Set up
in 1924, Kaivalyadhama is not only the country's premier yoga institute but is also a leading center for learning and practicing yoga.
Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute was established by the aid of Government of India, Ministry of HRD & Government of Maharashtra, Department of Higher and Technical Education. The Institute had the goal of restructuring society by imparting spiritual values through a revival of the ancient yogic discipline.
Swami Kuvalyananda founded the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute on Vijaydashami day 1924, at Lonavla. One of the first things that he undertook to do was bringing out "Yoga Mimamsa", a Yogic Journal. The publication of Yoga Mimamsa was a pioneering step taken towards demystifying Yoga. Up till then considered sacred and only for a chosen few, Yoga was now presented as a science. The journal managed to successfully bridge the gap between the spiritual and physical aspects of Yoga. The impact was felt soon and an enthusiastic team of people, dedicated to yogic research, joined Swamiji.
As the work gained momentum, it gained recognition too. People now wanted to learn Yoga and groups of students started coming and learning the various yogic practices. As the demand arose from other places, branches have been established in Mumbai, Rajkot, Delhi, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, USA and France.
There are many Departments in Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute: the Scientific Research Department, Yogic Health care center, Ashram, Philosophico-literary research in Yoga and Gordhandas Seksaria College of Yoga & Cultural Synthesis.
Swami Kuvalayananda, the founder of the center, is well known all over the world as the pioneering exponent of scientific yoga, rejecting anything that was disproved by scientific investigation. He was also a poet and Sanskrit scholar. Through his continuous and missionary zeal in promoting research and yoga therapy, he built Kaivalyadhama, which even 75 years later is a leading center for learning and practicing yoga.
The institute, which started with one building, consists of 30 buildings now. Besides the regular courses, Kaivalyadhama conducts workshops, seminars and classes all over India, including Rajkot, Mumbai, Delhi and Bhopal. At present, it has many branches in India and two branches abroad, at USA and France. With its long years of experience, the institute exists as a landmark of Pune District in the field of Yoga and Indian culture.
Furthermore, the center has been visited and commended by Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Indira Gandhi and the Dalai Lama.
