Trip to Ramanashramam

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Richard,

 

Very happy to note that you will be in Sri Ramanasramam in Januray 2005. You

have received good inputs from Sri Gabriele, Sri Murthy and others. I was away

on travel and returned a short while ago. Let me add to the their inputs.

 

You could consider the following alternatives for accomodation.

 

1. Guest room in one of the Ashram Guest Houses.

 

These rooms are good, have cots with beds, and are close by. The January

temperatures in Tiruvannamalai during the day will be in the range 25-30 deg

Centigrade, that is (70 deg Fahrenheit). The night temperatures may dip and go

as low as 20 deg C (68 deg F)! You will not need airconditioned rooms in

January. You will only need sheets to cover yourself at night while in bed. The

Ashram will provide it. The rooms will have ceiling fans.

 

You may carry light sweaters, which will normally be sufficient. You can request

the caretaker of the guest house and generally he will be able to arrange for /

advise regarding hot water. The cold water temperatures will be about 20 deg C!

 

During summer (May - July) the day temperatures may go as high as 45 deg C (that

is 112+ deg F)! Only in summer you will need a/c rooms.

 

You will need to write to the Ashram (email) well in advance giving the dates of

your travel and duration of your stay. They will also be able to arrange for

your travel from Chennai to Tiru by taxi.

 

Staying in the Ashram guest house gives you more time to spend in the Ashram.

 

Safe drinking water in sealed bottles is available in the shops outside the

Ashram. You can retain these bottles after use for refilling from the Ashram

kitchen where you get filtered and treated (by an ion exchange device) water,

which is safe. You will also be able to buy fruits etc outside the Ashram. The

Ashram food is very good, as Sri Gabriele has written. When in the Ashram you

are an Ashram guest and your boarding and lodging are free. You are free to

donate to the Ashram but it is not linked with your lodging.

 

2. Hotel Ramakrishna (Lodge & Restaurant)

 

I have stayed in this hotel once when I had not given the Ashram advance notice

and there was no room in the Ashram for a few days. I shifted to the Ashram

after a couple of days. You get A/C rooms in this lodge and they are OK. This

hotel is about a couple of miles from the Ashram and you will need to commute

by autorickshaw two to three times each day to the Ashram. The lodging charges

are about 10 -20 $ a day for a room with two beds. You will get hot water. It

has a good vegetarian restaurant.

 

3. Seshadri Swamigal Ashram

 

This Ashram is only 5 minutes by walk fro Sri Ramanasramam. Many of my friends

have stayed here when they ended up in Tiru on a sudden urge, did not get time

to inform Sri Ramanasramam and found that it was already full. I am told that

these rooms are good and are available for a charge (about 10 $). Sri Murthy

has already said so.

 

Staying in Sri Ramansramam is my first choice.

 

Sri Murthy has already given you the phone numbers of Sri Ramansramam and Sri

Mani at the Ashram. You could talk to him after sending the Ashram a mail. A

good time get him on phone is 8 AM to 10 AM (6.30 PM to 8.30 PM, Pacific time).

At other times he may be on the move.

 

I am sure your visit and stay in Sri Ramanasramam in January will be a wonderful

experience. If it is so destined we may even meet at the Ashram!

 

om gurave namah

suri

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