Only about a mile east of Greenwich Village on Manhattan Island is New York’s first downtown Hindu temple. The Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission is set right in the heart of the Big Apple, a location that is usually anything but serene! That doesn’t stop the disciples of the Mission’s founder, Swami Ramakrishnananda.

It was in 2003 that Swami Ramakrishnananda, who had only recently come to the United States, was asked by his Gurudeva (spiritual teacher) to start a formal institution with the purpose of spreading his teachings and sharing his heart. The Mission is founded with the purpose of teaching the Hindu religion on a large scale and to work toward peace and harmony among all religions. Their purpose also includes training and education about hatha yoga, as well as other aspects of spiritual and physical health and well being.

The Grounds

The temple itself is set in a downtown brownstone building in Manhattan’s East Village. It houses a central temple room that holds the Deities of Lord Siva, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, Durga Ma, Kali Ma, Lakshmi Ma and Saraswati Ma. There is also a separate temple room dedicated to the Deity of Lord Krishna. Being in the heart of urban population there are no actual grounds to speak of, but the serenity of the interior more than makes up for the lack.

There is no cost for the programs at Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission. Everything they do is funded by donations and sales through their online store. In case you are wondering, they are a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, so all donations to them are tax deductible!

Daily Activities

At the Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission many different yoga practices are followed, all with the final goal of realizing unity with God. The daily schedule has a number of activities, each perfectly suited to counterbalance the rapid pace of the City That Never Sleeps.

The mission offers a class in hatha yoga Monday through Saturday at 10am, noon, and 6pm. On Sunday the noon class is omitted. Their hatha yoga instruction is comprehensive, covering not just postures, but also breathing and relaxation exercises. They teach it in the classic Vedic style. The evening Meditation Gathering is at 9pm, Monday through Thursday. The meditation program starts with Om chanting meditation and continues with Pranayama (breathing techniques) and silent meditation.

The temple is open daily for Darshan (the viewing of the deities) from 4pm–6pm and from 7:30pm–9:30pm. An offering ceremony occurs at 8:15 every day; it’s an arati performed by one of the temple devotees. This ceremony consists of a single devotee offering water, incense, a small flame, a flower and various other items to the deities while other devotees and visitors are chant mantras and singing spiritual songs. This is usually followed by chanting and meditation.

A special celebration called a kirtan occurs every Saturday at 9pm. This is the singing and musical chanting of various mantras. Unlike the usual chanting meditation, kirtan features a band of traditional instruments. The mission presents a class on Vedic scriptures on Fridays and Sundays at 9pm. These classes feature not only the ancient scriptures themselves, but also the teachings of Swami Ramakrishnananda.

Special Events

Their calendar of special events is full! Every month has at least one event or festival, and many have four or more. These festivals represent a wide selection of celebrations based in the Hindu tradition. There are birthday celebrations for deities and festivals honoring Gurus. There are celebrations of historical events as well as modern ones. Other kinds of worship festivals are also frequent.

Location & Getting There

Another of America’s easy to find temples, the Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission is located just north of East Houston Street on Ave. B, not far from several of New York’s most well known landmarks. Among these landmarks are Union Square and Chinatown. Just around the corner is Thompson Square Park, one of Manhattan’s largest parks.

With its many deities, dedicated devotees, and frequent programs, the Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission is a perfect place to go to get away from the rapid pace of the modern city.

Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission
96 Ave. B. Between 6th and 7th Sts.
New York N.Y.
10009 USA
Tel: (646)-436-7010