Pawan is the principal promoter and shareholder of Inner Challenges, the life coaching company that set up Shreyas. Pawan is a US investment banker who left a full time career to pursue his studies of the Indian scriptures under the guidance of his teacher, Shankar Narayan. Pawan practiced Yoga at the Jiva Mukti School of Ashtanga Yoga in New York. He is a qualified yoga teacher from the Vivekananda Yoga School in Bangalore, teaches yoga and mentors select executives on professional and personal issues. Having established Shreyas as one of the finest Yoga retreats in the world, Pawan is now back in Investment banking in London (where he lives with his wife Leesha, an interior designer who has created the luxurious yet minimalistic look of Shreyas, and his two sons) while also overseeing the progress of Shreyas.

Inner Challenges is the parent company of Shreyas Retreat.

Complimentary Wi-Fi facilities are available throughout Shreyas and in all the accommodations.

Attending the classes is not mandatory, however we recommend that you attend one of our daily yoga classes during your stay - and you may want to make it a habit. Many of our students had never practiced yoga before, and now swear by it.

According to yoga, almost all psychosomatic disorders are caused by “stress” - an inability of the body/mind system to cope with the demands made on it - both professionally and in personal life. Whilst western medicine and psychiatry deals with stress with medicine that induces the release of “feel good” hormones, this does not eliminate the problem.Yoga encourages us to deal with stress at the physical (diet & Asanas/physical postures), physiological (with Pranayama-breathing practices), mental & intellectual level (with meditation) - and is therefore referred to as a holistic healing science.The root cause of stress lies in our inability to see the world as one unbroken stream of consciousness flowing through everything and everyone - Mistaking ourselves as being separate from the world, we compete with the world for our happiness. We feel that there is a limited pot of happiness and someone else's happiness limits ours and vice versa. Finding that so much of what we seek lies out of our control (since we want it from someone else or something outside of us), causes the system to suffer stress disorders.At Shreyas, we aim to encourage guests to commune with nature (and experience its qualities of generosity, forbearance, patience and ability to nurture life), eat healthy vegetarian food, practice various yoga processes, and also interact with local school kids - all of this makes us connect with nature - both nature outside and within and also put our so called problems in perspective.The massages at Shreyas are also designed to remove knots of stress out of your muscles. We don't claim that you will be cured of your ailments but can promise you that you will leave with a mindset well on its way to recovery. We have qualified yoga therapists at Shreyas who can tailor the yoga for you - but we do not claim to be healers - that is left to you. We simply aim to bring you in touch with your forgotten Self. There are also classes on yoga philosophy and sessions to see how this can be integrated into your life.Insomnia can be tackled with Yoga Nidra or deep yogic sleep practices, light meals at night, avoiding intoxicants and meditation. Back pain can be helped with various yoga postures that help stretch, relax and strengthen the spine as well as breathing and meditation practices.

Due to its slightly elevated position at the southern end of the Deccan Plateau, Bangalore has an agreeable climate for most of the year. The coolest times of year are November to February but September /October and March/April are still excellent months to be there. The monsoon arrives in June and lasts until August. However, this part of the country does not receive torrential rain; in fact this is a particularly beautiful time of year, as the surroundings become lush, green.

Meals served at Shreyas are vegetarian, and thoughtfully planned to complement the lifestyle you will be experiencing at Shreyas.Indian, European, Mexican and Oriental cuisine is served at Shreyas. If you have any dietary restrictions or preferences please inform us prior to arrival and we will be glad to oblige.

Shreyas is an environmentally friendly retreat and care has been taken to retain the original landscape and natural beauty of the place. Every effort has been made to preserve the precious natural resources with initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, solar heating, and organic waste disposal. We avoid the use of plastics and encourage our guests to do the same. Throughout the project, we felt we had a greater responsibility as stewards of land to replenish and resurrect Nature, rather than just take from it to fulfill our dreams. The landscape architect is Akshay Kaul, based in Delhi.Most of the employees of Shreyas come from the villages around and Shreyas remains very active in the area, implementing many social initiatives and using local produce.

City Excursion.For guests who wish to visit Bangalore city for sightseeing or buying some souvenirs or gifts for loved ones, we organize guided city excursions.Nearby Temples SHANI (SATURN) TEMPLES Saturn is the bestower of Wisdom (not just knowledge) through experiences and hardships.The crow is Saturn's vehicle - that which consumes the unwanted and waste in the environment to enable fresh life and recycle waste.Saturn is the slowest but steadiest of the planets. These are his characteristics when he confers benefits.Saturn is the only Navagraha (the 9 planets in Indian Astrology) which is called Ishwara (God). As wisdom is required to wade through the maze of life unscathed, he is bestowed with such honour.Location The temple is around 4 miles from Shreyas. People visit here to propitiate Saturn and pray to Him to ward off the impending or present difficulties in life. Villagers bring all their new vehicles and get the ritual done here before they start to use.ANJANEYA (HANUMAN) TEMPLE As per Hindu mythology, Anjaneya is the son of Anjana, a tribe that resembled monkeys, which lived in the southern pockets of Indian forests. He is born to Anjana and the Air element (Vayu). Because of this he acquired the ability to fly at will; incidentally it is one of the 8 supernatural powers Yogis (ones who have mastered the senses) possess.He is a Chiranjeevi - a person who lives on forever till pralaya (end of the world). He is an ardent devotee of Lord Rama and was His messenger to the court of Ravana, the demon king, of Sri Lanka.From the ancient Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius to today's modern psychologists, it is believed that 'What we contemplate that we become' In these lines, a contemplation on Hanuman is said to bestow the worshipper with astuteness, strength, (includes physical, mental, spiritual strengths), fame, courage, all round health, talent for verbal fluency, fearlessness, etc.DistanceThe temple is around 1 mile from Shreyas. It is renowned for its two yearly festivals in the month of April - Hanuman Jayanti and Sri Rama Navami. The celebrations of the birth days of Hanuman and His Lord, Sri Rama. Huge temple car with the wheels made of granite is taken in procession around the village and various cultural activities take place. This includes the dramas with themes from Indian epics. The local fair is also organized around this time.VISHNU TEMPLEEstablished by King Janamejaya of the Pandava clan (Mahabharata) and the deity dates back to around 5000 years. The deity in this temple is called Venkataramana Swami. Swami is a suffix given to any entity that is considered to be holy and auspicious. It is said that in olden days, this entire place was full of forests and was under the rule of the aforesaid King. Apart from this Sage Kountinya has done Penance (Tapas) in this location and the temple pond that he created is still live in the name of 'Shank Pushkarani' (The Conch Pond). This is because the pond is formed in between the rocks that resemble a conch. This temple is around 4 miles from Shreyas. The consort of Lord Venkataramana is Goddess Padmavathy, who is Goddess Lakshmi Herself. Lord Vishnu is the sustainer of the universe, Lakshmi is the bestower of wealth through which any sustenance is possible.Nelamangala - Nelamangala is the Northwest gateway to Bangalore that connects the city by road with UNESCO Heritage site Hampi, important trade hubs - Mangalore and Mumbai, tourist destinations - Belur and Halibedu as well as Mysore, the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyar dynasty that ruled this part of India. Nelamangala traces it existence well past 5000 years as the Basavanahalli Venkataramana temple was founded by Maharaja Janamejaya, a descendent of Prince Arjuna of the Mahabharata fame. The traditional vegetable fair on Friday brings together farmers from more than 50 villages. The long winding regular market street is an added attraction. Shreyas is located at the 4th mile from Nelamangala town on National Highway 48 that also connects to the new Bangalore International airport within an hour's drive. Distance From Shreyas Mysore (180 kms. Called City of Palaces): Guided day trips to Mysore are arranged on request.Srirangapatna (160 kms, on the way to Mysore)Bandipur (260km One of the finest habitat of Indian Elephants. A Wildlife sanctuary is also there)Belur 280km (the exquisite Chennakesava temple that took 100 years to complete. Was finished in 1117 AD)Halebedu 300km (meaning “the ruined city” once called Dwarasamudram. Carved temples dating back to 12th century are there. Located at just 17 kms from Belur)Sravanabelagola 140km Lord Gomateswara Monolith, Sravanabelagola, Karnataka* One of the oldest (AD 918) and most important Jain pilgrimage sites, this 59-foot statue of the naked Lord. A guided day trip to Belur, Halebedu and Shravanabelagola can be arranged. Gomateswara - a representation of Bahubali, son of the 1st Jain tirthankara, said to have south enlightenment by standing naked and motionless for an entire year - is the tallest monolithic statue on earth. Jogfalls 340km (Highest Waterfalls in Asia. Located at the heart of Western ghats and leaps from a height of 253 meters as 4 cascades.) Murdeshwar 480km (Beach and Temples)Coorg 300km (Misty Mountains, Streams, waterfalls and tropical forests. Miles and miles of tea, coffee, paddy and spice plantations)Hampi 400km (A World Heritage center) Scattered among the Henri Moore-like boulders in the heart of Karnataka's rural interior, Hampi was once the royal seat of the powerful Vijayanagar kingdom, its size and weath drawing comparisons with Imperial Rome. Today the city hs crumbled away to a few starkly beautiful leftovers, but the remote setting could not be more romantic. Listed in The best Temples, Monuments & Lost Cities – Frommers India Guide, 3rd edition.Sringeri, the seat of Advaita Vedanta, visit the 1200 year old Gurukula (which is being run without break since the start of 800 AD) Yoga / Meditation at the banks of Tunga river Malur, where statues are made and sent to all parts on India / globe Nrityagram - a dance school close to Shreyas. Tours and dance performances can be organized.

Mosquitoes tend to be around for about an hour in the evenings. The retreat combats this by burning of citronella incense and anti-mosquito oils. Guests are also provided with mosquito repellent if required.

Yes, our travel agent can make all the ticket reservations for you, and provide any information that you need, should you so desire. Kindly inform us of your schedule well in advance to facilitate this process. Please note that all guests who do not hold an Indian passport need to get a visa in order to be able to visit India. Please email: reservations@shreyasretreat.com for any queries.

Shreyas offers time-challenged entrepreneurs and busy corporate executives a luxurious home away from home to conduct off-sites and team-building exercises. Corporations may rent the entire property and its facilities for their exclusive use, providing an incredible setting for their teams or clients to relax, unwind and work effectively without distraction. We provide the infrastructure required - conference rooms, LCD projectors, broadband internet and more.Your programs can be appended with yoga classes, wellness and "stress management" modules and nature activities - a somewhat different approach to the traditional "hard days" meetings followed by heavy drinking and partying.Clearly, we are not the venue for typical sales and marketing offsites, however, we are ideal for a small team of senior executives to conduct their residential strategy meets in a quiet and serene environment. Whatever be your fancy, we are sure that you will be able to take back something useful from Shreyas; whether it's a deeper understanding of your colleagues, a resolution of the issue at hand, greater awareness of nature, clarity of thought, a new direction at work or simply a refreshing change from the familiar.

Our standard check-in is 1200 hrs and check-out time is 1100 hrs. Early check-in and late check-out are offered subject to availability, we cannot assure an early check-in - especially between 15th November and 30th April. Should you wish to guarantee an early check-in, we advise you book the night prior to your arrival.

At Shreyas, guests have an opportunity to spend one hour daily in the herb, agricultural and rice paddy fields. You are guided by our resident team of farmers to learn more about the various items that are grown in house and activities include harvesting,planting, weeding, watering the various food and herbs that go into their food and rejuvenation oils.Our guests have repeatedly told us this is the best part of their stay at Shreyas; an opportunity to use their hands and feet for a fruitful purpose, get closer to nature and learn from her. It is an immensely therapeutic experience in itself and numerous guests have told us how their stresses just disappeared as they were working in the fields.From a spiritual perspective, Yoga tells us that the laws governing external nature are identical to the laws governing our psychophysical personalities. Through the process of observation and mindfully participating in our carefully designed farming activities, you can learn a lot about yourselves. "Nothing worthwhile ever gets done without dirtying one's hands." "Nurturing nature ... have we thought of tomorrow." "Food is a sacrifice of mother earth to us - she operates on a give model, whereas most of us are loathe to give unless there is something in it for us." "Nature does not complain when we take more or less." "The importance of self effort in cultivating crops –rain falls across the land but only the land which has been cultivated and ready for rainwater benefits most." "Everything is inter-connected in nature. Nothing is separate. So why do we human beings see ourselves as being unique and different?" "An appreciation of the amount of effort and the number of people and resources involved to get food onto our tables." "A lot of people are involved in the chain – do we appreciate them all?"

Rates are subject to 10% service charge and 16.4% government taxes for all packages / 17.9% taxes on the nightly rate. Taxes are subject to change depending on the government's policies.

Excursions: City Tour: Shreyas will organize a city tour, with visits to shops, markets and tourist attractions. The tour is planned according to guests requirements. Village Tour: This trip allows you to experience real India and to visit a local market. The villagers are warm and hospitable and are more than ready to share their culture with you. NEARBY TEMPLES SHANI (SATURN) TEMPLES Saturn is the bestower of Wisdom (not just knowledge) through experiences. This temple is around 4 miles from Shreyas. People visit here to propitiate Saturn and pray to Him to ward off the impending or present difficulties in life. Villagers bring all their new vehicles to be blessed here. ANJANEYA (HANUMAN) TEMPLE As per Hindu mythology, Anjaneya is the son of Anjana, a tribe that resembled monkeys, which lived in the southern pockets of Indian forests. From the ancient Roman times to today\\\'s modern psychologists, it is believed that \\\'What we contemplate that we become\\\'. Contemplation on Hanuman is said to bestow the worshipper with astuteness, strength, (including physical, mental, spiritual strengths), fame, courage, all round health, talent for verbal fluency and fearlessness. This temple is around 1 mile from Shreyas. It is renowned for its two yearly festivals in the month of April - Hanuman Jayanti and Sri Rama Navami, the celebrations of the birth days of Hanuman and His Lord, Sri Rama. Huge temple cars with the wheels made of granite are taken in procession around the village and various cultural activities take place. This includes dramas with themes from Indian epics; a local fair is also organized. VISHNU TEMPLE Established by King Janamejaya of the Pandava clan (Mahabharata) and the deity dates back to around 5000 years. The deity in this temple is called Venkataramana Swami. Swami is a suffix given to any entity that is considered to be holy and auspicious. It is said that in olden days, this entire place was full of forests and was under the rule of the aforesaid King. Apart from this Sage Kountinya has done Penance (Tapas) in this location and the temple pond that he created is still there and named \\\'Shank Pushkarani\\\' (The Conch Pond) because the pond is formed in between rocks that resemble a conch. This temple is around 4 miles from Shreyas. NELAMANGALA Nelamangala is the Northwest gateway to Bangalore that connects the city by road with UNESCO Heritage site Hampi, important trade hubs - Mangalore and Mumbai, tourist destinations - Belur and Halibedu as well as Mysore, the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyar dynasty that ruled this part of India. Nelamangala traces it existence well past 5000 years and it was here that Maharaja Janamejaya, a descendent of Prince Arjuna of the Mahabharata fame, founded the Basavanahalli Venkataramana temple. The traditional vegetable fair on Friday brings together farmers from more than 50 villages. The long winding regular market street is an added attraction. Shreyas is located 4 miles from Nelamangala town. LONGER EXCURSIONS: Mysore. 180km. Mysore can be reached in two and half hours by avoiding Bangalore City. Mysore is the home of yoga in south India with some of the greatest yoga teacher living and teaching here. It is called the City of Palaces. Srirangapatna. 160km. This city is surrounded by the Kaveri river and home to the famous Ranganathaswami Temple. Bandipur. 260km. This Wildlife sanctuary is one of the finest habitat of Indian Elephants. Belur. 280km. Home to the exquisite Chennakesava temple, dating back to 1117AD, that took 100 years to complete. Halebedu. 300km. 17 kms from Belur. It\\\'s name means \\

220 volts. The standard two / three pin adaptors work. We provide adaptors.

A hat and sun block lotion. A light jacket or shawl may be required early morning or in the evenings.

At Shreyas, our aim is to help you journey inwards and discover your true self. To help you on this journey our aim is to block out the disturbances of the outside world during your stay here and for this reason no TVs are provided in the rooms. We do however have a Home Theater room with a large variety of movies and documentaries for you to watch.

Water at Shreyas is purified on site and is provided in all bedrooms and is safe to drink. Bottled water is charged extra.

At Shreyas, our aim is to help you journey inwards and discover your true self. To help you on this journey our aim is to block out the disturbances of the outside world during your stay here and for this reason no TVs are provided in the rooms. We do however have a Home Theater room with a large variety of movies and documentaries for you to watch.

Our poolside cottages have wheel chair accessibility.

Water at Shreyas is purified on site and is provided in all bedrooms and is safe to drink. Bottled water is charged extra.

Pre-payment of 50% is mandatory at the time of booking, with the balance payable on arrival. If cancellation occurs within 30 days prior to arrival, the deposit will be held in credit for a six-month period to permit guests to rebook. Failure to use the credit within six months will result in the forfeit of the deposit.

Shreyas has daily morning and evening yoga classes which we encourage you to attend. Daily meditation classes and chanting sessions are provided in the mornings. Your stay here will begin with a consultation from our in-house Ayurvedic Doctor who will advise you on the style of yoga, the massages and the diet you could follow.If you are looking to simply unwind and relax, you can browse, borrow and spend time reading one of the numerous books we have in our library. Take a book to the machan and read in our organic garden, surrounded by nature.If you like watching movies, you can step into your own private home theatre and watch one of over 500 movies available in our library.If you like to swim, we invite you into our infinity pool for a few laps. If you prefer a less strenuous time, you can head straight for the outdoor Jacuzzi or the indoor steam rooms. If your pleasure is to be massaged, then head straight for our rejuvenation center where expert masseurs will pamper you. If you fancy a bit of cricket, please join us for a professional net training session. All necessary equipment is provided and you have the choice of batting against BOLA, our professional bowling machine or your friends. If you are looking for a space to do your work in quiet, and yet remain connected with the world, bring your laptop along and use our complimentary wifi. If you like to walk, then you have over 2 km of tracks that meander through the lush green landscape. If you want to connect with the environment, you can join us in our agricultural and medicinal herb gardens for spot of farming. If you wish to visit a nearby temple, the guests are welcome to attend daily aarati and perform pooja in consultation with Priest. City trips, village walks and other excursions can also be organized. Click here for more information about our Packages

We do not permit smoking at Shreyas. If you must indulge then we request that you use the open aired bathrooms of the tented cottages. The other accommodations are non-smoking.

At Shreyas we welcome children of all ages to give them an opportunity to experience a vacation that offers different activities from what hotels usually have. We conduct special Yoga classes for children to introduce them to Yoga postures in a fun and engaging manner. There are cricket nets where the children can try their batting skills and an organic garden for them to spend time with nature getting their hands and feet dirty, planting or picking some organic fruits and vegetables. They can also swim in our infinity pool. Our home theatre has a vast collection of movies for them to spend the afternoon watching their favorite characters on our large projector screen. We only request that a little care is taken so that other guests who have come to Shreyas for a relaxing and quiet time are able to enjoy the peaceful nature of the retreat.

In the Indian tradition of Yoga, life is considered to be a journey of experiences that leads us to discover "Shreyas" or "all round excellence" inherent within us. If you are looking to spend some time reflecting and connecting with your inner core, we provide a sacred space for you and structure your stay with dedicated yoga classes, rejuvenation and relaxing massages, light, but wholesome vegetarian food, guided meditation sessions, mouna (silence) and karma yoga (working with a selfless attitude) hours. Yoga classes at Shreyas are based on classical Hatha and Ashtanga yoga & combined with Pranayama (breathing techniques) and Pratyahara (internalization) processes drawn from the Yoga Sutras – an ancient yogic doctrine that aims to integrate our body, mind, heart and souls for complete living. There is no dogmatic religion practiced at Shreyas and people of all faiths are welcome.

Visa, MasterCard and American Express; Sterling, Euro, Dollars and Indian rupees are accepted. There is no money changing facility.

Yoga classes at Shreyas are based on classical Hatha and Ashtnaga asanas & combined with pranayama and pratyahara (internalisation) processes. At Shreyas, we aim to demonstrate that Yoga can be learnt and practiced by all, irrespective of age, health and faith.Guests of all levels of experience from beginner to advanced are welcome at Shreyas, and yoga classes are customized to suit their requirements.

Yoga classes at Shreyas are based on classical Hatha and Ashtnaga asanas & combined with pranayama and pratyahara (internalisation) processes. At Shreyas, we aim to demonstrate that Yoga can be learnt and practiced by all, irrespective of age, health and faith.Guests of all levels of experience from beginner to advanced are welcome at Shreyas, and yoga classes are customized to suit their requirements.

The retreat remains open 365 days a year.

Guests will require warm clothes during the months of November to January but during the rest of the year the climate is pleasant. Comfortable clothes are needed for yoga classes and walking shoes if you wish to wander through the gardens or use our jogging track. If you are planning to use the gym we request that you bring a separate pair of shoes for this activity.

There are no seasonal surcharges, but a minimum of 5 nights stay is required between 15 December and 10 January.