India's Top Five Yoga Centers

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There's also a $900, two-week intensive course in March specializing in any of the various aspects of yoga such as healing or a specific meditation. The courses are popular, so book well in advance. Bookings for September are already closed; better luck for 2009.

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, Trivandrum

Situated in the sylvan surroundings of the Neyyar dam and forests just outside Kerala's capital city, Trivandrum, is the 12-acre Sivananda yoga ashram. "Our approach is more holistic, offering yoga, devotion, and philosophy," says Swami Sivaswaroopananda, the 46-year-old Italian doctor who came to India "for a more meaningful life" more than a decade ago and is now its director. The school, set up in 1977 by Swami Vishnudevananda, a disciple of Swami Sivananda, offers structured yoga "vacations." There are two two-week-long vacations a month. Peak season is November to April, and tariffs range from $12.50 to $15 per head for a twin room, $8.75 to $11.25 per head for dormitory or tent-style lodging. During the Christmas-New Year period, there's a special culture, philosophy, and fitness camp offering a mix of ayurveda and yoga ranging from $13.75 to $18.75 a day.

Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh

Nestling in the Himalayas on the banks of the Ganges is Parmarth Niketan. The institute has long catered to Indian travelers to the holy city of Rishikesh, which has more yoga camps than eateries. The influx of foreigners heading to Rishikesh on a spiritual path encouraged Swami Chidanand Saraswati, the president of Parmarth Niketan, to offer yoga courses in English. Parmarth offers all the yoga ingredients "in a spiritual ambience," according to Sadhvi Bhagwati, an American scientist who visited India 11 years ago and stayed at Parmarth "after an amazing spiritual experience." The ashram has 1,000 rooms on its eight-acre campus. Room rates depend on the view—facing the Ganges will cost more—but generally run from $7.50 for single occupancy and $20 for double occupancy. Meals are vegetarian. The big event at Parmarth is the weeklong International Yoga Festival every March. It typically gathers 550 participants from 32 countries with the objective of bringing together different streams of yoga and healing arts including Reiki, Shinto yoga, and power yoga.

Lakshman covers India business for BusinessWeek.