The Western world is still trying to unravel the mystique of Yoga Tour. But in India, where Yoga began thousands of years ago, it is much more than a mystic science.

While total enlightenment is altogether a totally different concept meant only for those who are very serious about Yoga, it must be remembered that the Yoga Asanas or poses unite our body and mind and build energies preparing us for physical and mental challenges. The Yoga that is popular in the West is in the category of Hatha or physical yoga. Many of the physical poses require concentration of a high degree. Yoga, incidentally, is one of the first steps to successful meditation and the strict discipline of yoga enables the body to sit still for long periods.

Today, though Yoga is becoming popular, the uses it is being put to are superficial. To learn more about Yoga and mental relaxation, which Yoga helps you attain, a tour to India for a Yoga holiday is a must.

There are a number of places in the country where Yoga is taught by masters. They are:

Rishikesh: Located in the Garhwal region, Rishikesh is one of the holiest places among Hindu pilgrimage sites and is easily accessible from Delhi. It is also the birthplace of Yoga attracting tourists every year from all parts of the world.

There are many ashrams in Rishikesh offering courses on meditation, yoga and Hindu philosophy. Among them are the Sri Ved Niketan Ashram, the Shivananda Ashram, the Yoga Niketan Ashram, Omkarananda Ashram, Vanmali Gita Yogashram, Dayananda Vedanta Ashram, Brahma Niwas and the Yoga Study Center. The town also hosts the International Yoga Festival in the beginning of February every year.