Mayawati Ashram

Getting there

• By air

  Pantnagar Airport, about 160 km away in Nainital district, is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Tanakpur is the nearest railway station, and taxis and buses run from there to the ashram.

• By road

  Buses from ISBT Anand Vihar run to Tanakpur and Lohaghat. Motorable roads link Mayawati to Uttarakhand and northern India.

Why devotees come here

Mayawati Ashram, in Champawat district of Uttarakhand, is a branch of the Ramakrishna Math, known as Advaita Ashrama. It stands at 1940 metres, 22 km from Champawat town and 9 km from Lohaghat. The ashram was founded in 1899 on Swami Vivekananda's instruction and worships no images or idols.

The idea of the ashram came to Swami Vivekananda in 1896, while he was travelling through the Alps to recover his health. He wished for a similar place in India. The founders moved into the Himalayan forests on 19 March 1899, and the ashram became a branch of the Ramakrishna Math.

The ashram follows Advaita Vedanta, and no images or idols are worshipped there, not even of Ramakrishna. It is a major publication centre of the Ramakrishna Order, producing books in English and Hindi, mainly through its branch in Kolkata. At 1940 metres, the ashram sits high in the Himalayan forests.

The ashram is 22 km from Champawat town in Champawat district, and 9 km from Lohaghat. Visitors will find a library and a small museum at Mayawati.

Tips for your visit

• Ask the ashram about board and lodging before you travel, because it is given to visitors only on request.
• The ashram has a library and a small museum that visitors can see.

Questions people ask