Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai

Sri Ramanasramam served as the spiritual home of Sri Ramana Maharshi, a revered master of Advaita Vedanta, a prominent school of Hindu philosophy. He lived at the ashram from 1922 until his Mahanirvana in 1950. The ashram is situated at the foothills of Arunachala in the Thiruvannamalai District, creating a serene setting for meditation and self-inquiry.

Image Attribution : Vyacheslav Argenberg

The Ramanasramam

• The ashram features a spacious courtyard shaded by large trees. On the left side, two towers built in traditional Dravidian architectural style stand prominently. One tower leads to the Matrubhuteswara Shrine, while the other rises above the New Hall.
• The New Hall served Sri Ramana Maharshi during the final months of his life. It houses a life-sized statue of the Maharshi along with the couch he used. Authorities built this hall to accommodate the growing number of devotees. The New Hall remains open daily from 5:00 AM to 12:30 PM and from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
• Through the northern wall of the temple, visitors reach the Samadhi Hall. This hall consists of a raised mandapam crowned by a tower, with a Shiva Linga installed at its center. A spacious marble-floored meditation hall surrounds the mandapam. The Samadhi Hall is open every day from 5:00 AM to 12:30 PM and from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
• A doorway on the north side of the Samadhi Hall leads to the Old Hall. Sri Ramana Maharshi spent most of his daily life here until about a year before his passing. The Old Hall remains open from 4:00 AM to 12:30 PM and from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
• Further north of the Old Hall lies a wide open space with shady trees and a flower garden. To the east, a large dining kitchen block serves residents and visitors, while a dispensary stands on the west. A pathway from this area leads devotees toward Skandasramam on Arunachala Hill.
• To the east of the New Hall, visitors can find the small Nirvana Room, where Sri Ramana Maharshi spent his final days.
• The ashram provides guest rooms both within and outside its premises for devotees and visitors.
• A dispensary inside the ashram offers free medical care to ashram residents as well as local people.
• The Sri Ramana Library preserves the Maharshi’s literary works, photographs, souvenirs, audio recordings, and videos. In addition, the library holds a vast collection of spiritual books in multiple languages.

How to reach Ramanasramam

The town of Tiruvannamalai is connected to various cities in Tamil Nadu through roadways. It is located on the Villupuram-Katpadi branch line. The Ashram is at a distance of 3 kilometres from Tiruvannamalai Railway Station. The nearest airport is at Chennai (around 175 kilometres away).