Kanha Shanti Vanam: 10 Excellent Reasons to Explore

Kanha Shanti Vanam, is situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana and serves as the global headquarters of the Heartfulness Institute. This ashram is a haven of ecological beauty and serves as a spiritual retreat, where one can embrace a simple lifestyle harmonized with both inner and outer nature. It is also an embodiment of sustainability and environment consciousness.

Kanha Shanti Vanam provides spiritual guidance alongside interactive programs aimed at promoting overall well-being and opportunities for learning and contribution. Recognizing its dedication to inner wellness, Kanha was honored with ‘The Pride of Telangana’ award in 2019 by Round Table India & Times of India.

Additionally, the center was bestowed with the prestigious Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum award in 2019 for its adherence to world-class environmentally friendly practices, making it the first meditation center globally to achieve such recognition.

So let us begin our journey!

Yatra Garden at Kanha Shanti Vanam

Yatra means journey. Here it means a spiritual journey.

Yatra garden is a beautifully landscaped garden synchronizing with the underlying theme of Sahaj Marg system of meditation and spirituality.

This tranquil space is designed as a journey through the chakras, offering a path of silent contemplation and reflection. Visitors traverse various habitats (knots), each representing a chakra and its associated qualities, facilitating a profound inner journey of the soul. There are 13 such “Knots” and once you have unraveled all the knots you have the answer to the eternal question of “why are we here?”

The garden’s layout encourages meditative walks, among the various colored flowers, stones and marble statues of Gods, Godesses, Sages and messengers of Gods, leading one through the spiritual landscape of Heartfulness and its rich heritage. It’s a physical manifestation of the inner yatra, a pilgrimage of self-discovery and connection with the divine.

It has to be experienced firsthand to appreciate the beauty of this oasis.

Heartfulness Meditation Center

Heartfulness, also known as the Sahaj Marg, is a system of spiritual meditation to achieve the final goal of real inner happiness. Discover inner peace and serenity at the Meditation Center in Kanha Shanti Vanam. Set amidst the tranquil surroundings of nature, this center offers a sanctuary for those seeking to rejuvenate their mind, body, and soul. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to meditation, the Meditation Center provides a welcoming space to explore mindfulness and cultivate a sense of calm.

The Main Central Meditation hall with its 8 smaller satellite halls can hold 100,000 participants at a time. The unique point is that there is a roof but no walls! All sides are open for ventilation.

Step into the Meditation Center and embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery. With its serene ambiance, it’s the perfect place to escape the stresses of modern life and reconnect with your innermost thoughts and feelings. Whether you prefer guided meditation sessions or silent contemplation, you’ll find a variety of practices to suit your needs and preferences.

Experience the profound benefits of Heartfulness meditation as you immerse yourself in the peaceful surroundings of Kanha Shanti Vanam. From reducing stress and anxiety to enhancing mental clarity and emotional well-being, regular meditation practice can have a profound impact on your overall health and happiness. Whether you’re seeking solace, spiritual growth, or simply a moment of quiet reflection, the Meditation Center offers a tranquil haven where you can find balance, harmony, and inner peace.

There is no fee for learning how to do this form of meditation at Kanha Shanti Vanam

Wellness Center at Kanha Shanti Vanam

Experience the epitome of well-being at the Wellness Center in Kanha Shanti Vanam, where Ayurvedic treatments await. In the tranquil embrace of Kanha Shanti Vanam, this sanctuary offers a holistic retreat for travelers seeking rejuvenation. From traditional Ayurvedic massages to personalized wellness consultations, the center provides a bespoke experience tailored to enhance your vitality and inner harmony.

Once you step into the Wellness Center, one Ayurvedic doctor will be assigned to you. He will put you through many questions while feeling the pulse and make an estimate of your health and will guide you through the treatment. In most cases it will be an oil massage, however the mix of herbal oils used is the key to the treatment.

Soon two skilled Ayurvedic masseurs will take over and massage you all over in a synchronized manner. At the end of it you will automatically fall asleep … hehe. Whether you seek relaxation, rejuvenation, or relief from ailments, the center’s array of Ayurvedic treatments offers a holistic approach to well-being.

Books and More

An in-house library and a book store facility by the name of ‘Books and More’ has vast, multilingual collection of literature of Heartfulness and other scriptures. It is said that the library has more than 4000 books and around 600 videos, many of which were personally selected by Revered Chariji from around the world. This collection includes nearly 1000 books on Philosophy & Psychology, 2000 on Religion besides books on Social Sciences, Languages, Science, Technology, Arts & Recreation, Literature and History & Geography.

The library has a reading space with large tables and comfortable seating with ample of natural light. The place is surrounded  by a lot of greenery, which makes it more favorable environment for intense study and research.

The book store has photographs, art pieces, stationary, clothes and other accessories besides of course the books!  

Also Read : Kuno National Park

Sports Center at Kanha Shanti Vanam

The idea of HISC (The Heartfulness International Sports Centre) was conceived in 2020 as an unified multi-sport facility to promote excellence in sports. The idea is to ignite that spark in children to look at sports and fitness as a means for career or healthy lifestyle. HISC is home to the world’s largest meditation centre. The sports centre facility spans over 54,680 sq feet with state-of-the-art infrastructure. It includes

• 14 badminton courts
• 3 squash courts
• 25-meter swimming pool
• Gym and Fitness centre

Leading sports icons of India such as Pullela Gopichand, P. V. Sindhu are guiding the children from time to time. Other sports persons like Havier Zanett, Rohit Sharma, R. Ashwin, and Ravi Shashtri are also roped in for their inspiring motivations.

They are also associated with the Ministry of Sports (Government of India), Khelo India and the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy.

Learning Centers

Brighter Minds at THLC, The Heartfulness Learning Center

A fresh and beautiful concept, a gift of a lifetime, Brighter Minds has a series of programs that focuses on whole-brain development and intellectual growth for different age groups.

Brighter Minds uses proprietary interactive tools and techniques. Each of the training programs aims at whole-brain activation where the right brain is stimulated through exercises, sound waves, and relaxation to achieve left-right equilibrium. The result is phenomenal in the form of an intellectually, socially, and emotionally brighter mind. We witnessed this activity in front of us. Sister Sudeepa showed us how a normal 10 year old blindfold child can ‘see’ and predict so many things.

Brighter Minds (BM) provides training methodology designed to catalyze cognitive growth for a lifetime of learning. It improves memory, intuition, cognitive functioning, and observational skills.

The right age to start this training program is 10 years.

Kanha Coaching Center (KCC)

KCC offers diverse learning programs focused on personal development.

At Kanha Coaching Classes, they offer all trending courses for engineering and medical entrance exams, ensuring your child is fully prepared to take on the challenges ahead with confidence. Our experienced instructors and up-to-date curriculum empower students to tackle any academic hurdle.

According to the director, “We believe that the best education comes from a combination of experienced faculty and excellent infrastructure. Our passionate teachers use innovative teaching methods, driven by our dedication to our cause and commitment to education. Each student in our programs receives regular support and guidance from mentors and counselors, ensuring they have the resources needed to succeed. Our mentorship and counseling program fosters comfort and confidence as students progress through their academics “.

Pottery Center

Men and women have been making pots out of local clay for  thousands of years. In any excavation, archaeologists mostly find pots which were used in ancient times for cooking, carrying or storing eatables. These pots had become a way to support everyday family life. The other most commonly found clay work was tiles or murals which would tell us the stories of that era’s culture and civilization. Drawing on the walls and making a piece which could be heated in fire for their daily needs were other ways to play with clay.

In today’s world, different terms are used for clay art: pottery, ceramics, and other types of clay art-making. These clay pieces could be functional or artwork.

In Kanha, the volunteers and the team is constantly teaching the children this art work. The studio is full of creations by them that tells us about their imaginations and skills. These items are later available for sale in Convenient stores and Pottery Studio. Through the age-old methods that were organic and healthy, this facility creates high quality products that increase the quality of your lifestyle.

Food Options at the Heartfulness Campus

Self Sustained Suruchi Canteen

Your visit to Kanha Shantivanam is not complete if you don’t visit the Main Canteen Suruchi Café at least once during your stay. The surrounding is also very beautiful with Kanha Express (a train coach converted into restaurant) on one side.

We used to go there after our morning walks for our morning tea and in the evening for evening snacks.

There are multiple varieties of vegetarian food, mostly South Indian, North Indian and Chinese cuisine. Snacks, momos, sandwiches, sweets, cake, pastries, juices and meals such as dosa, idly, vadai, noodles, paneer, Pav Bhaji, Bhel Puri, Fruit Salad and what not. It has a section for ice creams for your cravings and one for fresh fruits. Not to miss the variety of deep fried bhajjis and samosa in another section. We even got packed some sweets to take home on our last day.

The canteen is quite big with both indoor and outdoor seating available. The prices are very reasonable considering that it’s also open to students, volunteers and guests. They also serve three times meals.

The staff is friendly and helpful. After school holidays we saw some school students enthusiastically volunteering at the counters.

P.S. – They also accept online payment.

Fausto’s, the Italian Restaurant at Kanha

Fausto’s is an Italian terrace restaurant at Kanha, serving authentic Italian cuisine. The place is very ideal for small events, get-togethers and gatherings. Fausto’s delicious cuisine includes a variety of Kanha’s very own and specialized wood-fired pizzas. Good ambience and staff. It also has vegetarian and vegan options.

Community Dining Hall

Kanha Ashram houses a large dining hall that provides simple and light meals for free 3 times a day, 365 days a year. Satvik and healthy vegetarian food is cooked here in very hygienic conditions and served to all residents and visitors who wish to dine here. Simple and healthy vegetarian food is cooked and supplied to other restaurants as well. They also have a section for bakery products where they make in-house breads, brownies and cakes etc.

Nursery – Hearticulture

At Heartyculture Nursery at Kanha Shanti Vanam, the inspiration is found from nature itself. The roots teach us the value of staying grounded and the leaves gracefully transition from season through seasons, they remind us of the beauty of change and the promise of new beginnings.

Nature also tells us that the things aren’t rushed. If you’re feeling the pressure to rush, take solace in nature.

So Heartyculture Nursery started with a mission to protect and sustain endangered and endemic species of plants and trees of our nativity, by propagating and planting them across the country. There are two nurseries and we could visit the smaller one which itself was quite big.

At present the Heartyculture Nursery is home to more than 739 different species belonging to 113 families. More than 256 rare, endangered and endemic species of the Deccan Plateau and 137 native species are available here.

People can buy plant saplings and seeds from here. The nursey supports online shopping also.

Sustainability Projects at Kanha Shanti Vanam

Tissue Culture Center

Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre launched Tissue Culture laboratory at Kanha Shanti Vanam. It is set up to help propagate the critically endangered plant and tree species in the country. This project by Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre is a modern laboratory, with all facilities and does all conservation work at Kanha Shanti Vanam.

The Heartfulness Tree conservation centre is trying to grow the plantlets of different endangered species. They also offer these to different forestry departments, NGOs, and other plantation bodies across the country. The process of tissue culture would safeguard many of the endangered species and help the overall ecosystem.

This is one way to protect the nature.

Spread across 5,000 square feet with 10,000 cleanroom technology the centre has annual production capacity of 15,00,000 saplings. The infrastructure and processes are supervised by a team of experts from India and Israel. Forest Departments help them procure raw material sourced from native locations of the endangered species. Some of the elite plant materials are obtained from fields of Kerala, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

At least five endangered varieties are propagated at the rate of 1 -2 lacs saplings per year per variety by the Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre. Around 28% of approx. 49,000 plants are on the verge of extinction. Some of these plant species have medicinal properties.

Food Forest Project

Kanha Shanti Vanam has 7 Hydroponics farms that grow vegetation at any time of the season. This ensures food security and variety without using fungicides and pesticides. Availability of food all through the year is something we all would dream of especially in drought affected areas where this farming method is a very effective.

Initially, in 2015, the hydroponic project was started with only one farm. At present, there are four vertical and three horizontal farms in this facility. The farms use the latest technological methods of life NFT(Nutrient film technique) and DFT( Deep Flow Technique), a facility of nutrient-filled running water in plants.

Vertical Farming uses NFT System (Nutrient film technique) where 24*7 running water is required in NFT pipes. These farms have capacity of 25,000 plants. In this system we can grow leafy vegetables like spinach, celery, kale, parsley, mint basil, Amaranthus, lettuce, coriander, Pak choi etc.

In Horizontal Farming DFT (Deep Flow Technique) technology is used. This type of farming needs  nutrient water for 3 to 4 times for 2 minutes in a day. These farms have capacity of 1,500 plants. In this system vegetables like yellow and red bell pepper (Capsicum), Cherry Tomato, Candy tomatoes, Cucumber, Brinjal, Chillies, Zucchini etc. are grown.

OMG center

Built by heartful brothers who are mostly farmers turned entrepreneurs, OMG (Organic Micro Greens) was established in the heart of Kanha Shanti Vanam, Hyderabad. Its objective is to inspire and educate the community to develop a wholesome lifestyle connecting them with fresh and nourishing food and having a lifelong relationship towards a healthy way of life and sustainability.

With state-of-the-art micro-greens labs in schools and farms, OMG is the leading micro-greens growers in India. The advanced approach ensures that students and the community have access to the freshest, most nutritious micro-greens, while also getting hands-on learning experiences about sustainable agriculture and healthy living.

The mission of OMG is to empower the current and future generations through STEM education and sustainable agriculture. This also ignites their curiosity and passion for science and technology. By incorporating micro-greens into their diets, students learn about the importance of healthy eating and how nutrition impacts their overall well-being.

Rain Water Harvesting

Kanha Shanti Vanam is located in one of the drought affected areas of Telangana. Ground water is at a great depths and borewells were fast drying up. This makes rainwater harvesting the very important here.

There are three natural lakes and 2 artificial ponds to collect water during the rainy season and have a total area of of over 20 acres. All the road side drains are designed to collect and flow towards one of these water bodies.

This water caters to both the needs of people living here and the green initiatives.

Bio Char mini factory

Kanha has an initiative to improve the fertility of the soil using biochar. Biochar is created using organic wastes and twigs and such through a process called Pyrolysis. This way the organic wastes are “burnt” without smoke and a fertile coke is produced that can be mixed with soil to grown plants.

Man Made Rain Forest at Kanha Shanti Vanam

Far from the Ghats, imagine a barren land in one of Telangana’s hottest regions. This barren land of around 6 acres of Nandigama was developed into a meticulously crafted man-made rain forest. A thriving conservation oasis brings life to the landscape through various sustainable development methods, making a sanctuary for endangered species.

This wonderful transformation took 4 to 5 years to become home to vulnerable and critically endangered species besides increasing the green cover in the region. The task was challenging. To start with, pits of three feet by three feet were dug up and filled with layers of black cotton soil, biochar, farmyard and vermicompost. This helped in maintaining the moisture. PVC percolated pipes filled with sand and charcoal were also placed at the tree bottoms to filter the water and ensure it reaches the roots. Other suitable methods were also applied in the form of Agathi trees, which grow fast and provide shade to the rain forest. This species fixes nitrogen and aids in growth of other species.

Now the rain forest is not only home to some rare tree species like Kerala Jamun, wild jackfruit, Red sanders, Rudraksh etc. but is turning home to several migratory birds, which take shelter in large numbers, thanks to the fruits, nuts and seeds.

Renewable Energy using Solar Panel Farms

In this age of pollution, renewable energy is a time tested solution. At Kanha, huge farms of Solar Panels are deployed to partly account for the total power consumption. In all the days we stayed there, there was not a single instance of power cut!!

The residents and visitors are encouraged to walk, cycle or use battery driven vehicles to reduce pollution becasue of burning of fossil fuel.

Glossary of Terms

• Sahaj Marg – It translates to “Simple Way”. The Sahaj Marg system is a simple spiritual path focused on meditation and self-transformation, guiding practitioners towards inner peace and connection with the divine.
• Yatra – Journey
• Heartfulness – Heartfulness is essentially the new name for Sahaj Marg
• Chakras – As per this system and other systems of meditation in India, Chakras are spinning energy centers within our bodies, connecting our physical, mental, and emotional selves. The word “chakra” comes from the Sanskrit language and means “wheel” or “disk.” These energy centers play a crucial role in our overall well-being.
• Abhyasis – Practitioner (of yoga or meditation)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Kanha Shanti Vanam

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