Sacred Space

In an ashram gurukul founded by a realized seer every space is sacred as it carries the footprint of the master. Thus Shaktiyogashrama exudes an intense but quiet spiritual energy that is localized in the triadic sacred spaces. Swami Shri Harish Madhukar’s personal residence or ‘ Babaji’s Kutir’, his Samadhi and the small and humble unostentatious temple that houses his beloved goddess Bhagavati constitute the sacred space.

Babajis Kutir

A simple, basic hut that stands as a symbol of the gurus modesty, austerity and freedom from all outer trappings. It holds the relics of the Master and his meager possessions.

Babaji’s Samadhi

A space charged with intense quietness is the samadhi that holds the ashes of the Master. A few days before his passing away, ‘intuiting’ the shedding of his mortal frame, Babaji had casually conveyed to the villagers the exact spot for his Samadhi.

Goddess Temple

Even today, on festivals & religious occasions, the temple comes alive with the simple pujas that the Guru performed. These include the worship of the Shri Yantra with a chanting of Lalita Sahasranama, a yagna offering to The Goddess, the chanting of the ‘Guru Gita’ and finally meditation and the practice of mantras of Shri Vidya.

Culture

Swami Shri Harish Madhukar believed in spontaneous living and as such, few rules and regulations are imposed on the inmates. Like all ashrams, the rules are to protect the environment and property of the ashram, to not disturb other inmates and above all to uphold the vision and values of the space.

Participants are requested to not carry their urban stress, consumerism, extroversion, shallow entertainment forms and digital obsessions to the ashram so that learning can happen.

We are a drug, alcohol, smoking and meat free campus. The community abides by a few agreements and we ask for your help in continuing to abide by them.
We are taking some steps to make this gurukul a low waste zone and we request for your help in reducing waste (of all kinds) during your visit. Participants are requested do not bring packaged snacks or stuff that will generate waste here. In case if you do get them, then we request you to carry your waste out with you when you leave.
The ambience encourages living close to nature, living in simplicity and living with an inner discipline.

Download  Rules & regulations

Download Orientation

Activities

The ashram-gurukul was envisioned to revive the values of holistic living, cultural rootedness
and emphasise the need for spiritual orientation in education.

The space is dedicated to study and practice of classical Indian arts and sciences with a spiritual and environmental consciousness.
The residential short term programs area an integration of spirituality, ecology, lifestyle and the classical arts – with an emphasize that yoga is the chief goal of all these disciplines.
The rural initiative is an integral area of the gurukul, with a view to empower, educate, to build self-esteem, inculcate the scientific temperament and to introduce an arts culture.

Plans & Projects

Nestling in the hills of the Sahyadri, at village Telbaila, 32 kms off Lonavla, away from the maddening crowds of the city and its stress, lays a serene plot of land, housing the Shaktiyogashrama Gurukul.

THE VISION

Shaktiyogashrama was founded in 1995, by Swami Shri Harish Madhukar. It was meant to address the short-comings in the current education system, while also drawing from the wealth of traditional tools of education, including arts education, spiritual education and life -style education.

The Shaktiyogashrama gurukul is envisioned as a unique, multi-dimensional educational, cultural complex. It’s vision is that of creating a mini-university, under the umbrella of which, gurukuls in the Indian arts of classical dance (nritya), classical music (sangeet), painting (chitra), sculpture and architecture (vastu/shilpa); and the classical Indian sciences of the science of health (ayurveda), the science of astrology (jyotish vidya) and the science of Self-realisation (yoga); all would co-exist.

These seven disciplines constitute the conglomerate called ‘Sapta- Bharati’. This Center for learning is meant to preserve the purity of the traditional arts and sciences, prevent their commercialization restoring to them their sanctity and original purpose, of being instruments for self-evolution.

At the hub of this cultural activity, would be a school that will be ‘ man-making’ and not information gathering, a school that will be progressive while retaining the best in tradition. Both the school and the fine arts section, are envisioned in the ashram-gurukul mode.

This larger than life project is the daring vision of our late guru Swami Shri Harish Madhukar – Babaji.

SHAKTIYOGASHRAMA GURUKULAM -THE ACTIVITIES

SHAKTIYOGASHRAMA’S
RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMMES

“Begin the Journey within”

At present, Shaktiyogashrama conducts 3-10 day residential programmes that integrate Spiritual disciplines, Environment & Ecology, Arts & Wellness Programmes that also focus on holistic life styles. These programmes are customized to the needs of the participants.

These programmes are an expression of Swami Shri Harish Madhukar’s vision of education –

• Education is a process of de-conditioning. Subjects and syllabi are only means to this end.
• Education must be holistic and equally discipline the mind-body complex.
• Education, while being progressive, must provide cultural rooted ness.
• Education must, through spiritual discipline, awaken and harness The Power within.

The inner core of Swami Shri Harish Madhukar’s teachings can best be described as Ananda Yoga (Integrated Happiness). It was a living philosophy that could be practiced by learning from Nature’s Book, living in simplicity and living with an inner discipline. These values are a vital part of the ashram programme.

THE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMMES SPAN THE FOLLOWING AREAS

YOGA & MEDITATION PROGRAMMES

These focus on the practice of ‘omkarasadhana’, asanas and breathing techniques with talks on the importance of psychological freedom and psychological deconditioning for a harmonious life.

CULTURAL AWARENESS PROGRAMMES

Envisioned to understand the classical arts as an extension of yoga and as a means to raise consciousness; these include modules on classical Indian dance, music, mythology, architecture and holistic healing and healthy life styles. Yoga and meditation are an integral part of these programmes.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY PROGRAMMES

Nature is a proof that God exists.

These programmes are to awaken one to the wonders & beauty of Nature, to understand the web of connectivity that binds us to all aspects of Nature. They are meant to highlight the urgent need, to save the Earth, to conserve Nature by developing life styles that are environment friendly & ecologically sustainable, for in this alone lies the future of Mankind.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMES

The children’s programmes are meant to sensitise them to Nature & natural life styles, to strengthen their cultural roots, to enhance creativity through arts and to understand the relevance of subjects studied at school. These modules are ‘hands on’ and the learning is by ‘doing’, ‘observing’, ‘imitating’, ‘experimenting’ and ‘experiencing’ Yoga and meditation are an integral part of these programmes.

Shaktiyogashrama also plans to conduct One-Day out-reach programmes in cities, to give participants a taste of the residential programmes.

Envisioned in the future are short term courses on Indian Aesthetics, Environment & Ecology, Sustainable Design – traditional & modern. All courses will integrate theory with practice and philosophy with skill-building.

The ashram is also working towards the ecological restoration of the area and ultimately envisions an eco- village that is self-sustaining.

FESTIVALS

The ashram hosts two festivals every year, to keep alive traditions of performing arts.

• The annual SHAKTIMAHOTSAVA or Spring Festival, celebrated on the occasion of Mahashivratri, is austere, dignified and powerful. It is celebrated with pujas and an all night classical dance and music festival.
• The annual SHARADOTSAVA or Autumn Festival, celebrated on the occasion of Sharadpoornima, is full of fun, colour and laughter. It is celebrated with a folk theatre performance.

Some of the most eminent artists and theatre groups have performed at the ashram festivals.

RURAL DEVEPOMENT PROGRAMMES

Shaktiyogashrama is also involved with 2 rural development programmes.

1) The Shaniwar Shala – A rural week end programme of alternative education for school children.

While academic education is necessary and has its own benefits; the role of alternative education is equally, probably more vital as it prepares one for life. Alternative inputs that contribute to a child’s centering, sensitivity, physical well- being, honing of his/her soft skills and vocational skills, often go a long way, in helping a child become a happy well-rounded human being. This is especially true at the rural level, where opportunities for alternative inputs are totally absent, while aptitude for the same is very high.

A person born & brought up in a village is naturally gifted with his hands, has sharp senses and an agile body. He thinks through his body and senses. Academic education, which is largely aspirational as it follows the urban model, is not entirely suited to the temperament and strengths of the rural children. More often than not, it prepares them neither for the urban, nor for the rural life. It takes away their inherent strengths, skills & sensibilities, without giving them alternative skills. Any educational effort at the rural level therefore, must develop the natural instincts & talents of a child, in tune with his environment & socio-economic background.
Shaktiyogashrama’s ‘Shaniwar Shala’ initiative is an effort in that direction.

The Shaniwar Shala Programme will include –

• Programmes to build sensitivity & enrich life
• Programmes for personality development & even health care
• Programmes for vocational training – both traditional & modern
• Programmes that preserve their native wisdom

The Shaniwar Shala Programme will essentially involve the two neighbouring villages of Telbaila & Bhamburde. The children of Samparc School, Bhamburde, as well as young adults from Telbaila village who have completed schooling or dropped out of school, will be the focus of these programmes. The Programme will manifest both at the ashram and the village school in Bhamburde.

The Shaniwar Shala Project at the moment, consists of-

– A Music For Change initiative, that offers classical music training to the children of Samparc Shala – Bhamburde.
The Music For Change initiative is in its second year.

-Sessions on ‘Spoken English are to begin soon.

-Envisioned in the future are collaborations with NGOs that train children from economically challenged backgrounds, in personality development & development of soft-skills, for a more meaningful & successful life.

2) The Ganapati Project – A rural initiative to help create traditions of Crafts in Village Telbaila.

‘Man does not live by bread alone…’ The arts enrich, express, elevate;
Traditions of art can be created as much as they can be inherited.
The Ganapati Project is a step in that direction.
The project involves training select members of the Telbaila village community, in the craft of creating Ganapati images that will:

• Sow the seeds of an art/craft tradition that can enrich their lives
• Equip them to create their own Ganapati images, for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
• In the long run, to train them to create and sell images that will contribute to their livelihood.
• Build a community that is based on trust good-will & mutual benefit.

The Ganapati project is in its second year.

Shaktiyogashrama is funded through donations from the community. We would like to urge Corporates, Charitable Organisations & individuals with a charitable bent of mind, to contribute to the ashrams many endeavors.

All donations to Shaktiyogashrama are tax exempted under sec.80-G of the IT Act.

Facilities

Shaktiyogashrama offers austere living facilities that include clean dormitory style accommodation with non-attached bathrooms. Tasty & healthy vegetarian meals are served four times a day.

Lectures are taken in spacious scenic lecture hall with floor level seating.
An outdoor auditorium serves as a venue for performances, lecture demonstrations and other activities.

The Valley

Set in a remote and idyllic location, away from the distractions and din of city life, the Ashram is a haven for those wishing to practice sadhna, explore nature and practice their disciplines in sclience.

Babaji scouted the entire Peth, Shahpur, Telbaila and Bhamburde village in Maharashtra for days on end before he set his heart on the beautiful scenic land in Telbaila village that was surrounded by mountains on all sides. Located in the midst of nature in all its glory, the Ashram is placed 32 kms away from its closest urban dwelling, Lonavla.

The valley is situated in the midst of mango trees and bamboo forests with seasonal waterfalls. It is cradled by the serene yet formidable mountains that surround it on all sides. A Durga temple on the top of mountain is a popular trekking and hiking point.