District: Mysore
City: Mysore
Religious Importance: Spiritual Organization
Anjali Ashram is a Catholic spiritual organization located on the Chamundi Hill Road in Mysore in the southern state of Karnataka in India. The organization was founded under the guidance of Swami Amalorananda (Fr. Duraiswami Simon Amalorpavadass). He was a theologian who worked hard to spread the theology of liberation in the third world countries. He was particularly active in reviving the mission of the Roman Catholic Church in India.
He believed in adopting people from all religions and all walks of life into his ashram. That is why he named his ashram as “Anjali”, to exemplify the love and hospitality with which everyone will be welcomed into the ashram. He was the Acharya Guru of the ashram from 1979 till his death in 1990.
Swami Gnanajyothi (Fr. A.Louis) is the present Acharya Guru of the ashram.
Anjali Ashram, Mysore – An Overview
Swami Amalorananda believed in spreading the Catholic faith in India without discarding the traditions or rituals of the Indian culture. The ashram was established with the aims of social reformation, cultural revival, religious regeneration and political struggle and liberation. The founder Guru ignored exclusive religious beliefs or reinterpreted them to allow non-Christians to become members of the ashram.
The serene ashram has no gates and welcomes people regardless of religion, caste, creed, sex, race or color. Anyone who seeks a spiritual experience or a quest for a meaningful life can spend time in the ashram.
The place follows several rituals like performing arati and singing of devotional songs and prayers every day.
Anjali Ashram, Mysore – Objectives
The ashram strives to work towards the fulfillment of various objectives, such as:
- To create a multi-religious community in the true sense of the term
- To uphold and promote a living of genuine Indian spirituality
- To share thoughts through inter-religious ideological dialogues
- To work towards the achievement of justice, liberation and community education
- To encourage and serve people for an alternate life style
Anjali Ashram, Mysore – Architecture
The ashram is spread across a beautiful campus of 10 acres. The simple and modest architecture of the spiritual organization has been designed with an eye for functionality and aesthetic beauty. The campus comprises of several buildings. Each building has been constructed keeping in mind a deep spiritual concept. As such, the premises have buildings in the shape of Om, Star shape and Chinese Yin Yang. Individual cottages are constructed to follow a beautiful arrangement.
The entrance to the ashram leads one to the Sat Sanga Mantap. This building invites spirituality seekers to be in peace with nature and to be in unity with everyone after discarding all sorts of differences.
The Atma Purna Nivas is the building where the inmates of the ashram reside. This building inspires the inmate or the Sadaka to live the life of an integrated person.
The Sat Cit Ananda Mandir stands for the union or convergence of all religions into one Supreme Reality.
The ashram holds 3 daily meditations at different buildings of the ashram on different days.
Facilities at Anjali Ashram, Mysore
The ashram has facilities to accommodate around 100 spirituality seekers at a time. It offers all the necessary amenities required to lead a simple life and experience God. Among the basic amenities provided at the ashram are:
- Simple individual rooms with attached bathrooms
- The bathroom contains squat toilet and a bath bucket but no hot water
- The wooden bed has a cane mat, pillow, blanket and a mosquito net
- The ashram provides simple, delicious and nutritious meals
- Tea is provided to the inmates at a fixed time daily
The ashram has the rule of following silence and fasting on every Friday. So, on that day even breakfast and afternoon tea are not provided inside the premises. Silence is encouraged at all times inside the ashram. Speaking is discouraged during the meal times.
A day at Anjali Ashram, Mysore
A regular day inside the ashram comprises of spending time in prayers, listening to spiritual discourses, singing of devotional songs, studying spiritual books and materials and performing voluntary work inside the premises besides enjoying the simple meal provided at the ashram.
A typical day begins at 4.30 am and ends at 10 pm for the inmates. The daily general routine followed at the ashram is as follows:
|
Time |
Programs |
| 4.30 | Rising (bath, yoga and personal prayer, etc.) |
| 5.30 | Pratah Samdhya, Arati followed by dhyana |
| 6.30 | Celebration of the Eucharist (Indian style Mass) |
| 7.30 | Breakfast |
| 8.00 | Ashram Seva 1 |
| 10.30 | Spiritual Discourse 1 (During Programs) |
| 12.00 | Madhyan Samdhya |
| 12.30 | Lunch, Rest, Study |
| 3.30 | Tea |
| 4.00 | Ashram Seva 2 |
| 4.30 | Spiritual Discourse 2 (During Programs) |
| 6.30 | Saayam Samdhya – bhajans, readings, dhyana |
| 7.30 | Dinner |
| 8.15 | Satsangh |
| 9.00 | Personal Study / prayer |
| 10.00 | Retire to Bed |
How to reach
Mysore is a popular tourist destination of Karnataka that can be easily reached by visitors. The domestic airport of Mysore is small and connects only to Bangalore.
The city has a railway station that connects it to several other towns and cities of South India.
There are frequent bus services that connect Mysore to Bangalore. Visitors can avail town buses and auto rickshaws to reach the ashram once they reach Mysore.
Contact Information
Anjali Ashram
Chamundi Hill Road,
Mysore – 570011
Phone: +91 821 2473 226
Website: www.anjaliashram.org
Also see,
