Sri Ram Ashram

Welcome to Sri Ram Ashram!

Sri Ram Ashram (SRA) is a large extended family of children and staff who live, study, play, and work together. Sri Ram Vidya Mandir (SRVM) is the adjacent Nursery-12th School that is sponsored by SRA. We welcome overnight guests and day visitors to share in the life of the Ashram and School during the time that you are on our campus.

The following guidelines, procedures, and rules are established to support the sustainability and thriving of these sister organizations, as well as the visitor experience. Please read them below, as acceptance of these guidelines, procedures, and rules is expected of all guests and visitors.

 

Procedures

C-Form for Foreign Overnight Guests

  • On arrival you must fill out the Indian Government mandated C-Form, which is available in the office. This is required of all guest houses and hotels.
  • Please bring your passport to the office on the day you arrive and we will help facilitate completing the form.

Locking rooms and valuables: essential for the well-being of ashram residents and visitors alike:

  • Always keep your room locked when you are not in it.
  • Keep your money, passport, and valuables locked up safely.
  • Day guests may keep their valuables with them or ask them to be locked in the office.

Rooms

  • Inform management of issues in your room regarding plumbing, electricity, damage, etc.
  • Most guest rooms are ‘bucket bath’ style bathing, with hot water only coming from the tap and not the shower head. This is how all the children/staff bathe. Let management know if there is an issue with your hot water geyser.

Food, Dishes, Utensils

  • As SRA is strictly vegetarian, please no meat or eggs.
  • You will be given a thali (plate), cup, and spoon on arrival.
  • These are your dishes for the duration of your stay. After each meal, you will wash them in the dish washing area near the kitchen. Store utensils in your room.
  • Place any uneaten food in the white bucket near the dish washing area. Please be conscious about what is fed to the cows: no orange peels, fruit pits, trash, etc.

Filtered Water

  • There is an Aqua Guard filter by the end of the washing sinks near the main kitchen. It is safe to drink and our water here at SRA is from clean well water.

 

Guidelines

Dress according to cultural norms: This cultural norm may be described with such words as modest, neat, and non-revealing. As SRA is a home, a public place, and an institution that is regularly inspected by government officials, it is very important that local cultural dress norms are respected and adhered to. In addition, the local community is very aware of the standard of behavior at SRA and SRVM.

  • Cultural norms dictate that chest, arms, and legs are usually covered by non-see-through cloth.
  • Please respect local cultural dress norms when in the public areas of Om Bhavan and on the campus of SRA and SRVM.
  • When you leave the ashram to visit Shyampur or Haridwar, you are an ambassador of SRA. Please dress for these excursions with respect of local culture, knowing that how you dress and behave will affect the reputation of the ashram and yourself.

Kitchen Etiquette: If you are eating with the children, please be very careful to follow the rules of the kitchen:

  • Do not serve yourself; a designated kitchen staff will serve you.
  • Please eat in silence even though the children are unsuccessful in doing so.
  • Please do not linger in the kitchen; staff are waiting for the second shift to eat.
  • Please do not enter the cooking area of the kitchen.
  • Please do not use mobile phones in the kitchen.
  • Males and females sit separately in many activities in SRA. Please follow this protocol in the kitchen as well.
  • Let management know if you have dietary needs. Please do not discuss dietary needs directly with the kitchen staff.

Sri Ram Vidya Mandir

  • SRVM is a Nursery through Class 12 school that SRA operates for the ashram and local children.
  • Visitor/guests should not go to SRVM during school hours unless specially invited for a function or with management permission.
  • Please contact Andrea or Seema for an after-hours tour of the facility. Do not take children to the school – they are only allowed there during regular school hours and for hockey practice.

Leaving the Ashram

  • If you go to Haridwar, please return before dark unless you have hired a taxi. Do not travel by auto-rickshaw at night.
  • It is helpful to let someone in management know where you are going and when you will be back. This is for your safety and our peace of mind.
  • Do not walk to/from Shyampur village after dark, as there are often elephants present and they can be dangerous.

Monkeys: Please be very careful around the monkeys.

  • Looking a monkey in the eye is considered an act of aggression by them and they will respond accordingly, sometimes attacking by scratching and biting.
  • Monkeys will grab food and perishable items both at the ashram and in town. Always hide fruit or flowers if monkeys are around. If a monkey does grab your bundle, better to release it than to be bitten, as monkeys can carry rabies. Let management know of any incidents.
  • Be extra alert at the ashram as we do not want the children endangered.
  • Monkeys may take clothes off the roof so be careful hanging items there to dry.
  • Do not feed the monkeys!

Electricity

  • Our electricity goes on and off multiple times a day. Sometimes it comes back on after 3 minutes; sometimes it takes more time. Sometimes it goes on and off multiple times in a 15-minute period. We have a generator and run that when necessary.
  • Please be patient and accepting of this fact of ashram life. Sometimes we just live without electricity (and Wi-Fi) for a while. If you need something charged remember to do it sooner than later.

Wi-Fi

  • Wi-Fi internet is available at SRA for guests in and around Om Bhavan on the Wi-Fi network called “Om Bhavan Guests”. You will be given the password upon your arrival. Please do not share the password with children.
  • Please refrain from streaming video or heavy downloading as it will slow down the connection for the entire ashram.

 

Rules Regarding Children and Staff

Gifts

  • Please do not give individual children or staff gifts/money. If you wish to give a general gift, please discuss with management first so we can ensure that everyone receives it.
  • Please do not gift your personal items to any child or staff, even if they ask or seems like they would enjoy it. It can create a bad habit of children asking visitors for things, and those who do not receive something feel badly. If you wish to leave items behind at your departure, please discuss with management first.

Substances

  • SRA as a family home has a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs, alcohol, and smoking.

Intimate Contact

  • Please respect the rural Indian cultural norm that what is commonly known as “intimate touch” or “public affection” is not considered appropriate in public.

Physical contact

  • Children’s safety is paramount. Therefore, physical contact with children is only acceptable in the context of their specific care or in culturally appropriate ways and situations. If you have any questions about this, please consult one of the staff in charge of children’s welfare.
  • Please refrain from touching children older than seven. Although the ashram is a place of much affection and love, this guideline is in place for everyone’s mutual protection as well as respect for cultural norms. This is tricky and often on the spot judgement is required. Remember that it is best to err on the side of caution. If someone in management needs to speak with you about this, please understand it is not a personal criticism, but simply informing you of the culture.

Om Bhavan

  • Children are not allowed in Om Bhavan (guest house) except for special events and study hall. They are absolutely not allowed in individual rooms.

Tips

  • Please do not tip the staff. If you wish to tip staff at the end of your stay, discuss with management so that money can be fairly distributed.

Valuables

  • Be cautious in giving children valuable items to play with such as phones, cameras, etc. They can be damaged and may be difficult to get repaired locally.

Children’s Health

  • Please do not give medications of any kind to children, even over the counter medicines. If you have any medical suggestions/concerns, please discuss with Seema and Andrea.

Schedule

  • The children are on a specific schedule that is full and changes daily. Please help them adhere to their schedule by encouraging them to move from one activity to another when required.

Education:

  • The Indian educational system is strict and ordered unlike some other countries. The specific course of study and individual success in study at elementary and secondary levels often determines future career choices.
  • Please discuss individual students’ course of study and future career ideas with management first to understand each situation prior to discussing directly with children.