you are warmly invited to join us.

Yes. The retreat is suitable for complete beginners, and no previous experience is required.

However, the retreat is an intensive Sādhanā experience, so we ask you to come with an open mind and a sincere willingness to put in the required effort. You will be guided through the practices and teachings by Guruji, but your own commitment, discipline, and willingness to practise are an important part of the retreat.

You do not need to have prior experience — you simply need to be willing to learn, practise, and give yourself fully to the experience.

For 2027, all Retreat teachings and sessions will be conducted in English.

From 2028 onwards, we plan to also offer The Tapas Retreat in Tamil and Hindi, in line with Guruji’s Bhagavad Gītā teachings in regional languages. Before confirming your place, we will check your preferred language to ensure you are comfortable attending the Retreat in that language.

Yes, you are most welcome to join the Retreat. We regularly welcome participants from Malaysia and many other countries, and are happy to have sincere seekers from different parts of the world join us.

You will need to arrange your international travel and flight bookings independently. If you require a visa to enter India, you will also need to apply for and obtain the appropriate Indian visa on your own before travelling.

Our team will be there to guide you through the relevant Retreat arrangements and provide all the information you need to prepare for your time with us.

There are four accommodation options available for participants during The Tapas Retreat, allowing you to choose the arrangement that best suits your comfort and preference. You may choose a private room, exclusively for yourself; a twin-sharing room, shared with one other participant; a triple-sharing room, shared with two other participants; or a 10-member dormitory, with shared accommodation for up to ten participants.

All rooms are clean, comfortable, and air-conditioned, providing a peaceful and restful environment during your stay.

Your clothing should also be chosen according to the season in which you are attending the retreat:

For participants coming in December or February

December: December is part of the winter season in Vṛndāvana. Please bring warm layers, sweaters or jackets, shawls, and comfortable full-length clothing, especially for the early morning Sādhanā sessions.

February: February is generally cool and pleasant, particularly during the early mornings and evenings. We recommend carrying light warm layers, a sweater or jacket, and a shawl for your comfort during the retreat.

For participants coming in April or June

April: April is a summer month in Vṛndāvana. We recommend light, loose, and breathable cotton clothing that is comfortable for the Ashram environment and suitable for the retreat.

June: June is also a summer month in Vṛndāvana. We recommend light, loose, and breathable cotton clothing, with simple and modest attire appropriate for the Ashram environment.

For participants coming in August or October

August: August falls during the monsoon season in Vṛndāvana. We recommend light, breathable, and comfortable clothing, and suggest carrying an umbrella for occasional rain.

October: October marks the beginning of the autumn season in Vṛndāvana. We recommend light, comfortable clothing suitable for the Ashram environment. An umbrella is generally not required.

Footwear

Please bring comfortable walking footwear suitable for moving around the Ashram and visiting nearby sacred places. Since footwear may need to be removed before entering temples, meditation spaces, and other designated areas, easy-to-remove sandals or slippers are particularly convenient.

Most importantly, please remember that simplicity, modesty, and comfort are the guiding principles for clothing during the retreat.

Please make sure to bring the following essential items with you for the Retreat:

• A yoga mat
• A small meditation cushion — please ensure that it is lightweight and easy to carry.
• A reusable water bottle for refilling water
• Towels
• Personal toiletries and other personal-use items you may require during your stay

Please note that the Ashram does not provide or sell towels, toiletries, or other personal-use items, so you should bring everything you may personally need for the duration of your stay.

If you are elderly or have knee- or back-related concerns, we will also provide chairs for meditation, so you can sit comfortably without having to sit on the ground.

Please look for economical flight options from your region that arrive at Delhi Airport (DEL). We recommend choosing a flight that lands at midnight or before 2:00 AM on the day of the retreat. This will give you sufficient time to complete immigration, collect your baggage, and make your way to the airport arrival area without feeling rushed.

Most international flights arrive at Terminal 3. Once you have completed immigration and collected your baggage, we recommend staying inside Terminal 3 until around 3:45 AM rather than exiting the terminal. This is because there may be limited comfortable, air-conditioned places to sit outside the arrival area during the early morning hours.

Delhi Airport provides free Wi-Fi, so you can stay connected, and there is also a help desk where you can make calls if required.

Our team will remain in touch with you throughout your journey. At 4:00 AM, you can meet the other retreat participants at the Arrival Area of Terminal 3.

From there, the entire group will travel together to Vṛndāvana in a private, air-conditioned bus. The journey takes approximately 4 hours, allowing you to travel comfortably with the group.

On the final day of the retreat, we will also arrange return transportation to Delhi Airport Terminal 3, making your onward travel convenient and hassle-free.

We understand that flight delays and weather-related disruptions can sometimes be beyond your control. If you become aware of a delay or any change that may cause you to arrive in Delhi later than the scheduled group departure, please inform our Admin Team as soon as you know about it, even before boarding your flight or while you are waiting at the airport. If you arrive after the group has departed, we can assist you in arranging a private and safe taxi through a trusted driver from our contact circle to pick you up from Delhi Airport and bring you directly to the Ashram in Vṛndāvana. The journey usually takes around 3 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions.

Please note that the cost of the private taxi will have to be borne by the participant and paid directly to the taxi service based on their applicable charges. As a general indication, the fare may be approximately ₹3,500–₹5,000, depending on the type of car you choose and the prevailing taxi charges at the time.

So, please do not worry or panic if such a situation arises. We understand that these circumstances can happen, and our Admin Team will do their best to assist and guide you so that you can reach the Ashram safely and join the Retreat.

Email: admin@yogavedantagurukulam.org
WhatsApp: (+91) 9360 2424 75

Yes, you may invite your friends or family members to apply for the Retreat, provided they are adults, genuinely interested in dedicating themselves to Sādhanā, and willing to fully participate in the Retreat.

If you choose to travel to Vṛndāvana with a family member or friend who is not participating in the Retreat, they will not be permitted to stay within the Ashram or join the Retreat group. They will need to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements outside the Ashram for the duration of the Retreat.

If you are a woman who is concerned about travelling alone, please refer to FAQ 17: “I am a single woman travelling alone. Will it be safe for me to attend the Retreat?” This will provide you with more information to help you make an informed decision about attending the Retreat.

Children are not permitted to accompany participants to the Retreat. Please note that only registered Retreat participants are permitted to stay at the Ashram. Accommodation at the Ashram is not available for family members, children, or anyone who is not registered to participate in the Retreat.

Yes. Single women travelling alone are warmly welcome to attend The Tapas Retreat. Many women join the Retreat on their own, including participants who travel by themselves from different parts of India and around the world.

For The Tapas Retreat, participation is not based simply on the availability of Retreat spaces. Every prospective participant goes through a shortlisting and introductory session on Google Meet with Guruji before being accepted into the Retreat. This helps us understand the person’s sincerity, intentions, and suitability for an intensive Sādhanā retreat. If someone does not appear genuinely aligned with the purpose and discipline of the Retreat, we may not be able to accept their application.

Throughout the Retreat, participants stay in a peaceful and supportive Ashram environment, with the presence and guidance of the Ashram community. The Ashram also has CCTV cameras and security arrangements in place to support the safety and well-being of participants.

The Retreat is designed as a disciplined and peaceful environment where sincere seekers can turn inward and dedicate themselves to their practice.

So, if you are considering joining the Retreat but are hesitant because you would be travelling alone, you are most welcome to come on your own. We encourage sincere seekers to come without hesitation and immerse themselves fully in the Retreat experience.

If a participant falls sick during the Retreat or requires emergency medical assistance, we will immediately provide appropriate support and assist them in accessing the necessary medical care.

There are several medical facilities and hospitals located in close proximity to the Ashram. Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama Multi-Super-Specialty Hospital, Vṛndāvana, is approximately 6 km from the Ashram and can generally be reached in around 10 minutes by road.

Taxi and auto-rickshaw services are also available in the area, including at all hours, to facilitate transportation when medical attention is required.

Participants travelling alone can therefore feel reassured that they will not be left to manage a medical situation entirely on their own. Our team will provide appropriate assistance and support in accessing medical care when needed.

For your own safety and to help us support you appropriately, please disclose any existing health conditions or other relevant medical concerns to our team at the beginning of the registration process. This will allow us to understand your needs and guide you appropriately before and during the Retreat.

The goal of The Tapas Retreat is to guide us towards the state of Asaṁprajñāta Samādhi, a state that transcends every possible identification, including identification with the body itself.

As described in the Yoga Sūtras, in such a state of Samādhi, the practitioner is no longer identified as a man or a woman, nor does the practitioner remain identified with the world of objects. Ultimately, even identification with Īśvara is transcended, as consciousness moves beyond all such identifications towards the Ultimate Truth.

From this perspective, the practitioner no longer identifies the Ātman with what happens within the body.

Therefore, irrespective of the monthly cycle, women are requested to participate fully in all the practices, including meditation, Yajña, and Pūjā. The purpose is not to strengthen identification with the body, gender, or its changing conditions, but to gradually drop these identifications and transcend that which binds us.

With sincere effort, wholehearted participation, and Grace, may we move beyond all limited identification and rise towards the Absolute Truth.

The Tapas Retreat is designed as an immersive Sādhanā experience, and we encourage participants to step away from their regular work commitments during these days. As part of the retreat, we practise Digital Detox, creating space to disconnect from our usual digital routines, work, and external distractions, and turn our attention inward.

For this reason, we are not able to accommodate daily work commitments or regular meeting calls during the retreat. We kindly request you to join only if you are able to take a complete break from work and dedicate yourself fully to the retreat and your Sādhanā.

If you have ongoing work responsibilities that require your daily attention, it may be better to choose a retreat date when you can participate without these commitments.

We strongly recommend that you do not register for the retreat unless you are able to commit to the complete duration.

The Tapas Retreat is an intensive Sādhanā journey, and the practices and experiences are designed to unfold progressively. Leaving before the retreat is completed may interrupt the continuity and depth of your Sādhanā.

Please consider your work, personal commitments, travel plans, and other responsibilities carefully before registering, so that you can be fully present and committed throughout the retreat.

If you wish to visit the temples or explore Vṛndāvana, we kindly request that you wait until the Retreat has been completed. This is to help you remain fully immersed in the Retreat experience without outside activities or distractions. You are, however, most welcome to extend your stay after the Retreat and take the time to visit the temples and explore Vṛndāvana at your own pace.

Yes. You are welcome to extend your stay in Vṛndāvana for as long as you wish, either before or after the Retreat. If your flight schedule requires you to arrive a day earlier, you are also welcome to do so. For any additional days, the accommodation and food arrangements can be made separately for the extended period of your stay.

If you wish to extend your stay, we kindly request you to inform us in advance, as we will need to check the availability of rooms before confirming your extended stay.

If you are unwell or are unable to travel to the retreat, please let us know as early as possible. We will be happy to transfer your spot to the next available retreat date.

There is no refund for the retreat. However, the full amount you have paid can be carried forward to the next available retreat, and you will not have to pay anything extra. This gives you the flexibility to attend the retreat at a later date without losing your investment.

Reviews and testimonials are ultimately the experiences and perspectives of other people. In a spiritual retreat such as this, each person’s experience can be very different, shaped by their Guna (nature), Samskāra (impressions), and Vāsanā (tendencies). What one person finds deeply meaningful may not necessarily be what another person is seeking.

For this reason, we do not collect, publish, or use reviews and testimonials as a means of promoting The Tapas Retreat. Even after participating in the Retreat, participants are not asked or expected to provide a review, testimonial, endorsement, or any form of promotional content, including sharing or describing publicly how the Retreat affected, changed, or transformed them.

This is because The Tapas Retreat is not conducted as a commercial retreat, and we do not wish to commercialise the Retreat experience. While we may share information about the Retreat through our website, social media, or other appropriate channels so that sincere seekers can learn about the opportunity, we do not use the personal experiences or transformations of participants as promotional material.

We believe that excessive emphasis on promotion, testimonials, and public accounts of personal experiences can gradually influence the character and quality of a spiritual retreat. Our intention is to preserve the sincerity, depth, and integrity of the Retreat, rather than promote it through the experiences or endorsements of previous participants.

The best way to know whether this Retreat is right for you is to experience Guruji’s teachings for yourself. We encourage you to watch the Bhagavad Gītā sessions conducted by Guruji on YouTube and observe whether you connect with his way of teaching, his approach, and the depth of the subject.

If his teachings resonate with you, The Tapas Retreat may be the right retreat for you. If you do not feel connected to his teachings, then this Retreat may not be the right fit for you.

This is particularly important because Guruji himself conducts the Retreat in person. The teacher, his teachings, and the way they are experienced are at the heart of this Retreat.

You can watch the complete playlist of the ongoing Bhagavad Gītā sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK_tzEF_ASUY