Arvind Kejriwal Arrives in Hoshiarpur for 10-Day Vipassana Meditation
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal arrived in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, on Tuesday evening to begin a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat at the Dhamma Dhaja Vipassana Centre in Anandgarh village. The former Delhi Chief Minister, accompanied by his wife Sunita, drove to the Chohal forest rest house, where local AAP MLA Brahm Shankar Jimpa welcomed them. This marks Kejriwal’s second meditation stint at the same centre, following a visit from December 21-30, 2023.
Kejriwal plans to meet AAP leaders on Wednesday before heading to the centre by evening. The Vipassana course officially starts Thursday, March 6, and runs until March 15. It’s unclear if Sunita will join him for the meditation, which requires participants to disconnect completely—no phones, no talking, just silence and self-reflection under a teacher’s guidance.
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Vipassana, an ancient Buddhist practice, focuses on mindfulness and inner peace. Kejriwal, a long-time follower, has attended similar retreats in cities like Jaipur, Nagpur, Dharamkot, and Bengaluru. “It gives immense peace,” he said after his 2023 session, a habit he’s kept up amid political storms. This retreat comes weeks after AAP’s loss in the February 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, where the party won just 22 of 70 seats, ending its decade-long rule.
Security is tight around Chohal and the Anandgarh centre, with police deployed to ensure safety. Posts on X noted a large convoy, including “dozens of vehicles and hundreds of cops,” raising eyebrows about the scale for a meditation trip. Punjab police haven’t commented officially, but the arrangements reflect Kejriwal’s high profile.
The timing is notable. AAP faces internal challenges, with Congress claiming some Punjab MLAs might defect—rumors the party denies. Kejriwal’s retreat could be a reset after Delhi’s defeat, offering him a break to recharge before diving back into politics. As he steps away from the spotlight until March 15, all eyes will be on how this pause shapes his next move.
