Dhamma Khetta

Dhamma Khetta, meaning 'Dhamma Field', grew out of courses S. N. Goenka held from 1975 at businessman Ratilal Mehta's newly built switch factory in Hyderabad. Mehta then built a centre on 2 acres of adjoining land, which Goenka named. Its first course, in September 1976, made it by its own account the first centre to hold a course in this tradition, and an undated VRI profile says Goenka inaugurated it by planting a Bodhi sapling from Bodh Gaya. Donated land has since brought the campus to almost 7 acres. dhamma.org's entry describes a Dhamma hall for 150 students, several smaller halls and 125 pagoda cells; the centre's own site gives three Dhamma halls, four mini halls, 200 pagoda cells and room for nearly 100 men and 70 women. As of 2026, dhamma.org says two courses are held each month and a 1-day course for old students every Sunday, and the current VRI schedule includes a 60-day course for old students. dhamma.org also describes one-day children's courses for ages 10 to 18 on the closing day of 10-day courses, though none is listed on the current schedule. The centre is about 1 km along a mud road from the Gurramguda bus stop, 12.6 km out on the Ibrahimpatnam (Nagarjuna Sagar) road; its site puts it about 22 km from Secunderabad station and 30 km from the airport (dhamma.org says 34 km). Instructions are given in Hindi, English and Telugu.

How to apply

Apply online through the centre's page on dhamma.org (in Nepal, start from np.dhamma.org). New students must first complete a 10-day course, and there is no charge.

What is taught here

Donation-funded 10-day courses taught with S. N. Goenka's recorded instructions, in the line of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, at centres in Nepal and worldwide. Read about Goenka (U Ba Khin).