Hyderabad: Dhamma Khetta marks golden jubilee with mega meditation event

Over 850 meditators, supported by more than 100 dhamma sevaks, gathered to mark the day of the Vipassana International Meditation Centre

By P Nagarjuna Rao

On a quiet Sunday morning, the sprawling campus of Dhamma Khetta at Vanasthalipuram came alive with an uncommon energy. Over 850 meditators, supported by more than 100 dhamma sevaks, gathered to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Vipassana International Meditation Centre.

What began half a century ago as a modest tin shed on donated land is today a seven-acre campus with meditation halls, and a pagoda with over 170 cells where seekers come to learn an ancient art of living.

Where the journey began

The story of Dhamma Khetta is also the story of Vipassana’s return to its birthplace. In September 1976, Acharya SN Goenka, freshly returned from Burma where he trained under Sayagyi U Ba Khin, conducted the very first Vipassana course in India here. That first course drew 122 participants, and the demand was such that a second course followed within days. The seed that was planted on the outskirts of Hyderabad has since grown into a vast movement, with centres now spread across continents.

The timeless technique

Vipassana, meaning ‘to see things as they are’, was rediscovered by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago. Though the practice waned in India, it was preserved in its purity in Burma (Myanmar). Goenka reintroduced it as a secular and universal practice, accessible to all irrespective of background.

The ten-day residential course that has become its hallmark requires discipline, noble silence, and hours of meditation each day. The rewards, as practitioners attest, are profound: clarity of mind, freedom from stress , and equanimity in the face of life’s shifts.

Celebration in service and stillness

The Golden Jubilee was not only about commemoration but also about practice. Group sittings were held in the meditation halls and pagoda cells, guided by audio-visual instructions of the late Goenka ji, ending with metta bhavana, the sharing of goodwill with all beings.

What stood out most was the seamless organisation. Every detail – welcoming participants, arranging water, preparing meditation venues, or coordinating food – was handled entirely by volunteers. The meal, with over 25 dishes, carried the richness of a wedding feast, yet it was offered with simplicity and a spirit of service, free from any pomp.

Voices of experience

For many, the day was also about personal milestones. Kasturi, a resident of LB Nagar, spoke of how the practice reshaped her life:
‘I did one ten-day course at Nagarjuna Sagar (Dhamma Nagajjuna) followed by a one-day course here (Dhamma Khetta). And now I am here for this mega event for peace and happiness. I benefited so much that I inspired a few of my friends, and four of them are attending today.’

For Sadanandam Chetty, an 86-year-old retired engineer, the meditation centre represents the beginning of a lifelong path:
‘Earlier, I tried all sorts of meditations for 19 years. None helped me in what I was seeking until I came across Vipassana in 2003. Since then I have done courses across the Telugu states, at Sarnath, Lumbini (in Nepal), and Nagpur. But I like it here (Dhamma Khetta), because I started my journey here.’

Looking ahead

As Dhamma Khetta marks its 50th year, it continues to stand as a beacon for those seeking inner transformation. From a tin shed to an international centre, its journey mirrors the revival of Vipassana itself – an ancient practice that speaks afresh to modern lives, quietly shaping communities of peace, discipline, and service

The path of Vipassana

Vipassana, literally ‘to see things as they are’, is among the oldest meditation techniques taught by Gautama Buddha more than 2,500 years ago. Revived in modern times by SN Goenka, it is not bound to any religion or ritual but offered as a practical art of living. The practice rests on three essential pillars – sila (morality), samadhi (concentration), and pragya or panya (wisdom).

Noble silence

A hallmark of a Vipassana course is noble silence (arya maunam). For the duration of the course, participants refrain from speech, gestures, eye contact, and all forms of communication. Silence creates the stillness needed for introspection, shields the mind from distraction, and allows each meditator to turn inward without comparison or conversation.

Sila (morality)

The foundation of Vipassana is ethical living. For the ten-day course, participants undertake five precepts: to abstain from violence, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants. This self-discipline purifies conduct, steadies the mind, and creates the ground on which meditation can flourish.

Samadhi (concentration)

Once moral restraint is established, the mind is trained to focus. Students begin with Anapana – awareness of breath. Observing the natural flow of inhalation and exhalation sharpens attention and steadies wandering thoughts. This cultivation of concentration strengthens the mind to penetrate deeper layers of experience.

Pragya/Panya (wisdom or insight)

The heart of Vipassana is direct experiential wisdom. By observing bodily sensations – pleasant or unpleasant, with equanimity, meditators see their impermanent nature. Cravings and aversions, the roots of suffering, are understood as arising and passing phenomena. This insight, known as pragya or panya, frees the mind from blind reaction and fosters compassion and balance in daily life.

A discipline and a way of life

A standard ten-day course demands nearly ten hours of meditation each day, strict adherence to noble silence, and complete dedication to the schedule. Though rigorous, the training is deeply transformative. Practitioners leave with tools not just for meditation halls, but for life itself – a discipline of mind, a clarity of vision, and the ability to face changing circumstances with equanimity.

— With inputs from Ravindra Reddy, Dhamma Khetta in charge

(The writer is a senior journalist with over 38 years of professional experience)