Concluding Ceremony - May 2024

Dear Devotees,

Almora holds a sacred place among the Himalayan peaks, which was also deeply cherished by Swami Vivekananda, who visited this hill town thrice in his short life. He had expressed his profound connection to this land & his vision for an Ashrama in his own words:

“These Mountains are associated with the best memories of our race, in which was born Parvati, the mother of India …where Rishis lived, where philosophy was born… Here, therefore, must be one of those centres …of calmness, of meditation, and of peace"

We are delighted to announce that Revered Swami Sarvapriyananada ji Maharaj, Minister In charge of the Vedanta Society of New York, shall be gracing Almora with his presence in May 2024, amidst his demanding schedule.

Recognizing his scholastic pedigree and his remarkable ability to connect with audiences, we at Ramakrishna Kutir, Almora, are planning a three-day spiritual retreat in his august presence. This retreat aims to benefit devotees and knowledge seekers not only from Almora but from across the country.

Joining Swami Sarvapriyananada ji Maharaj in the retreat, we will have Swami Raghavendrananda ji Maharaj, Adhyaksha, Ramakrishna Math, Nagpur who will also grace the occassion and enlighten us with his practical spiritual wisdom & guided meditation sessions.

The spiritual retreat is scheduled from 18th to 20th May 2024.

Additionally, we will also organize a guided tour of selected places blessed by Swamiji's footprints in and around Almora. The tour will include interesting stories from the history of each place, incidents from Swamiji's life that took place there, the impact of that place on Swamiji's mission, and the socio-cultural evolution of the area through the ages.

This tour will be conducted in association with Soban Singh Jeena University (Almora University) and will span three days from 21^st to 23^rd May 2024. It will be an integral part of the recently inaugurated Swami Vivekananda Spiritual Circuit.

Here's a summary of the Program:

Both residential and non-residential participation options are available for devotees for the Spiritual Retreat and the Swami Vivekananda Spiritual Circuit Tour. There will be an additional fee of ₹2,000 for residential participants. However, both residential as well as non-residential participants would have noon & night Prasad at the Ashrama only.

Those registering for the Guided Tour will also have the opportunity to attend the International Seminar on ‘Swami Vivekananda for Students’ hosted at Almora University campus. The inaugural session of the seminar will feature speeches by Swami Sarvapriyananda and Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillay, a widely acclaimed speaker and prolific author.

To maintain a disciplined environment during the retreat, the following ground rules will be in place:

1. Mobile Usage Rule: Between 6 am & 9 pm, participants are requested to refrain from using mobile phones.
2. Stay Arrangements: Accommodation within the Ashrama will follow dormitory rules, with separate arrangements for male and female participants if required. However, there will be a provision to stay in nearby hotels or homestays as well.
3. Retreat Program: Participants must adhere strictly to the day-wise program without deviation.
4. Silence: Silence is Golden. Participants are encouraged to minimize unnecessary talking or gossiping during the retreat.
5. Participation Rule: Participation is strictly by advance registration only, following a first-come-first-serve policy due to limited accommodations and seats.

If you are interested in participating, please email us your details at almora@rkmm.org.

Please note that telephonic discussions or WhatsApp messages will not be considered valid communication for the retreat.