Himalayan Sound Immersion: Raga Music & Yoga Retreat in Dharamshala

This is not a performance course or a teacher training. It's an invitation into the living tradition of Indian classical music, taught the way it's been passed down for generations—slowly, through listening, repetition, and patience. Shivam Rath, who studied in Varanasi and Kolkata under maestros like Pt. Chhote Lal Misra and Sanjay Chakraborty, leads the retreat with a relaxed, personal style. He's been practising raga and mantra for over sixteen years, and his teaching focuses on sincerity and direct experience rather than perfection.

Each day weaves together several practices. You'll learn the basics of raga—the melodic frameworks that are tied to time of day, season, and emotion—and how to sing them. You'll explore mantra and the yoga of sound, known as Nāda Yoga, which treats the voice as a tool for healing and focus. There are also daily yoga and pranayama sessions, sound healing, and deep listening practices. No previous musical training is needed; the retreat is designed for beginners as much as for experienced musicians and yogis.

The setting is part of the teaching. Dharamshala is the home of the Dalai Lama and a place of deep spiritual history. The retreat centre, Dev Bhoomi Farm and Cottages, sits among forest and open sky, with a mountain-fed river running beside it. You're a fifteen-minute drive from town, but the atmosphere feels far away from everything. This is a chance to step away from overstimulation and return to simplicity: shared meals, daily practice, silence, and the slow unfolding of inner awareness.

A portion of the retreat's profits goes to support educational and community projects in India—for the 2027 retreat, that means supporting WEIV (Women's Empowerment in Villages), which works with rural communities in Bihar. So your participation also contributes to something larger than the retreat itself.

What's included

- Airport pick-up and drop-off - 6 nights accommodation - 3 daily delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals - Daily yoga classes - Daily pranayama classes - Daily meditation classes - Daily raga and voice practice - Mantra chanting sessions - Sound healing sessions - Tea and nature walks with a guide - Specialized workshops - Group excursions and activities - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - Free WiFi

What's not included

- Flights costs - Travel insurance - Visa fee