Teachings Under the Banyan Tree: A Contemplative Immersion into the Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stotram

Teachings Under the Banyan Tree is a two-day contemplative study retreat centred on the Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stotram, where Śiva is revealed as the archetypal Guru who teaches through silence and presence. Guided by Dr. Vinayachandra Banavathy, the retreat offers an Advaitic exploration of adhyāsa (mistaken identity) and the inward movement toward clarity and awareness.

Held in the context of Mahāśivarātri, the immersion integrates reflective study with Rudra Pārāyaṇa, Rudrābhiṣeka, and bhajans, allowing scriptural inquiry, devotion, and contemplation to unfold as a unified sādhanā. The retreat invites participants into sustained listening, inward reflection, and experiential assimilation of self-knowledge.

The Details of the Retreat are as follows:

*Suitable age group 18 years and above* Open for all, requiring no prior knowledge of Vedānta. Knowledge of the Text or of Sanskrit also is not required.

Date and timings:

• Starts on the evening of Friday, 13^thFebruary, 2026 at 6:00 PM
• Concludes on Sunday, 15^thFebruary, 2026 at 4:00 PM

Typical Schedule:

07.00 – 08.15 AM    Asana + Pranayama
08.15 – 09.00 AM    Bath
09.00 – 10.00 AM    Breakfast
10.00 – 11.30 AM    Session I
11.30 – 12.00 PM    Tea Break
12.00 – 01.00 PM    Session II
01.00 – 03.00 PM    Lunch & Rest
03.00 – 04.15 PM    Session III
04.15 – 05.00 PM    Cyclic Meditation
05.00 – 05.30 PM    Tea Break
05.30 – 06.30 PM    Tuning to Nature
07.00 – 07.30 PM    Bhajan
07.30 – 08.30 PM    Dinner
08.30 – 09.15 PM    Circle Time

Workshop Contribution:

• Rs 5,000/-per person.
• The fees are inclusive of boarding, lodging and teaching plus resource materials.

Accommodation: Shared accommodation will be provided

Food: Simple sāttvik food with fresh-grown vegetables from the farm.

Reaching the Venue: The venue is about 22 km from Majestic Bus Stand and is accessible through Magadi Road and Tumkur Road, preferably through your own vehicles. The retreat centre is very close to “Sri Kamadhenu Kshetra”, a highly popular Raghavendra Swamy temple, which has become much-known in recent years. It would take approximately an hour to reach the retreat venue from the city centre. Participants have to make their own arrangements to travel to the venue. If any assistance is required, the Indica Yoga Team will help.

Metro Rail Access: Take Green Line, get down at Madavara Metro Station. From there, it takes 25 mins (9.2 km) via Lakshmipura Road by Auto Rickshaw / Taxi.

Contact: namaste@indicayoga.com / +91 6363663313 / +91 8431570343

Facilitators

Dr. Vinayachandra Banavathy

Co-founder & Director, Indica Yoga

Dr. Vinayachandra Banavathy, being a member of the Founding Team of Chanakya University, currently holds key positions, including Chief Consultant, Strategic Initiatives, and Mentor, Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems. Previously, he served as the Director, Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems and as the Director of Communications in the same institute. He's also the co-founder and Director of Indica Yoga, a platform that offers authentic yoga experiences and training across the globe. Dr. Vinayachandra holds a PhD in psychological insights from the Vedas and has a background in Sanskrit, English, Yogic Science, and Applied Psychology.

Vinayachandra is a dedicated teacher who travels across the world conducting courses, lectures and workshops on a unique blend of Yoga, Psychology and Sanskrit. He is a guest faculty/resource person at various Universities and Yoga Associations including Ghent University, Belgium; Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland; Vedanta Academy, Belgium; Irish Yoga Association, Ireland; Yoga Pramiti, Italy; School of Philosophy and Economic Science, Ireland; VYASA Singapore, etc. He has had the privilege of being a tutor at the European Union of Yoga Congress, Zinal, Switzerland for the years 2013, 2014 and was the Guest of Honour at the same event in the year 2017 along with Dr. Anuradha Choudry.

His publications include a report on Standardization of Yoga Terminologies for WHO; a book co-edited with Dr. Anuradha Choudry titled ‘Perspectives on Indian Psychology’, published by Jain University Press, another book co-authored titled ‘Happiness: Indic Perspectives’, published by Development Foundation, besides a few articles, papers, booklets on Yoga, Indian Psychology, Culture and Spirituality. In addition to his academic interests, he is deeply passionate to work with children and youth and is involved with several cultural and service organizations in varied capacities.

Datta Prasad

Yoga Therapist and Co-ordinator, Indica Yoga

Datta Prasad is a certified Yoga Therapist from the prestigious SVYASA Yoga University, Bangalore with more than a decade of rich and varied experience of working in the field of Yoga and wellness program with many renowned & reputed organizations.