![The gateway of Ashrama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/The_gateway_of_Ashrama.jpg)
Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, is a branch of the
Ramakrishna Math, founded on 19 March 1899 at the behest of
Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intr ...
,
[founded by Vivekananda in 1899.](_blank)
''The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
, 20 May 2003.'' by his disciples James Henry Sevier, and
Charlotte Sevier. Today it publishes the original writings of Vivekananda.
As an
ashram dedicated to the study and practice of
Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...
, no images or idols are worshipped there, not even of
Ramakrishna; and no images were kept in the premises according to the Ashram ideals set by Vivekananda.
Also referred as the Mayawati Ashram,
it is located at an altitude of 1940 meters, 22 km from
Champawat
Champawat ( Kumaoni: ''Champāvat'') is a town and a Nagar Palika Parishad in Champawat district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Champawat district. The town was the former capital of the Kumaon Kingd ...
in
Champawat district
Champawat district is a district of Uttarakhand state in northern India. The town of Champawat is the administrative headquarters. The district of Champawat constituted in the year 1997. The district is divided into five tehsils: Barakot, Lohag ...
,
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
, and 9 km from the town of
Lohaghat
Lohaghat ( Kumaoni: ''Loghāt'') is a town and a nagar palika in Champawat district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
History
Lohaghat and its surrounding region was earlier known as Sui, and the town has been a place of prominence since the ...
.
The ashram is a major publication centre of the
Ramakrishna Order
The Ramakrishna Order (Bengali: রামকৃষ্ণ সংঘ) is the monastic lineage that was founded by Sri Ramakrishna, when he gave the ochre cloth of renunciation to twelve of his close disciples, in January 1886 at the Cossipore Hous ...
for books in English and Hindi, mainly through its branch in
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
. It also maintains a
charitable hospital A charitable hospital, or charity hospital, is a non-profit hospital that provides treatment for poor and uninsured people who can't purchase treatment. An example would be St. Jude Children's Hospital that provides assistance to children and funds ...
at Mayavati. Among its important publications are ''The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda'' in English and as well as a Hindi translation, ''The Life of Swami Vivekananda'', and English translations of important Hindu scriptures.
Some of the old manuscripts of the ashram have now been
microfilm
Microforms are scaled-down reproductions of documents, typically either photographic film, films or paper, made for the purposes of transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about 4% or of the origin ...
ed and preserved at
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (
IGNCA
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi is a premier government-funded arts organization in India. It is an autonomous institute under the Union Ministry of Culture.
History
The Indira Gandhi National centre for arts ...
) in Delhi.
History
![Cenotaph of Vivekananda](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Cenotaph_of_Vivekananda.jpg)
The Advaita Ashrama has its origins in 1896, when Vivekananda was travelling through the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
recuperating, and expressed the desire to have a similar place in India, for retreat and study of
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...
.
[Mayabati: A journey towards Self – Dr. Subhendu Chakravrati on a spiritual journey to Mayavati]
''Outlook
Outlook or The Outlook may refer to:
Computing
* Microsoft Outlook, an e-mail and personal information management software product from Microsoft
* Outlook.com, a web mail service from Microsoft
* Outlook on the web, a suite of web applications ...
, 2008.
Earlier, in 1895, James Henry Sevier who had served as a captain in the
British Indian Army for 5 years, and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth Sevier, met Vivekananda in England. Later in 1896, for nearly nine months, they travelled with him through Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. It was in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
that Vivekananda, while travelling with the couple, that he expressed his desire to have a similar retreat for the monks in the Himalayas. In December 1896, the couple moved to India, with Vivekananda on board a steamer from
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, Italy, with an objective to find a place near Almora, and set up an Ashram, and arriving at Madras in February 1897.
[ The Missionary Work of the First Hindu Sannyasin to the West And His Plan Of Regeneration Of India Madras Times, February 1897. '']wikisource
Wikisource is an online digital library of free-content textual sources on a wiki, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Wikisource is the name of the project as a whole and the name for each instance of that project (each instance usually re ...
.'' Soon just as Vivekananda left for Calcutta, the couple left for Almora, where they rented a bungalow and this became the residence of Vivekananda and the Seviers for the next two years.
![Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, a branch of the Ramakrishna Math, founded on March 19, 1899](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Advaita_Ashrama%2C_Mayavati%2C_a_branch_of_the_Ramakrishna_Math%2C_founded_on_March_19%2C_1899.jpg)
Later when he left for Kashmir, the Sevier couple along with Swami Swarupananda, a monastic disciple of Vivekananda, started travelling to the interior area looking a suitable place, which was eventually found in July 1898, set amidst dense
deodar, pine and oak forests; the land which was until then a tea estate was promptly purchased, and decided upon for the new Ashram. Finally, with the help of
Swami Swarupananda, the Ashram was set up,
[Mayawati Route – Visitors Booklet of Advaita Ashrama]
''Advaita Ashrama''. along with a small dwelling for the monks, ashramites and the couple themselves, around the same time as the
Belur Math
Belur Math () is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, Belur, West Bengal, India. The t ...
was being established near
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
, when they moved in on 19 March 1899.
After the sudden death of its first editor, 24-year-old B. R. Rajam Iyer at Madras (
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
), the publication of the English Journal ''
Prabuddha Bharata
''Prabuddha Bharata'' () is an English-language monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order, in publication since July 1896. It carries articles and translations by monks, scholars, and other writers on humanities and social sciences including relig ...
'' was discontinued for a few months in May 1898. Meanwhile, in
Almora
Almora ( Kumaoni: ''Almāḍ'') is a municipal board and a cantonment town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Almora district. Almora is located on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills of th ...
, Vivekananda asked the Sevier couple to revive the magazine, and the editorship was given to
Swami Swarupananda, who not only became the first head of the Ashram upon its opening on 19 March 1899, but also remained its editor, at its new base hence forth; and they held the position until his death in 1906.
Upon its foundation, Vivekananda sent the following letter, in March 1899, entailing the prospectus of the Ashram:
"...To give this One Truth a freer and fuller scope in elevating the lives of individuals and leavening the mass of mankind, we start this Advaita Ashrama on the Himalayan heights, the land of its first expiration.
Here it is hoped to keep Advaita free from all superstitions and weakening contaminations. Here will be taught and practised nothing but the Doctrine of Unity, pure and simple; and though in entire sympathy with all other systems, this Ashrama is dedicated to Advaita and Advaita alone."
James Sevier died on 28 October 1900, and was cremated by the nearby
Sarada River
River Sarada is a medium-sized river in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, India.
The geographic coordinates of the river are north latitude 17 25 to 18 17 and east longitude of 82 32 to 83 06.
The catchment area of the basin is 2,665 s ...
, according to Hindu traditions as he had wished.
[Serene heights]
''The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
'', 24 December 2006. Vivekananda visited the Ashram from 3 to 18 January 1901, primarily to console her,
[ Letter 6 January 1901 The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Epistles – First Series/XCIV Mother – '']wikisource
Wikisource is an online digital library of free-content textual sources on a wiki, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Wikisource is the name of the project as a whole and the name for each instance of that project (each instance usually re ...
''."Mrs. Sevier is a strong woman, and has borne her loss quietly and bravely. She is coming over to England in April, and I am going over with her." and his place of residence has now been turned into a library.
Charlotte Sevier continued to stay at the Ashram for several years.
Publications
Advaita Ashrama publishes many important books in English and Hindi, as well as the English Journal ''
Prabuddha Bharata
''Prabuddha Bharata'' () is an English-language monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order, in publication since July 1896. It carries articles and translations by monks, scholars, and other writers on humanities and social sciences including relig ...
'' which is being published since July 1896, making it the oldest running
Journal by Ramakrishna Mission. A list of its most well-known other publications is as follows.
![Prabuddha Bharatha March 1897 Front Cover](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Prabuddha_Bharatha_March_1897_Front_Cover.jpg)
* ''The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda''
Online version
** Other works of Swami Vivekananda, like:
** ''Bhakti Yoga ''
** ''
Jnana Yoga''
** ''
Karma Yoga
Karma yoga ( sa, कर्म योग), also called Karma marga, is one of the four classical spiritual paths in Hinduism, one based on the "yoga of action", the others being Jnana yoga (path of knowledge), Rāja yoga (path of meditati ...
''
** ''
Raja Yoga''
** ''Letters of Swami Vivekananda''
* ''The Life of Swami Vivekananda'' by His Eastern and Western Disciple
Online version* ''Srimad Bhagavad Gita'' translated by Swami Swarupananda, 190
* ''Eight Upanishads'' with the commentary of
Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya ( sa, शङ्कराचार्य, , " Shankara-''acharya''") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi Shankara; te ...
, translated by
Swami Gambhirananda
Adhyakshas of Advaita Ashrama
The first three adhyakshas of Advaita Ashrama were also editors of the ''
Prabuddha Bharata
''Prabuddha Bharata'' () is an English-language monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order, in publication since July 1896. It carries articles and translations by monks, scholars, and other writers on humanities and social sciences including relig ...
''. Thereafter, the post of Adhyaksha and Editor were held by different persons. From 1959, the Ashrama Adhyaksha was also called the Editor of ''Prabuddha Bharata'', and the actual editor called the "joint editor". From September 1993, the Ashrama Adhyaksha is known as the Managing Editor, and the Editor is known as the Editor.
Further reading
* ''Prabuddha Bharata: Or Awakened India'', by
Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intr ...
, Advaita Ashrama. Published by Swami Smaranananda for Advaita Ashrama, 1974.
* ''The Life of the Swami Vivekananda, by His Eastern and Western Disciples, the Advaita Ashrama, Himalayas'', by Advaita Ashrama, Published by the
Swami Virajananda
Swami Virajananda (10 June 1873 – 30 May 1951), born Kalikrishna Bose, was an initiated disciple of Sarada Devi and the sixth president of the Ramakrishna Order. Born as the son of Trailokyanath Bose and Nishadkalidevi, Virajananda was the ...
from the Prabuddha Bharata Office, Advaita Ashrama, 1947.
References
External links
Advaita Ashrama, Official websiteAdvaita Ashramat ''
wikimapia
Wikimapia is a geographic online encyclopedia project. The project implements an interactive "clickable" web map that utilizes Google Maps with a geographically-referenced wiki system, with the aim to mark and describe all geographical objects ...
''
{{Swami Vivekananda
Ramakrishna Math and Mission branches
Ashrams
Hindu organisations based in India
Religious tract publishing companies
Hindu monasteries in India
Champawat
Culture of Uttarakhand
Swami Vivekananda
Advaita Vedanta
Religious organizations established in 1899
1899 establishments in India