Bangalore Ashram - Campus & Facilities

Bus Tours are happening on weekends. Kindly contact Ashram Information Center (+91 80 67262626).

 

The Registration/Housing Desk is located in Main Reception and is accessible from Gates Number 4 or 5. The registration desk facilitates the course registration proceedings which enables the participants to enter the course venues. Spot registrations are not encouraged. Rooms are assigned depending upon your choice of shared accommodation, as well as the availability. Your stay at the ashram will be a no-frills yet comfortable affair. Basic amenities such as bed, pillow, blankets and clean bed sheets are provided. Each room has an attached bathroom. Hot water is provided in the mornings from 5:00 am to 7:00 am. Housing Hours: Mon-Sat: 9:00 am - 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm Sun: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

The Ashram canteen serves vegetarian snacks such as Indian Fast food, an assortment of condiments , canned juices and bottled soft drinks. The Canteen is a cool place to hang out any time during the day or after an evening of devotional music popularly called satsang. A juice center serves fresh juice of a variety of fruits handpicked from the Ashram orchards. Vishala Canteen Hours: Mon-Sun: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Juice center hours: Mon-Sun: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm

The New Dining Facility officially opened in October 2004, in response to the growth of the organization. It is housed in a 3-floor building, each floor has an area of 25,000 sq feet. Whereas the old kitchen catered to 500 people, the New kitchen has the capacity to feed 60,000 people per day. The main dining hall is situated on the ground floor of the building. On a normal day, food is cooked for 20000 people. This includes course/conference participants and ashram residents. The kitchen is run entirely by volunteers, just as the rest of the ashram. The food is prepared by 30-35 full time Sevaks (volunteers). Managing the Kitchen is an enormous task, hence the kitchen follows the policy of Swayam Seva (self help) wherever possible. This practice nurtures a sense of respect for others and self-reliance for the individual. The Food is Satvik and cooked with steam produced from environmentally friendly boilers using fuel called briquettes (a mixture of sawdust, groundnut and coffee shells). Wheat and Bajra flour is ground on the premises in a mill owned and operated by the ashram to cook chapattis (unleavened bread).

On an average day, more than 20000 meals are served. Around 700,000 meals are served per month, and close to 8,400,000 (8.4 million) meals are served every year in the kitchen.

The Vishalakshi Mantap is the focal point of the Ashram, where all the positive spiritual energies come together. This beautifully crafted architectural marvel has been conceived and designed by His Holiness Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself. This magnificent structure of the thousand-petals fame, with an entirely white marble floor and a lotus-shaped edifice is a wonderful blend of Vedic architecture and modern technology . The Mantap, known for its intricate craftsmanship, stunning illumination and elegant décor was built with the dedicated efforts of 7,000 workers and volunteers. The glass dome that tops the building is adorned with a magnificent ‘kalash’ – 15’ ft 3”in high- the biggest in Asia. Gurudev has best described the feeling one gets when inside the Mantap as coming in to the lap of the Mother Goddess. No one has yet been able to resist falling in love with the Mantap.

Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth is an Educational, Charitable Trust committed to making Holistic Education accessible to children in rural areas. With this aim, VVMVP started the first free rural school in the outskirts of Bangalore in 1981 with 30 children and the number of students has gone up to 2000 in 2008 from the surrounding 51 villages. VVMVP provides free education, transportation, uniforms, books, stationary, mid-day meals and other facilities that are required to give the students quality education. This is the story of One School. This has been the inspiration for the setting up of 86 such schools all over the country not only in the rural areas but also the interior tribal areas.

“Health is the dynamic expression of life”. These words by Gurudev were the source of inspiration that sowed the seeds for establishing Sri Sri Ayurveda. Sri Sri Ayurveda ‘s mission is to bring the best of Ayurveda to the world. It is based on the simple vision of bringing High quality Ayurvedic medicines, personal care products, food supplements, Ayurvedic Panchkarma treatments and a holistic approach to health care within the reach of the common man. At Sri Sri Ayurveda, we practice a special process – that is Effective Ayurveda. We use effective herbs, formulae, ingredients, therapies and the unique process of Divya Aushadhi developed at Sri Sri Ayurveda in all of our products and services. At Sri Sri Ayurveda we believe that good health belongs to all and the fruits of research should benefit the common people, through a combination of traditional wisdom and modern technology.

The Panchakarma center is a retreat, which employs therapists trained in the ancient knowledge of Ayurveda to give Panchakarma treatment. 'Ayur' literally means life and 'Veda' means science. The science of Ayurveda which was perfected 5000 years ago by the ancient sages of India, takes a holistic approach in treating physical ailments, facilitating total health by bringing harmony of mind, body and soul. Uzhichil, shirodhara, marma and facial marma are given on a walk-in basis. All other treatments are given after consultation and a check-up with a qualified Ayurvedic Doctor known as a Vaidya. The Vaidya uses the ancient technique of ‘Nadi Parikshana’ - literally meaning the checking of the patients pulse to diagnose disease and determine information about basic constitution and personality type. After which, they prescribe a course of Panchakarma treatment with advice on lifestyle and dietary requirements. All products are made in the Ayurvedic factory near the Ashram. The efficacy and potency of the medicines is enhanced by chanting vedic hymns and mantras by specially trained professionals.

The Divines Services provides all necessary products for a comfortable stay in the Ashram. From basic toiletries, comfortable clothes, footwear and towels, to snacks, savories, yoga mats and a wide range of other items that you might require during your stay.

A residential building outside which the Navratri festival is held each year. The Yagna is a special form of pooja (worship), practised in India since ancient times. It is performed on auspicious occasions or prior to the undertaking of an important project/venture, in order to invoke the blessings of various Gods and Goddesses. So literally Yagnashala means a holy place where the Yagna is performed or practised.

The Goshala means a “place where cows are cared for”. The project’s primary aim is to protect indigenous cows from slaughter and to increase their numbers. Since ages, Man has shared a unique relationship of interdependence with the Cow. In ancient times farmers depended on cows to cultivate farm land, besides which Cows were useful in a variety of ways such as providing milk - a vital food source for the populace. Caring for cows is service to the society. The Goshala also aims to revive the ancient Indian practice of using Cow excretions for useful purposes such as Gowmutra (cow urine), which has medicinal value, and is used as a fertilizer, and Cowdung, which is ideal for promoting cheap chemical free organic farming. This practice has been recently implemented with great success in Vidarbha district of Maharashtra where farmers have been facing heavy debt incurred by the use of artificial chemical fertilizers. Here in the Goshala, every cow is given a name and each morning, divine instrumental music is played to them. This relaxes them and increases their milk production. For anyone interested in sponsoring a cow, the contribution is Rs 50,000. Ancient Indian practice dictated that a family would gift a cow to a priest whenever someone passed away or on the occasion of some important event such as a Yagnya. This practice ensured that the priest had sufficient means to perform his religious rituals such as Pujas and Homa. Here is an opportunity for you to actually donate a cow in memory of your loved ones. The cow is well cared for and the produce is utilized for homa in the ashram as it was meant to be.

Veda Agama Samskruta Maha Pathashala aims to preserve the age-old rituals of temple worship – the Agama. The school offers a five-year course and training programme, whereby students from all over India, learn to conduct temple Poojas, Abishekams and other rituals. They learn the Dravidian style of Vedic chanting. The course syllabus also includes studies of Veda, Agama, Sanskrit, astrology, yoga, music, Shilpashastram, Itihasam and Thirumuraigal. Currently the school has 340 students, 100 studying Veda, and 240 studying Agama. They are all of the age group 11-18 years. The school offers them free boarding and food. During the nine nights of navrathri, thousands of devotees meditate as the students chant mantras and hymns for the poojas and yagnas in a synchronized and rhythmic manner.

The Lotus shaped Sumeru Mantap is a must-see sight for all visitors to the ashram. Geographically located at the highest point in the Ashram, this open air auditorium with an upper balcony yields a breathtaking view of the Ashram grounds and the surrounding areas. With a beautiful water pond at the center, twelve pairs of pillars, representing the twelve signs of the zodiac around it and encircled by ornate lotus petals, the Sumeru Mantap is sheer poetry in architecture. The pillars have been so designed that the first rays of the Sun fall on the pillar with the corresponding zodiac sign carved on the ceiling above it.

The new amphitheater, with its lotus shaped marble stage, a 20,000 plus seating capacity and the beautiful Vishalakshi Mantap for an enchanting backdrop, is the ideal venue for ashram Satsangs and cultural events.

As a part of its endeavour to promote economically self reliant rural communities, the Sri Sri Rural Development Program (SSRDP) started Women Empowerment programs for the rural women to provide them sustainable and alternate means of income. The rural women are trained in different skills associated with jute product making, eg. stitching, cutting, embroidery and bead work. The variety of jute bags that are manufactured range from fancy ladies handbags to utility bags. Agarbatti rolling provides another convenient and simple means for the rural women to earn their livelihood. These, and other products such as handicrafts, are available for sale in our RDP Shop.

The Divine Shop offers all our publications, from melodious bhajan CD's, to Guruji's talks in audio and video format. The shop makes a wide range of talks, commentaries and beautiful music available for purchase for both visitors and course participants.

The Ashram also has an in-house travel agent, that provides everything from bus-, train- and airplane tickets to taxi's, tour packages and travel related information. Sumeru Travel Solutions is a customer friendly service that is available for both course participants and visitors to the Ashram.

For any emergency medical aid or consultation in the Ashram, visitors and course participants can approach our Apollo Ashram Clinic, located near the Annapoorna Dining Hall.

The Ashram has a Laundry Service that is available for all course participants and visitors that book accommodation in the Ashram. Against good rates, the Laundry Service can wash clothes, and if required iron them also. The Laundry Service is located near the Annapoorna Dining Hall and the Ashram Clinic.