Shyamlatal and Mayavati

A spiritual visit to Shyamlatal and Mayavati

A close Vivekananda Kendra friend and myself planned a visit to Shyamlatal and Mayavati in the month of March, 2008. I prefer generally to make plans for every bit of our journey and my friend is just opposite. He prefers not to plan for anything. However in the days of advance bookings, we had to book before hand our tickets and guest houses.

As per our scheduled program, we left Delhi for Bareilly by Bareilly intercity Express on 8th March, 2008. There are direct buses from Delhi to Pithoragarh/ Munsyari via Tanakpur, Lohaghat.. From Bareilly we took a bus up to Sukhidung via Tanakpur. At Sukhidung we alighted and trekked 5 Km. upto Shyamlatal reaching there at 4 p.m.

We saluted the Senior Swamijis and we were provided with accommodation immediately. One very smiling Swami ji informed us that the tea will be served at 4.30 p.m. We first went to our room and had good bath in cold water while the temperature was around 20 degree. By 4.30 p.m. we were at the Dinning hall and fresh cup of tea was served with biscuits. This refreshed us considerably.

What attracted our attention was the blooming flower garden. It had many rare species of flowers with unique colors. The fragrance and the colors of flowers made the place heavenly. We could see the lake below, ’Shyamlatal’. Thus the name of the place also became ‘Shyamlatal. The water was muddy although it was shinning by the sun’s rays. We joined in the evening prayer. Swamijis were all in the prayer hall. The photograph of Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada and Swami Vivekananda were placed on a pedestal and properly decorated with flowers and garlands while burning of incense sticks kept the hall fragrant.

After the prayer we had still half an hour before dinner so we went into the open and looked at the sky. It was full of stars and a crescent moon. The soft cold breeze that was blowing at that time was enjoyable indeed. As the bell tolled, we walked towards the dinning hall.

Next day morning we woke up with the chirruping of the birds. The breeze that passed through our room brought in the sweet fragrance of flowers that were in full bloom around the place. We finished our morning call and had good bath in cold water. After breakfast we took a walk and one of the Swamijis’ took us up at a point from where we could see the Nepal border. Swami ji also showed us the ‘Banful point’, the nearest highest point.

Looking at the surrounding high towering mountains with green cover, we stood in silence. This silence touches your very core and you lose count of time and sense of your own existence. Only audible sound was the chirruping of the birds and the rustling of leaves. Mind naturally becomes quiet while the soft breeze soothes your body. You become one with the nature.

After about an hour we went back to our room and rested a while before the lunch. As the bell rang, we locked our room and headed for the dinning hall. The food that was served item after item, with care and love, was the most delicious one. We kept on savoring each item and wondered how such simple food could be so tasty.

After a good rest, it was time for tea at 4 p.m. Surprisingly, they provided us with a good number of biscuits with tea. We fully justified our tea time. It gave us enough energy to trek to ‘Banful point’ This location is a highest point at Shyamlatal. The trekking route is through thick vegetation and rugged ridge. We could enjoy seeing the Rhododendron flowers in full bloom. The forest is full of this flower tree. Finally, we could reach the top and looked around to see the wonderful sight of the setting sun and the play of the clouds. We came down slowly enjoying the breeze, the flowers and the stillness of the forest.

After the prayer was over, we took a walk along the garden and enjoyed the night sky and the fragrance of flowers. The whole atmosphere was fragrant and the sky full of starts and the moon. As the bell for dinner rang, we slowly walked to the dinning hall.

Mainly, this Ashram is meant for Spiritual Sadhana for the inmates. People those who have inclination for Sadhana are only given accommodation and their number is naturally very low.

In the morning (March 11, 2008) we packed our rucksacks and went for breakfast. We were scheduled to go to Mayavati today. After finishing our heavy breakfast, we gave a token donation to a swami ji and did pranam and left for Mayavati. We once again trekked all the way to Sukhidung and then took a bus for Lohaghat.

As we crossed the small rivulet over a bridge connecting Lohaghat with the road to Mayavati, the whole scenario changed. The tall trees like Deodars, pines lining on both sides of the road as if welcoming us on to the road to heaven. Believe me it is so. We continued our walking through the well laid out road about 9 kms from this place. Around 5 p.m. we reached the Mayavati Ashram. Swamiji enquired why we were so late. We told them that we walked all the way from Lohaghat.

We were then invited for a cup of tea although tea time was over. We had a few cups of tea and a number of biscuits. We were then guided to the Ashram guest house. Mayavati in the month of March is quite cold. Even in the month of May-June the temperature hovers around 18ºC during day and at night it comes to 7ºC . I could scarcely imagine how it was about 108 years ago when Swami Vivekananda paid a fortnight visit to this Mayavati Ashram. Mr. & Mrs Sevier’s Bunglow is just a few yards away from our guest house and they too lived there from 1899 completely dedicating themselves to Swamiji’s work.

We enjoyed the silence of the forest and coolness of the weather. For dinner we had to trek almost a km. in the dark night to the dinning hall, the presence of 5th night’s moon notwithstanding. The most rewarding experience has been to feel the presence of that immutable as soon as you enter into the main ashram garden. Here too the food was served with love and respect. We enjoyed every meal. After the dinner at 8.30 there was a reading form a book, “Reminiscences on Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa” in the meditation hall by a senior Swami. After this we again stood for a while in the garden to enjoy the quietness and feel the breath of the Almighty.

Going back to the guest house which is completely isolated from the main Ashram, is like a Himalayan retreat. The solitude and the quietness were the unique characteristics of this place. We enjoyed immensely the natural surroundings.

Next day morning after breakfast we were guided to Dharamgarh, the place where Swami Vivekananda used to go for meditation. The forest path is through the Ashram and going up more than 300 meters. There was another guest who also accompanied us. We were given a strong stick each to facilitate trekking. We reached Dharamgarh after trekking about more than half an hour. There is a small room built in the very place where Swami ji meditated. We too sat for a while quietly. From this location we could see the Mayavati Ashram below.

After lunch we went to our room for rest. After tea we collected two sticks and started trekking down. Finally we could hear the sound of flowing water and later we saw a small rivulet flowing by. The place looked to be an ideal one for leopards to live, thickly surrounded by vegetation and a small broken culvert and a few cave like places. By the time we came back to our guest house it was well passed evening.

We rested for a while before it was time for dinner. After we sat in the meditation hall, the senior Swami once again read out some chapter from the same book as last evening. This is the very room where Swami Vivekananda about 107 years back stayed for about 2 weeks during his visit in 1901, January. The room (now meditation hall) still holds the power of his personality, so we felt. As we came out into the flower garden, the silence of the forest once again reminded us of the presence of that Omnipresent, we being a part and parcel of That. For a while, it was a silent journey into the domain of That by whose power this Universe moves.

As we went down the steps of the Ashram area and headed for the guest house, we felt our stay at Mayavati has been too short to imbibe the spiritual qualities that wonderful place offers.

Next morning we finished our bath and locked the room and went to the Ashram meditation hall. We sat for a while before break-fast. After breakfast we offered a token donation for our stay and said good bye to the Swamis. Of course we collected two sticks as memento of our visit to Mayavati.