Mayawati's Advaita Ashrama

After a long gap, I am writing again about Mayawati and the Advaita Ashrama there. January 12 happens to be birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902). An inspiration for me since my childhood, I am still fascinated by his life and his works.

"After so much austerity I have understood this as the real truth - God

is present in every jiva (living being); there is no other God besides that.

'Who serves jiva serves God indeed"

This Ashrama was founded in 1899 by Swamiji's British disciple couple Capt J H Sevier and his wife C E Sevier. Swami Swarupananda, Swami Vivekananda's another disciple, was with them since the beginning and later went on to become the first president of the Advaita Ashrama. 

The place is situated at an altitude of 6,400 feet in the deep sylvan Himalayas. The nearest town is Lohaghat, 9 kms away. Although Mayawati is connected to Lohaghat with an all weather road, it can be a lovely trek, both on the winding tar road or through the hills, a short cut used by locals. Lohaghat is 15 kms away from Champawat district headquarters by the same name in Uttarakhand.

Swamiji spent almost two weeks in January 1901. The name Advaita Ashrama is a direct reflection of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy as propounded by Swamiji. It teaches each one to look within as there is only one Atman pervading all living beings and the Universe.

If you are not able to understand what I say, find out the complete works of Swami Vivekananda asap and start reading pronto.

More about the time we spent there when we visited the hypnotic place in August last year. And also about a wonderful charitable hospital that is run by the Rama Krishna Mission in this remote place.
       

Hypnotic Mayawati

Guess, what did I mean when I chose the title 'Hypnotic Mayawati' for this post? I am sure, the generation NOW is only aware about one Mayawati, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

But this MAYAWATI is entirely different. It is a place in the Himalayas, in Champawat district of Uttarakhand. Only the regular readers of Ramakrishna - Vivekananda literature will be able to quickly recall the name Mayawati. If you are not one of them, read it now!

The beautifully landscaped garden around the Adwait Ashram adds to the serenity of the place

This is Adwait Ashram, the place where Swami Vivekananda spent few months in 1901 during his wanderings in the Himalayas.

Continued ...

Water Heritage

April issue of National Geographic tells us that we are draining the aquifers much more quickly than the natural recharge rate. This made me sit and think as to how and what will really be the future course for hundreds and thousands of those underprivilege people who do not even get a drop of water to drink.

This is Rajon Ki Baoli in Mehrauli Archaeological Park in south Delhi.   

It is a well known fact that 75 per cent of the Earth is water. Of this, even if we consider that 70 per cent of fresh water is locked in ice around the poles, till recently, there was never a crisis for something which has become the most essential commodity. At least, the scenario in India is dreadful.

And when I say, till recently, it is a relative term. For such a long span of human habitation vis-a-vis organised living, a time frame of around 50-60 years or at the most 100 years is a very short time.

India has had traditional wisdom by way of closed, underground step wells - locally known as Baolis or Baodis. These were one of the best practices, specially across North India's Rajasthan, arid Gujarat and several areas in Haryana and today's Delhi too.

As on date, this has been running dry for several years now but then, the custodian of this beautiful stone step well, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has claimed to have cleaned it after a court order to do so.