Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement (known as Ramakrishna Movement or Vedanta Movement), which aims at the harmony of religions, harmony of the East and the West, harmony of the ancient and the modern, spiritual fulfillment, all-round development of human faculties, social equality, and peace for all humanity, without any distinctions of creed, caste, race or nationality.
After Sri Ramakrishna’s Mahasamadhi, Swami Vivekananda travelled throughout the length and breadth of India and came in contact with every segment of Indian society – rich and poor, educated and uneducated, strong and weak. In 1893, he went to USA, participated in the World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago and became a celebrity overnight. He made a triumphant return to India in 1897 after preaching Vedanta extensively in America and Europe. Soon after, he established the Ramakrishna Order.
The ideology of Ramakrishna Math and Mission consists of the eternal principles of Vedanta as lived and experienced by Sri Ramakrishna and expounded by Swami Vivekananda. This ideology has three characteristics: it is modern in the sense that the ancient principles of Vedanta have been expressed in the modern idiom; it is universal, that is, it is meant for the whole humanity; it is practical in the sense that its principles can be applied in day-to-day life to solve the problems of life.
The history of the Ramakrishna Order’s relief services is as old as that of the Mission itself. Besides their multifarious permanent constructive works, from their very inception, the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission have been ever ready to promptly organize ameliorative and healing services whenever the nation has been faced with sudden calamities caused by freaks of nature, follies of men, or scourges of epidemics. Its relief activities have also extended well beyond Indian borders.
RAMAKRISHNA MATH (Ashrama) at ALMORA, known as RAMAKRISHNA KUTIR, came into being on May 22, 1916 under the auspices of Swami Turiyanandaji Maharaj, a direct disciple of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna, giving fulfillment to the dream long held by Swami Vivekananda to have an ashram where all of nature comes to the aid of a true meditator, where dhyana is no more an effort to make but a natural consequence of being in such a place. Swami Vivekananda had expressed his wish to have a retreat centre in Almora. Here with Swami Sivanandaji (Mahapurush Maharaj), Swami Turiyananadaji fulfilled that wish and Ramakrishna Kutir, came into existence. This Ashrama is mainly a retreat Himalayan centre where Monks, Devotees and Admirers of Sri Ramakrishna come, live in a spiritual atmosphere and get peace of mind. Swami Turiyanandaji's intense Tapasya has made this place spiritually alive and vibrant.
Swami Vivekananda's reply to welcome address given by Almora residents
This is the land which, since my very childhood, I have been dreaming of passing my life in, and as all of you are aware, I have attempted again and again to live here; and although the time was not ripe, and I had work to do and was whirled outside of this holy place, yet it is the hope of my life to end my days somewhere in this Father of Mountains where Rishis lived, where philosophy was born … I sincerely pray and hope, and almost believe, that my last days will be spent here, of all places on earth. Inhabitants of this holy land, accept my gratitude for the kind praise that has fallen from you for my little work in the West….
As peak after peak of this Father of Mountains began to appear before my sight, all the propensities to work, that ferment that had been going on in my brain for years, seemed to quiet down, and instead of talking about what had been done and what was going to be done, the mind reverted to that one theme the Himalayas always teach us, that one theme which reverberates in the very atmosphere of the place — renunciation! THE HIMALAYAS STAND FOR THAT RENUNCIATION”.
CW of Swami Vivekananda
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Gospel of Holy Mother
Visit Photo Gallery of Ashrama
Help Us in Rebuilding this Centre
Unprecedented rains and cloud burst in September 2010 at Almora have resulted tremendous landslide, gorges, cracks and land-sinking of the Ashrama which is situated on the steep slope of a hill. The changed land contour has damaged the Temple area and other buildings, though the Temple remained intact miraculously. Engineers have suggested abandoning an old building and rebuilding of other inhabitable ones.
This Ashrama is mainly a retreat Himalayan center where Monks, Devotees and Admirers of Sri Ramakrishna come, live in a spiritual atmosphere and get peace of mind. Swami Turiyanandaji’s intense Tapasya has made this place spiritually alive and vibrant. Apart from spiritual service we undertake welfare activities for the poor hilly people and needy students throughout year and during winter season and in natural calamities. This Ashrama conducted relief work by distributing 5000 woolen Blankets to the victims of Almora district after the above calamity and devastation.
By the grace of Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna and with the active cooperation of devotees and admirers of the Holy Trio, the restoration work of the land and building of the Ashrama has been started since 8th April 2011. The first phase of restoration work of the devastated land and building of the Ashrama has been completed at an approximate cost of Rs. 1.5 crores.
In the second phase of the work, we need to rebuild an old and partially damaged Office cum Kitchen and Guest house buildings. For the entire restoration and reconstruction work in the second phase, we need approximately 2.5 crore rupees. Since the Ashrama is situated on steep slope of a hill, repairs and maintenance of buildings is a constant feature of this place.
We appeal to one and all to donate generously to rebuild the Ashrama. Donations may be sent through Bank Transfer, the details of which are as follows:
Name of the A/c Holder: Ramakrishna Kutir, Almora;
Name of the Bank: State Bank of India, Mall Road, Almora-263601, Uttarakhand;
Account No.: 10861422452
IFS Code: SBIN0000605
Yours in service of God,