Asturias Yoga & The Gundecha Brothers
23-26 May, 2025
With great enthusiasm, we invite you to join us for a weekend immersion of classical Indian music at Asturias Yoga centre. Your retreat will transport you into traditional Indian musical culture; instruct you in the fundamentals of specifically “DHRUPAD” voice techniques; and allow you to sit back and enjoy during live concerts performed by world-class Indian musical artists, all from the comfort and familiarity of Asturias Yoga shala. Mornings will also include guided yoga asana classes, and during your afternoon break between music sessions, we welcome you to join a guided excursion around the foothills of the Picos de Europa.
Schedule: Saturday & Sunday
- Kharaj (sound meditation) -- 6:00h-7:00h
- Yoga Asana Class -- 7:30h-8:45h
- Breakfast -- 9:00h
- Group music sessions. We will be diving deep into topics of: Voice culture in Indian classical music, techniques to develop a good voice, fundamentals of indian music, understanding the consonance with Tanpura, studies of Raags and compositions --11:00h-13:00h
- Tea and Snack. -- 13:00h
- Guided excursion -- 14:00
- Taal sessions- understanding Indian rhythm systems and understanding tempo -- 17:30h-19:30h
- Dinner -- 19:30h
- Performances -- 20:15
Guests may arrive anytime after 16:00h on Friday and depart before 12:00 on Monday morning. Dinner will be served after a short introduction session on Friday at 20:00, and breakfast will be served at 10:00h Monday morning, following the final yoga asana class.
About: Visiting Teachers
Pt. Umakant Gundecha and Shri Anant Ramakant Gundecha:
Pt. Umakant and late Pt. Ramakant Gundecha together known as Gundecha Brothers hailed from Ujjain and have been synonymous to the Dhrupad genre around the world of Music. For their contribution in the field of Indian Classical Music, they were conferred with the Padma Shri award in 2012 and Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2017 by the President of India. They have received numerous other accolades like the National Film Award for Music, Dagar Gharana Samman, Kumar Gandhar Samman, to name a few. Apart from being active performers around the world, they established the Gurukul Dhrupad Sansthan in Bhopal to instruct new generations, which has had a significant impact on the growth of Dhrupad.
After the untimely demise in 2019 of Pt. Ramakant Gundecha, his son Anant Ramakant Gundecha has been performing with Pt. Umakant Gundecha. Anant Ramakant Gundecha, having learned from his father and uncles since an early age, had already established himself as an accomplished Dhrupad singer. He has received praise for his fine craftsmanship of voice, sound fundamentals, and unique aesthetic. Recipient of multiple scholarships and awards, he has given solo as well as duet performances with his father and uncle around the world.
Pt. Akhilesh Gundecha:
Pt. Akhilesh Gundecha has learned Pakhawaj playing from Pandit Shrikant Mishra and Raja Chhatrapati Singh JuDeo. He is a postgraduate in music and a graduate in Law. He has also received a scholarship from Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Academy, Bhopal and Govt. of India. He has accompanied many of the Dhrupad Maestros like- Ustad Z.F. Dagar, Ustad Fahimuddin Dagar, Pt. Siyaram Tiwari, Shrimati Asgari Bai, Dr. Ritwik Sanyal and Bahauddin Dagar. He has also played solo recitals in Tansen Festival-Gwalior, Haridas Sangeet Samaroh Mumbai, Dhrupad Samaroh Bhopal and many other festivals. He has toured, USA ,Europe, Japan, Australia and is a regularly featured on Radio and Television. Apart from being an established accompanist and solo artist, he had also created “Madhya Laya”, a percussion ensemble, by bringing together vast range of percussion instruments.
Recently Akhilesh received SHIKHAR AWARD by Govt of Madhya Pradesh. He is top grade artist from All India Radio and Telivision.
Food at Asturias Yoga
*Meals during this retreat in particular will be largely Indian themed.* We provide two hearty vegetarian meals per day (brunch and dinner) and offer a light snack and teas in the afternoon. We do our best to source our vegetables locally according to the season, use primarily organic and vegan ingredients, and provide many home-made specialties, such as sourdough breads, spicy chai, nettle pesto, mountain spring water, fresh herbs for infusions, and marmalades from our fruit trees. Meals are designed for a nutritionally balanced diet, with foods that are easy to digest, grow in a sustainable way and full of vitality.
If you are someone who traditionally has a large appetite or prefers multiple snacks throughout the day, you may also bring your own food/snacks to supplement. The closest large supermarkets are in Cangas de Onis or Posada, both approximately 20km away. There are various smaller shops nearby in Benia (2km from the yoga center) and at the “Campsite Picos de Europa” (1km down hill from the yoga centre).
Included In Your Retreat
- All classes, workshops, discourses, private classes
- Two large vegetarian meals per day, snacks, teas
- Primary Series of Ashtanga Chart
- Use of mats and yoga props
- Two guided excursions
Reservations
Friday-Monday (3 nights)
- No Accommodation: 390 EUR
- Shared Room: 490 EUR
- Private Bell Tent: 520 EUR
- Private Room: 570 EUR
*Prices include IVA.