PilgrimstaysConverted in 1984 from a Seminary to a Catholic Charismatic Renewal center, IMS Dhyana Bhavan is focused on connecting and renewing one’s energy by the use of Indian techniques such as meditation and prayer. The Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of October 1946 was an armed uprising against the princely State of Travancore. The sands of Punnapra- Vayalar in the scenic district of Alappuzha in Kerala were waiting to be soaked with the nectar of the word of God and to be washed in the Blood of Christ. Back in 1966, the Indian Missionary Society or the IMS, was called upon in the plan of the Lord, to transform the very land of freedom fighters at Punnapra, into one that provided vocations for His service. The beautiful backwaters of Alleppey witnessed the establishment of an Apostolic school at Punnapra in 1966. Started by Fr Prasad IMS, under the guidance of the former IMS Superior General Fr Shilanath IMS, the school guided children from 8th to 10th grade of education; and the interested ones were sent to Varanasi IMS base to become priests. Alleppey, famously referred to as the Venice of the East, saw the conversion of the Apostolic school into a minor seminary in the mid seventies. Under the supervision of Indian Missionary Society, the seminary continued its contribution until 1984. God’s call gripped Fr Vinayanand IMS to launch into the unknown waters near the sea shore of Paravoor, to sow the seeds of peace and serenity. By 1984, the seminary was converted to a Catholic Charismatic Centre. IMS Dhyana Bhavan was established to renew and refresh human minds with a perspective of Christ’s vision for mankind. The renewal movement that was started in this beautiful land has now grown into a multi-faceted spiritual revolution under the zealous guidance of Fr Prashant, its Director. Today thousands of devotees experience the miracle of spiritual renewal. Broken homes and hearts are healed using traditional Indian methods of prayer and meditation, providing by IMS retreat centre. Rather than merely reuniting broken homes, the social revolution influenced by the Indian Missionary Society in the form of IMS Dhyana Bhavan, has transformed the spiritual and social life of people, enabling them to live in peace and harmony.
IMS Dhyana Bhavan was established to renew and refresh human minds with a perspective of Christ’s vision for mankind
Today thousands of devotees experience the miracle of spiritual renewal
The Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of October 1946 was an armed uprising against the princely State of Travancore
The sands of Punnapra- Vayalar in the scenic district of Alappuzha in Kerala were waiting to be soaked with the nectar of the word of God and to be washed in the Blood of Christ
The landscape around the retreat centre — the Kerala backwaters with their coconut-fringed waterways, houseboats, and paddy fields — is one of the most beautiful in Asia. Walking along the backwater channels in the early morning, with the mist on the water and the sound of birds, is a contemplative experience of rare quality.
The chapel for Mass and adoration provides the sacramental anchor of the retreat experience. In the Kerala Catholic tradition, the Eucharist and the Rosary are the twin centres of devotional life, and the Dhyana Bhavan chapel holds both.
Walking along the backwater channels adjacent to the retreat centre is one of the most distinctive elements of a retreat at IMS Dhyana Bhavan. The Kerala backwater landscape — boats moving silently, fish jumping in the morning light, the smell of water and vegetation — creates a contemplative atmosphere that no purpose-built meditation hall can replicate.
Alappuzha Diocese is part of the Latin Catholic tradition in Kerala — distinct from the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara churches. The Latin Church in this region was established under Portuguese influence in the 16th century among the coastal fishing communities. The Dhyana Bhavan serves this tradition.
Alappuzha's famous houseboat culture — traditional rice barges (kettuvallam) converted into floating accommodation — creates the backdrop for the retreat. The sight of houseboats moving through the backwaters, visible from the retreat grounds, provides a vivid image: pilgrims on the water, moving slowly, going somewhere.
The Kerala backwaters are one of the great natural environments of the world — a vast network of water, land, and sky where the distinction between earth and sea is never quite settled. Christian communities have lived and fished these waterways for centuries. The Dhyana Bhavan retreat centre exists in this landscape, using its beauty as a medium of contemplation. The God who made this water and these palms is the same God who is present in the chapel. Contemplation connects the two.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.”
Read in full on Bible Gateway →Converted in 1984 from a seminary to a Catholic Charismatic Renewal centre, IMS Dhyana Bhavan is focused on connecting and renewing one’s energy by the use of Indian techniques such as meditation and prayer.
The Punnapra–Vayalar uprising of October 1946 was an armed uprising against the princely State of Travancore. The sands of Punnapra–Vayalar, in the scenic district of Alappuzha in Kerala, were waiting to be soaked with the nectar of the word of God and to be washed in the Blood of Christ. Back in 1966, the Indian Missionary Society, or the IMS, was called upon in the plan of the Lord to transform the very land of freedom fighters at Punnapra into one that provided vocations for His service.
The beautiful backwaters of Alleppey witnessed the establishment of an Apostolic school at Punnapra in 1966. Started by Fr Prasad IMS, under the guidance of the former IMS Superior General Fr Shilanath IMS, the school guided children from 8th to 10th grade of education, and the interested ones were sent to the Varanasi IMS base to become priests. Alleppey, famously referred to as the Venice of the East, saw the conversion of the Apostolic school into a minor seminary in the mid-seventies. Under the supervision of the Indian Missionary Society, the seminary continued its contribution until 1984.
God’s call gripped Fr Vinayanand IMS to launch into the unknown waters near the sea shore of Paravoor, to sow the seeds of peace and serenity. By 1984, the seminary was converted to a Catholic Charismatic Centre. IMS Dhyana Bhavan was established to renew and refresh human minds with a perspective of Christ’s vision for mankind. The renewal movement that was started in this beautiful land has now grown into a multi-faceted spiritual revolution under the zealous guidance of Fr Prashant, its Director.
Today thousands of devotees experience the miracle of spiritual renewal. Broken homes and hearts are healed using traditional Indian methods of prayer and meditation provided by the IMS retreat centre. Rather than merely reuniting broken homes, the social revolution influenced by the Indian Missionary Society in the form of IMS Dhyana Bhavan has transformed the spiritual and social life of people, enabling them to live in peace and harmony.
