Accommodation

There is a small Guest House at Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, with limited facilities. The summer guest season is from mid-March to mid-June. The autumn guest season is from mid-September to mid-November. The period allowed for a party or person to stay here is 2-3 days.

No stranger is allowed to stay at Mayavati Ashrama. Prior permission from the Adhyaksha of the Ashrama is mandatory. For this purpose, correspondence should be made (mayavatiguesthouse (at) gmail (dot) com) in early January (for reservation in summer guest season) or early June (for reservation in autumn guest season).

Guest House

Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati

A brief history of
Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati

(Swami Vivekananda stayed here in 1901)

Swamiji had always been attracted by the Himalayas, the land of tyaga (renunciation) and yoga, the domain of Lord Shiva. During his tour of the Swiss Alps the idea to found an ashrama in similar conditions in India took shape. When Swamiji returned from the West in 1897 and roused India by his tremendous personality and message, comatose religion too was rejuvenated. In Almora, he inspired Captain Sevier and Mrs. Sevier along with Swami Swarupananda, his disciple, to commence looking for a place to house an ashrama ‘dedicated to advaita’. They found it in Mayavati, 6,400 ft. above sea level, surrounded by mountains on three sides, one side opening to a breathtaking view of the snow-capped Himalayan range.

The Advaita Ashrama was inaugurated in March 1899. Belur Math, established earlier, approved of its objects and principles and recognized Advaita Ashrama as its branch. Swamiji paid the Ashrama a visit in January 1901 and stayed for a fortnight.

There have been hardships but when one has a great ideal to live by, hardships become insignificant. Advaita Ashrama had a press of its own and the first editions of Swami Vivekananda’s works, his life, etc. were published from Mayavati, besides Prabuddha Bharata, the monthly journal. Following the laws of inevitability, a good library stocked with excellent books naturally grew.

The object of the ashrama was to study, practise and preach the Advaita philosophy free from ritualistic settings, and also to train others in spreading it. The ashrama in a short time became a melting pot, as it were, of the best minds of the east and the west. It helped spread the core Advaita doctrine, that of the Atman beyond body and mind, which it clothed in novel ways to suit different disciplines and temperaments. The other focus was a creation of a huge body of Vedantic, Ramakrishna-Holy Mother-Vivekananda literature in Sanskrit-English, English and Hindi. This is acting as a launching pad for the spiritual, philosophical, psychological and cultural awakening all over the world.

Mayavati Route Map

Mayavati Brochure & Route Map

One can reach Mayavati either from Bareilly, Delhi, Lucknow, or Almora. From Kolkata one may travel to Bareilly by train on the Akal Takt Express (or Upasana Express, if one is going to Shyamla Tal), and then from Bareilly to Mayavati by private car or bus to Lohaghat. From Delhi there is direct bus service at night to Pithoragarh. The bus reaches the Lohaghat bus stand the following morning. From there one can go to Mayavati by private car or hired jeep. From Lucknow one has to travel by train to Tanakpur by the Nainital Express. There is a through compartment in second-class from Lucknow to Tanakpur. Passengers travelling by first-class compartment have to change trains at Pilibhit in the early hours of the morning (4 am) and board another train going to Tanakpur which usually waits at another platform. It reaches Tanakpur at about 9.30 a.m. Otherwise at Pilibhit one can also get a bus at 4 am that reaches Tanakpur at about 5.30 am. From Tanakpur one can reach Lohaghat in about five hours by a public bus and four hours in a share taxi. From Almora one can travel by bus to Lohaghat, reaching there in about six hours. From Haldwani or Kathgodam one can come to Lohaghat via Bhowali-Sahar Phatak-Devidhura route.
 
The last lap of the journey, from Lohaghat to Mayavati (9 km.), can be done in a hired jeep. The fare is usually Rs. 300 for a round trip. Guests travelling by bus from Tanakpur or Almora usually cannot arrive at Mayavati by noon, so they are advised to have their lunch at Champawat or Lohaghat or at any other suitable bus stop on the way. Private cars are also available at Bareilly, Tanakpur, Lohaghat, Almora, etc.
Download Mayavati Brochure

Locate Us