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Journey to Inner Peace
Discover the transformative power of ancient wisdom through yoga, meditation, and spiritual awakening at Om Shambhala ashram.
Ancient Wisdom
Experience the profound depths of Vajrayana Buddhist teachings and centuries-old meditation practices in the sacred land of Anuradhapura.
Natural Healing
Immerse yourself in our tranquil garden sanctuary where nature's healing energy complements traditional yoga and meditation practices.
Heart-Centered Practice
Join Tharaka on a transformative journey of self-discovery through loving-kindness meditation and heart-opening spiritual practices.
About Tharaka
Namaste! I'm Tharaka, a local-born yoga and Buddhist meditation teacher. After living an ascetic life for more than 15 years, traveling from mountain to mountain and between forests like a wandering yogi, I have now realized that there is no higher calling than sharing what I have learned with others.
Following divine guidance, I am here to impart the light of Dhamma to all those who seek a more meaningful, serene life. I look forward to taking you on a journey through the magic of Om Shambhala.
“Following divine guidance, I am here to share the light of Dhamma with all those who seek a more peaceful and meaningful life.”
Sacred Gallery
Witness the sacred moments from my spiritual journey through mountains and forests, capturing the essence of meditation, nature, and inner peace.
Explore the complete collection of sacred moments
Om Shambhala Journey
Discover the sacred milestones of our spiritual journey at Om Shambhala ashram, where ancient wisdom meets modern seekers in the heart of Anuradhapura.
Peaceful Souls
Guests who found serenity at Om Shambhala since 2020
Years of Journey
Tharaka's ascetic life across mountains and forests
Sacred Practices
Different yoga and meditation offerings available
Years of Heritage
Ancient Buddhist civilization in sacred Anuradhapura
“Following divine guidance, I am here to impart the light of Dhamma to all those who seek a more meaningful, serene life. I look forward to taking you on a journey through the magic of Om Shambhala.”
— Tharaka, Spiritual Guide
Guest Reviews & Stories
Experience authentic stories from souls who have found transformation through yoga, meditation, and spiritual guidance at Om Shambhala. Watch video testimonials and read detailed reviews from our community.
Video Testimonials
Watch authentic experiences shared by our spiritual community

Transformative Yoga Experience
Experience the sacred practice of yoga at Om Shambhala
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Written Testimonials
Read in-depth experiences from guests who have stayed with us
Poziomka P
The retreat in 'Om Shambhala' combines yogic techniques from various traditions to enhance spiritual development in the fastest and most effective way.
Intense yet restful programme is lead by experienced yogi Tharaka who teaches how to bring one's best potential through yogis way of living and become a more conscious and happy human being.
Our first session in the morning was yoga asanas.
Perfect preparation for the next activities in the schedule by awakening and balancing energys in the body. After lunch - 'Satsang', where we received priceless yogic wisdom and tools to get rid of harmful habits that slows down spiritual growth. Then meditation, which helped to deeply relax and digest all the knoledge and energys from previous sessions.
And finally Kirtan! Pure joy and soul healing through music and powerful mantras. The whole retreat is a complete recipe for human well-being!
Just in few days I noticed visible changes within me. My body and mind became more stable and my actions more conscious. I absolutely recommend this retreat to everyone!
Marie Machado
I spent four absolutely wonderful days at the ashram — a truly refreshing break from everyday life. Tharaka, our host, shares his wisdom with such generosity.
His deep knowledge of yogic philosophy is truly impressive, and the way he teaches makes it both accessible and alive.
He is an inspiring person and a beautiful human connection I'm grateful to have made. I also discovered kirtan, those devotional chants that uplift the heart and calm the mind. Tharaka is a gifted musician, and singing with him was pure joy — a vibrant, unforgettable experience.
And the food... absolutely delicious every day! The meals were simple, flavorful, and full of color.
I even got the chance to learn how to cook some traditional Sri Lankan dishes — such a pleasure to bring a bit of that culture back home with me.
Isaline A
I highly recommend this retreat to anyone who wants to find more peacefulness in their life, take a break and some distance from Western society, reconnect with themself, explore or develop their spirituality.
Om Shambhala is a unique, very authentic and small-size retreat (we were only 3 people).
I did a lot of research to find the right retreat for me, I didn't want to go to a huge center for tourists and was looking for authentic teachings - and I'm very happy I found Om Shambhala, it was exactly what I was looking for and even beyond.
It is this kind of places hard to leave once you're there! Tharaka has a long and fascinating experience with spirituality, he spent 12 years of his life as a 'sannyasi', living away from society and material possessions, detached from enjoyments, in silence and compassion.
He broke it and now dedicates his time to pass on his experience and teachings.
In parallel, Tharaka also gives classes at local meditation centers for monks and nons, which makes his teaching even more interesting to me.
Tharaka is a generous man, he shares a lot, energy, experience, practice and knowledge about spirituality, Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, yoga, life… The yoga taught brings back to the roots of it, it's regarded as part of a wider process along with meditation, mindfullness, connection to nature, compassion… Which makes the practice even more interesting.
I discovered kirtan - collective mantra chanting - and found it very powerful and a nice addition to practice.
Moreover Tharaka is a great musician and singer, we had great moments around music.
I found the place itself very pleasant to stay at, peaceful and nicely decorated, with a nice balcony. My room was big, super clean and comfortable.
The garden where we had the yoga classes is huge and full of trees and plants, great for a better connection to nature during the practice. It was definitely a highlight during my travel in Sri Lanka, and also helped understanding better, in a deep mode, the culture there. A few months later, even if being back and immersed again in the Western society making it somewhat a daily struggle, it still accompanies my daily life.
I would love to be able to go to Om Shambhala once a year to reconnect and go further!
Miriam Fakhri
Om Shambhala is a small but wonderful yoga and meditation ashram. I participated in the five-day retreat and am very grateful for this experience.
The retreat is very diverse and provides excellent insight into different styles of meditation and yoga.
The musical sessions, the spiritual discussions and conversations, as well as the excellent food, make the retreat a true highlight.
The encounters and conversations with Tharaka are a gift.
I felt very comfortable at Om Shambhala and stayed for another six nights after the retreat.
I definitely want to come back.
Kelly Read
A wonderful 5 days at Om Shambhala. The space is beautiful and the schedule was extremely well thought out. A variety of yoga and meditation styles allowed me to enhance and improve my practice and the meals provided were really something to look forward to, Tharaka is a great cook too.
I really enjoyed the Satsang discussions, where Tharaka shared many words of wisdom, invaluable life advice and Buddhist teachings.
We also had the amazing experience of daily meditation at the nearby Sakwala Chakraya, ancient ruins and mysterious star gate.
This was very powerful.
All in all, a very important experience, where I felt personal growth, a sense of family and a knowing that this was the right place to be!
Fenna van der Kruit
Staying with Tharaka in Om Shambhala was a wonderful experience.
Despite the fact that we only stayed for 2 nights, it was a meaningful and restful 2 days. Together with my partner we visited the ancient city where we experienced a meditation at the stargate, experienced the magic of a sound- and colour chakra meditation and ended our stay with a lovely yoga nidra session.
We were also blessed with a mini private guitar session at night. Tharaka is a warm, wonderful, open person and teacher.
I would 100% recommend to go and give yourself the gift to learn and spend time with him 🧡🙏🌞🌸
Maja Lazarevska
If on your spiritual journey you are visiting Sri Lanka, you shouldn't leave the island without staying in Om Shambala. I come for retreat of 4 days and end up staying 3 weeks.
Tharaka is a person of deep experience and knowledge, both combinated makes him reliable as a teacher open to share the knowledge.
You learn a lot about Tibetian Buddhist philosophy and meditation, yoga and better said, you learn a lot about life, how to maintain your own energy and be closer step by step to the Higher Consciousness. You feel guided how to make your inner world a better place and then we can imagine all the humans beings living in better world. 'Imagine all the people, living life in peace....' It really makes you living in the present, with the complete practice, I really enjoyed his kirtan music full of mantras, nice melody and vibration.
The place is wonderful, cared about the small details, made with a lot of love. The garden is lovely where you can feel comfortable to do your own practice. Highly recommend to do the excursion of the ancient city in Anuradhapura and around, as he knows these places very well.
You will have holistic authentic experience if you really open yourself.
MrGiorgiodurham
I came here in search of a 1 hour yoga session and ended up staying for 2 weeks. Tharaka's abundant wisdom has helped me greatly on my journey towards a happier, healthier, more spiritually connected life.
I can't thank you enough Guru x
Jan Ejsymontt
A place of peace where you can absorb the spiritual wisdom of this highly attained master of yoga, meditation and Buddhist philosophy, Tharaka.
You can be guided through the holy city of Anuradhapura and participate in enlightening kirtan sessions accompanied by classical guitar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Om Shambhala ashram, our spiritual practices, retreats, and the sacred journey that awaits you in Anuradhapura.
Still Have Questions?
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