Arunachala Ashram
Organization background

The Arunachala Ashram, located in New York, is a local branch of Sri Ramana Ashram of India. The Ashram adheres to the philosophy of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950). His philosophy was identical to the Advaitic philosophy of Sri Adi Sanakaracharya (which emphasizes the "oneness" of the universe) but rather than being acquired in the conventional way by apprenticeship and instruction from a guru, Sri Bhagavan experienced the truths of Advaita during his periods of meditation and during his trances.

The central tenet of his teaching is that the cause of human misery is due to human beings wrongly identify themselves (that which they refer to as "I"), with their physical selves rather than with the universal "oneness". He suggests "self-inquiry", a path of questioning and reasoning that can transcend this wrong association and lead to freedom from misery. The logical nature of his arguments enables his theories to transcend the boundaries of Hinduism and India - consequently a great deal of his followers are drawn from the western hemisphere.

Project background

The Arunachala Ashram in New York relies entirely on voluntary contributions from the Maharshi's devotees to fund its operations. As the ashram serves an important role in preserving Hindu traditions and culture, and also provides succour to countless devotees, GKF provides financial support for its operation.

GKF contributions to Arunachala Ashram