Mayavati Ashram Appeal for Conservation of Heritage Buildings Kumaon

Mayavati Ashram 2012

I visited Mayavati Ashram in 2012 and did not feel like leaving. The vibrations were so powerful, the people so loving and food tasted like AMRIT. Met people from far and wide including a few Japanese.

The ashram was started by Swami Vivekananda in 1899. He stayed here for a short while too. It houses the editorial department of Prabuddha Bharata, a monthly journal started by Swamiji in 1896. The heritage buildings in the ashram are more than 100 years old and need to be restored. The appeal below is by Swami Muktidananda, Adhyaksha, Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati. 

Have shown Swami Narasimhananda, Editor of Prabuddha Bharata, as author since he is based at Mayavati.  Editor

To see pictures of Mayavati Ashram

Dear Sir,

Sub: Regarding the Conservation of Heritage Buildings at Advaita Ashrama,

Mayavati, Uttarakhand

Our hearty greetings from the Himalayas!

As you are aware, Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, Uttarakhand, is a place for spiritual solace and meditation for numerous monks and householders and finds an important place in the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. This was developed specially as per the vision of Swami Vivekananda and is quite unique among the spiritual centres of Ramakrishna Order.

We draw your kind attention to a pressing need of the ashrama and seek your help and cooperation in the completion of the restoration project mentioned below.

Background: Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, Uttarakhand, India was started in 1899 by Swami Vivekananda through his English disciples Captain and Mrs Sevier. This ashrama is a branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, West Bengal founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897. The Advaita Ashrama runs a hospital serving underprivileged patients of the local areas within the radius of 100 kms. The ashrama also houses the editorial department of Prabuddha Bharata, a monthly English journal started by Swamiji in 1896, which was shifted to Mayavati in 1899.

Conservation of Heritage Buildings: The original building that was sanctified by a fortnightly visit of Swamiji was constructed in the 1850s and is a heritage building. The main building of Prabuddha Bharata, a monthly English journal started by Swamiji, shifted to Mayavati in 1899, was constructed in 1914 and is also another heritage building. These buildings being more than 100 year old are in a dilapidated state and needs to be thoroughly conserved by taking up appropriate methods of restoration urgently. Their conservation and maintenance in the remote area of Mayavati is a formidable task. This project has been taken up by expert conservationists from Pune and Mumbai. The conservation work was inaugurated by the President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj on 23 March 2018.

Our Present Need: The conservation will be done in three phases as given below:

Phase I: Main Ashrama Building—Estimated Cost Rs. 1.97 crores; 

Phase II: Prabuddha Bharata Building—Estimated Cost Rs.0.76 crore; 

Phase III: Captain Sevier’s Cottage—Estimated Cost Rs.56 lakhs, Mother Sevier’s Cottage—Estimated Cost Rs. 44 lakhs 

We earnestly appeal for your valuable contribution towards the successful implementation of this noble project aimed at restoring these heritage buildings. All donations may be sent in favour of “ADVAITA ASHRAMA” BY CHEQUE/Demand Draft/NEFT whose details as follows: Bank Name: State Bank of India, Branch: Lohaghat. Account No. 10925686743, NEFT Code: SBIN0002569 If you are depositing your valuable contribution into our bank account through NEFT, please do inform us about it through email to enable us to verify and acknowledge quickly.

All donations are exempt from Income Tax under section 80G (5) of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Without your valuable support and cooperation, it would be impossible for us to complete this noble project of conserving these very old Heritage Buildings of remote area at Himalaya to give them a new lease of life of another 100 years.

Thanking you for your early response.

Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati With best wishes,

P.O. Mayavati, Via Lohaghat Yours in service,

Dt. Champawat, Uttarakhand 262 524 Swami Muktidananda

Phone: 05965-234233 Adhyaksha

Email: mayavati@rkmm.org

15th April 2018 

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