Arunachala (uh-roo-NAH-chuh-luh) Ashram is part of the legacy of Sri Ramana Maharishi, a south Indian saint who lived around the turn of the last century (the late 1800s). Arunachala is the name of the hill in the town of Tiruvannamalai, in southern India, upon which the original and flagship ashram is located. The New York ashram is one of only two outside of India, the other being in Nova Scotia.

The Grounds

The ashram is situated in a single stately residential building in Jamaica Estates, a relatively quiet part of New York City. The house is a very large one, with four bedrooms upstairs where guests are housed in the most informal Indian ashram style — just pull up a rug and start snoozing! The ashram isn’t set up to accommodate spiritual tourists; guests here are those who feel drawn to Sri Ramana Maharishi and his teachings. If you know you belong here, you will easily find your place and fit into the household, for a day or two or much longer.

While beautiful and well-crafted, the surroundings reflect the austerity of the path of self-inquiry — no frills or fat here! The meditation hall downstairs holds a maximum of 50 occupants. The book stall on-site offers all of the published works of Sri Ramana Maharishi and his followers, as well as photographs, audio and video recordings, and multi-media packages. (You can also order all of those from the ashram’s web site.)

Hillside Boulevard nearby will connect you with the hustle and bustle of New York City, should you have a need to connect to the outside world.

Daily & Regular Activities

Veda parayana, a formal reading of the Vedas by Brahmin priests — in this case, a 1950 recording of ashram priests at the original Arunachala — happens for 45 minutes in the mornings starting at 4:30am, followed by readings from old and new scriptures, chanting of scriptures (specifically the Sri Lalita Sahasranam stotram, a devi scripture) and silent meditations, wrapping up at around 8am. You have almost the same program in the evenings, but split into two parts, with the Veda parayana from 5:15 to 6pm, and the readings, silence and chanting from 7:30 to 9pm. Readings are from books by or about Sri Ramana Maharishi.

On Fridays and full moon days, there is also a Sri Chakra puja from 6 to 8:30pm — Sri Chakra being a diagram-type representation of the female aspect of the divinity, and a puja being a ritual of oblations to it.

Retreats & Occasional Activities

This ashram observes events of significance to its lineage, in concurrence with all of Maharishi’s other ashrams and satsangs. For instance, on May 3 each year, they observe the anniversary of his Maha Nirvana (transition out of the body), or Aradhana. Jayanti, or the birthday celebration, generally falls in December or January, according to the lunar-based Hindu calendar. Other traditional Hindu holidays, such as Siva Ratri, are celebrated here as well.

Highlights & Comments

Sri Ramana Maharishi’s students tend to be committed devotees who are already well-schooled in the particulars of the guru-sishya (teacher-student) relationship, so there is not much hand-holding for newcomers. While the general public is welcome to all activities, this place really seems to be designed for the inner experience and for those with more experience.

The organization also maintains an ashram in Nova Scotia, and supports dozens of satsangs (local worship groups) around the country. See their web site for details.

Location

86-06 Edgerton Blvd.
Jamaica, NY 11432-2937
(718) 560-3196
www.arunachala.org
ashrama@arunachala.org