Yoga in Mysuru

Mysuru (Mysore), in the south Indian state of Karnataka, holds a special place in modern yoga history. In the 1930s T. Krishnamacharya taught at the Mysore Palace under royal patronage, and his student K. Pattabhi Jois went on to develop Ashtanga Vinyasa here. Practitioners from around the world still come to study Ashtanga in the city, especially in the Gokulam neighbourhood.

Most serious students stay for at least a month, practising Mysore-style each morning. Shorter Hatha and Iyengar-inspired courses are also available. The dry, mild months of November to February are the busiest; book well ahead if you plan to study at a well-known shala.

Why Mysuru matters in modern yoga

In the 1930s the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, supported a yoga school run by T. Krishnamacharya, whose students included K. Pattabhi Jois and B. K. S. Iyengar. Jois stayed in the city and taught the sequence-based method now known as Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, first from a small room in the Lakshmipuram neighbourhood and later from a larger shala in Gokulam. From the 1970s onwards Western students travelled to study with him, and they carried the method around the world. He died in 2009.

Studying Ashtanga today

Members of the Jois family have continued to teach in Mysuru. His daughter Saraswathi has taught here for decades, and his grandson R. Sharath Jois led a large shala until his death in November 2024. Since then his family has said that his shala will continue. Check each shala’s own website for who is teaching, when its season runs and how to register. Places at the larger shalas are limited and are allocated through an application process well in advance. The city also has many independent teachers of Ashtanga, Hatha, pranayama, Sanskrit and chanting who accept students more informally.

How Mysore-style practice works

In a Mysore-style class everyone practises the Ashtanga sequence at their own pace in the same room, while the teacher moves around giving individual instruction and adjustments. New postures are added one at a time. Practice starts early in the morning, six days a week, with rest days traditionally taken on full and new moon days. Many shalas expect students to stay for at least a month, and some ask for previous experience with a teacher of the method. Adjustments are hands-on; you can decline them, and it is reasonable to say so at the start.

Where to stay

Most visiting students stay in Gokulam, a residential neighbourhood in the north-west of the city, where rooms and apartments are rented by the month and cafés cater to yoga students. Lakshmipuram, nearer the centre and the palace, is the older yoga neighbourhood and has its own teachers. Because classes begin early, it helps to live within walking distance of your shala.

When to go and getting there

November to February is dry and mild. March to May is hot, and most rain falls between June and October. The Dasara festival, in September or October, fills the city and its hotels. Mysuru has a small airport with limited flights, so most international visitors fly to Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and continue by road, usually three to four hours depending on traffic. Frequent trains also link Bengaluru and Mysuru in around two to three hours.

Good to know before you go

• Register directly with the shala, using the process on its own website
• Authorisation to teach Ashtanga is granted by particular teachers and is not the same as a Yoga Alliance certificate
• Month-long stays are the norm, so shorter visits suit independent teachers better than the large shalas
• Dress modestly outside the shala; Mysuru is a conservative city
• Confirm fees, dates and refund terms in writing before you pay

Questions