A campus in nature, built not for the serious but for the sincere. Up to ten students, living and practising as a small community in the forest.
Vana Farm is a working farm and a retreat campus at once. Cottages, glamping tents, and a practice hall open to the landscape form the residential core. Nothing here was designed for comfort as a primary goal. It was designed for practice.
The practice hall opens on three sides to the surrounding forest. Morning sessions begin before the heat sets in. The sounds of the farm – birds, wind, the rhythm of work – are not filtered out. They are part of the context.
Maximum ten residential students at any time. This is a deliberate limit. Yoga, studied well, is not a large-group activity.
Simple, considered, and close to the land. Each option places you within the farm, not above it.
Double bed cottages set within the farm, with attached bath. Private, quiet, and simply furnished – a double bed, a desk, windows that open to trees, garden, and valley.
Structured canvas tents on raised platforms, covered with a proper roof. Closer to the sounds of the landscape – bird calls at dawn and dusk – with a single low bed and bedding. Shared bath in walkable distance.
A small dormitory for participants who choose simplicity. Comfortable, clean, and rarely more than four to a room or tent. Shared bath in walkable distance.
Mani Raman has been teaching yoga since 1998, rooted in the Sivananda tradition and shaped by decades of practice, study of Vedanta, and direct engagement with the texts.
Teaching at Vana Farm is not an event he visits. It is where he lives and practises.
Savitri – his partner – co-designed the farm alongside him and manages every aspect of the teachings, the farm, and every beautiful thing you may experience during your stay.
Vana Farm is a home that receives students, not a resort with a resident teacher. The dogs, cats, and families who live there are part of the fabric of what it is.
Wifi is limited. Mobile reception varies. This is a feature, not a flaw.
There is a rhythm here. Not rigid, but real. The day is structured so that practice, food, study, and rest each have their proper time.
Guided and self asana and pranayama before breakfast. The hall is open to the forest. Practice begins with the light and ends before the heat arrives.
Brunch as the first full meal, prepared in the sattvic kitchen with sattvic ingredients. Depending on your retreat type – text study or philosophy discussion around noon, followed by tea and snacks. The afternoon is quieter: reading, walking, rest.
Evening sessions move toward self-practice or guided practice, chanting, philosophy discussion, occasional bonfire, and documentary screening. Satsang closes the day. Dinner is early and light.
Maximum ten residential students at any time. Programmes run in cycles of one to four weeks.
All meals included. Sattvic vegetarian food, prepared in the Vana Farm kitchen.
No prior experience required. A sincere intention to practise is the only condition.
Wifi is limited. Mobile reception varies. Plan for periods of genuine disconnection.
The campus is shared with the families and animals who live here. It is a home, not a facility.
Write to us before applying if you have specific health conditions or dietary requirements.
Vana Farm, Kambam Valley
Melagudalur, Tamilnadu – 625516. India