Teachers at YogAnga Retreat
Experience authentic Hatha Yoga and Ayurveda in a traditional residential ashram setting.
The Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Staff at YogAnga Retreat incorporates Yoga and Ayurveda into their daily routine, while living at Śri Santosh Puri Ashram on the bank of the Ganga River, between Rishikesh and Haridwar, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas.
For the Puri siblings, born and raised in the Ashram with yogis as parents, Yoga has always been their lifestyle.
As young adults they went on to get University degrees in Yoga Science and Ayurveda. And thus after many years of practice, they became teachers, each in their own specilized fields. Together they lead our Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Staff as well as many other residential and online courses.
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Ganga Puri
YogAcharya & Jyotish
Ganga Puri holds a degree in Physics and Mathematics from Garhwal University in Srinagar. The mahasamadhi of his father in 2001 marked a turning point in his life, leading him from a scientific orientation toward a deeper commitment to spiritual practice and the pursuit of Truth. Meditation and yoga became central to his life. He later completed a postgraduate diploma and a Master’s degree in Human Consciousness and Yogic Science at Gurukul Kangri University, founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, in Haridwar.
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Mandakini Puri
YogAcharya
Mandakini Puri is rooted in a traditional yogic family, following the sanyasi lineage of her parents and teachers, Santosh Puri Maharaj and Narvada Puri Mataji. She was born and continues to reside on the banks of Maa Ganga. Her dedicated practice led her to become a Yoga Acharya, and she holds a Master’s degree in Yogic Science and Human Excellence. Since 2004, she has been managing and teaching courses with YogAnga Retreat at Santosh Puri Ashram.
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Alaknanda Puri
Ayurvedic Doctor and Teacher
Dr. Alaknanda Puri (Gangotri) is the resident Ayurvedic doctor and teacher at YogAnga Retreat, Sri Santosh Puri Ashram. She began her studies through close guidance from swamis and traditional Ayurvedic practitioners, before pursuing formal education. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ayurvedic Medical Science from Ayurveda College Coimbatore, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Diploma in Yogic Science from Shrinagar University. She has further completed a certification in traditional Ayurveda (Vaidyavisharad) and a Diploma in Holistic Health Management at Dev Sanskriti University.
The foreign Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Staff here also has decades of experience living authentic yogic lifestyles in India, including their own sadhana, study and teaching.
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Nicole Jaquis
Curriculum Developer, Teacher, Behind the Scenes Multimedia Support Staff
Nicole Jaquis is Sādhana Curriculum Developer and Teacher who has produced course books for YTT, Sanskrit, Sukṣma Vyāyām, Marmas and Ayurveda. Nicole facilitates transformational silent retreats, while also providing various multimedia services for the Ashram.
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Brahmananda Giri
Yoga Anatomy & Biomechanics Teacher
With a prior career as a Neuromuscular / Craniosacral Therapist and bodywork teacher at Heartwood Institute in Northern California, as well as decades living in India, Iyenger trained Brahmananda Giri has been teaching Anatomy & Biomechanics during our Yoga Teacher Training since 2016.
Deepen your practice in a traditional ashram environment.
YogAnga Retreat School of Yoga and Ayurveda offers one-month certificate courses in Hatha Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, and Ayurveda, along with shorter programs to support your sadhana (spiritual practice).
