the online portal for the offerings of
Madhurai Sumhara
Bridge to India
A spiritual pilgrimage into the heart of yoga
March 8-18, 2026
in Rishikesh, India
About the retreat...
Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, this ancient city is famous for being the home of many wise mystics, rishis, and yogis. People have been drawn to Rishikesh for thousands of years, to commune with the holy Himalayan mountains and purifying waters of the Ganges river. Over time, Rishikesh has become a hotspot for yoga schools and meditation centers. It's no coincidence that you, too, are drawn here!
Join the lineage of Rishikesh yogis, by traveling to the "Yoga Capitol of the World" and immersing yourself in the powerful energies of the heartland of yoga.
Madhurai's intention is to create
a bridge for you to connect with the heartland of yoga and spirituality,
by immersing yourself in the country where this healing wisdom originates.
Program overview:
This 11 day retreat brings you right into the heartland of yoga and meditation for an immersive spiritual adventure.
Program cost:
Early bird price: $1950
Standard ticket: $2300
Our program includes:
- 11 days of accommodation in our beautiful guesthouse
- Comfortable clean shared room (2 people per room) (Single occupancy available for an additional fee)
- 2 nourishing, vegetarian meals a day
- daily yoga classes and meditation classes
- tours and experiences in incredible places
- access to amazing community and local teachers
- pick up and drop off at Dehradun airport
- loving support in your process from Madhurai & friends
Does not include:
- flights to and from India
- Indian visa (I will provide you the info needed to obtain it)
- 1 meal a day, while out on our adventures
- Shopping & extra-curricular activities
- Add-on adventure to Vrindavan + Taj Mahal (click here to learn more)
join us for 11 amazing days of:
Mountaintop meditations
Sacred sites, temples, and ashrams
Community connection
Yoga in the Himalayas
Working with amazing kids
Delicious healthy Indian food
Explore India with a close group of
adventurous friends
Gorgeous Indian devotional music, lots of kirtan and mantra chanting
New sights, sounds, and experiences to awaken the heart and soul
& SO MUCH FUN!
Sample Daily Schedule
7:00 am - wake up
7:30 am - guided meditation
8-9 am - yoga
9:30 - healthy breakfast +chai
10:30 - adventure time! Visiting ashrams, sacred waters and mystical caves, offering seva and playing with the kids, shopping in the local market
1pm - Lunch
Adventures, activities, and free time
6:30 pm Dinner
8:00 pm - rest, or go to Krishna ashram for kirtan, dancing, and feasting!
Accommodations:
We will be staying at a beautiful hotel called Vedas, in Tapovan neighborhood, Lakshman Jhula, Rishikesh. This is my home neighborhood, and is situated very close to lots of restaurants, shopping, and the children's home where we will be volunteering.
Vedas has a beautiful rooftop yoga studio with windows on all sides, giving us great views of the surrounding Himalayan mountains. Imagine waking up here, to meditate in the divine energy of Rishikesh.
We will begin each day together in our yoga shala, guided into meditative states of peace and connection by our yoga teachers.
Each morning will feature a 30 minute meditation and hour long asana class. Madhurai will teach some of these classes, and our amazing local teachers will also teach some, which gives you a variety of styles of yoga asana to try out and see what resonates most for you.
We will enjoy 2 meals a day in the lovely rooftop restaurant.
All meals here are healthy, clean, vegetarian Indian cuisine.
And let me assure you... the food here is beyond delicious!!
For the third meal of the day (lunch or dinner) we will enjoy the local restaurants, where you will have a chance to order and taste whatever you please! (This meal is not included in program cost)
I highly recommend trying new Indian foods, and there are also
Western options at most restaurants, if that's what you're craving.
Our standard ticket includes a shared Deluxe room with 2 beds. You can expect the beds to be twin sized, comfortable, and clean.
(Not always gauranteed elsewhere in India ;) )
Private rooms are available for an additional cost.
Each room has a private bathroom with a western toilet, sink, and shower with hot water available. Air conditioning is available as well.
There is a 24-hour front desk at the property along with Free WiFi.
How do I get there?
I recommend two options:
1) By plane to Dehradun airport.
This small domestic airport is 22 km away from Rishikesh.
To get here, you will usually fly into India through New Delhi or Mumbai International airports, and then transfer to Dehradun. I will pick you up at the Dehradun airport and bring you back to Rishikesh (about an hour drive). Please aim to arrive on the morning of March 8,
and fly out on the morning of March 18.
2) By taxi.
When you reach New Delhi airport I can arrange for a taxi to pick you up and bring you directly to our hotel in Rishikesh. (Around 6 hour drive)
This will require a $50 additional taxi cost.
Surprise... this year, I'm adding something new!!
if you want to stay a little longer and see another part of India, I'm adding an optional additional adventure!
Join me for 4 more days of magic...
in Vrindavan and the Taj Mahal!
What does this look like?
Our Rishikesh retreat will end on March 18.
You will have 4 extra days there to rest and decompress.
On March 23, we will take the train from Rishikesh to Vrindavan, spend 3 days exploring the ancient temples there, and then spend the last day visiting the Taj Mahal.
Why add this?
After getting accustomed to India during our retreat,
I want to show you a few more of the magical places that have captivated my heart!
Vrindavan is a holy city known for being the hometown of Krishna and Radha. The devotion pulses strongly here - in every temple, people are singing and dancing with their whole hearts! The energy is electrifying, exciting, and deeply moving for those with a devotional heart. We will also be able to visit a Hanuman temple and the Mahasamadhi ashram of my guru, Neem Karoli Baba.
We will enjoy 3 days of devotional bliss here in Krishna's lap!
I also understand that most people visiting India would love to see the famous and Taj Mahal. It truly is an amazing, breathtaking work of art, and well worth a visit.
Also.. Vrindavan is a lot closer to Delhi to Rishikesh, so you will be able to get back to Delhi for your exiting flight with convenience.
This add-on adventure is $800.
Please let Madhurai know if you're interested in this extra fun!
this part of the immersion is only available to those who have participated in the full Rishikesh retreat (that includes participants from previous years!)
Want to hear more?
Check out the positive experiences that previous participants have shared:
Testimonials:
To introduce yourself to the immense beauty and wonder of Northern India through Madhurai Sumhara has got to be the greatest way to orient oneself that I can imagine.
Traveling under the relaxing guidance of someone so fully experienced in the culture, with incredible local connections, tips, and religious and secular hot spots, interpreters, access to various teachers for yoga, cooking, shopping, temples and ceremonies. The provided opportunities to sweetly volunteer with the children and staff of Ramanas Garden is simply life changing. Just wow. I will come again and again.
5 stars. Hands down. Book it.
~ Tiana
"Madhurai is an incredible guide and her knowledge of the area, relationships with the locals, and connection with the place are making my experience here so enriching. Yesterday we had the fire/rebirth ceremony at the Ganges. It was powerful!"
~ Ashley W.
I’ve attended many retreats over the years, and have also led weekend retreats and getaways. I must tell you that this is a one of a kind experience. Madhurai is full of life and light, easily expresses herself and clearly has a heart of service. But more importantly, she facilitates this two week retreat with reverence for every single person - guiding us on a path of self discovery through meditation and yoga, and carefully prepared activities and excursions. I, for one, will forever be grateful and blessed having tasted the sweetness of Honey in the Heart in India. I highly recommend this retreat to soul and energy seekers alike.
- Nancy
"My life was changed by my trip to India.
It is my forever home filled with beautiful beings that I will forever hold dear to my heart. I found my second home and souls that are family. India is the birth place of where my spirit was awakened, set on fire, and enriched my practice. A special thank you goes out to Madhurai Sumhara and Veer Shahi for making my experience memorable. I love you both dearly and long to see you again soon!
So if any of you have India on your bucket list, I highly recommend Madhurai's tours. Madhurai has lived and trained in India for years. Her tour was organized, knowledgeable, and filled with passion for the sacred land. She introduced me to Rishikesh, the Yoga Mecca of the World to the extent I will return to see friends again and again! ~ Brooke A.
"I believe that while India has some incredible magic all on it's own, Madhurai brings out magic in India that is completely unique. Through my two weeks there I found pieces of myself I lost in childhood, I realized parts of my romantic life needed work, I made beautiful amazing friends that live across the country and even a woman who lived 20 minutes away. Looking back on India it feels like a dream, but while I was there my life never felt so real and my soul was right at home. I often find myself missing the love expressed and felt there. I highly recommend Madhurai's India trip, especially if it calls to you. No other trip will ever be like it." - Andelynn
Into the Heart of Yoga was an incredible experience. I’m so fortunate to have found it. Madhurai is such an amazing space holder and has such fun and positive energy! She has been coming to India for years and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things India.
This retreat was packed with unforgettable experiences. Dipping in the Ganga, Fire Puja, waterfall hikes, visiting temples and sacred sites are only some of the things we did. We did it all!
In addition to having divine experiences, I met some beautiful people. Her friend Veer helps with the retreat, and meeting him is such a blessing.
One of my favorite things we did was visiting the kid’s at Ramana’s Garden. Madhurai has been volunteering there for a long time and is very connected with them. This afforded us lots of quality time with the kids and it was so heart warming.
If you have been wanting to experience India, I highly recommend this retreat. It is truly a bridge to India. Such a safe and fun space to land in. I will be staying in India past the retreat and feel much more confident about it. I learned so much and feel better about navigating this beautiful and wild country. Thank you Madhurai!
~ Elaurian Windspeak
Early Bird Tickets go on sale August 5
and end on September 10!
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Ready to join us?
or contact Madhurai directly with any questions: