Ramana Ashram

Ramana Maharshi settled in the Ashram following the death of his mother Alagammal in the year 1922. The sage had settled near a Samadhi tree, and gradually, the ashram grew in size. Many eminent and influential personalities have visited the Ashram since then, adding to the popularity and rich history of this exciting attraction.

Amongst the first western visitors was the British writer Paul Brunton, who visited the Ashram in the year 1931. In fact, it was Brunton who introduced Ramana Maharshi to the West through the medium of his books 'A Search in Secret India' and 'The Secret Path.' Writer W. Somerset Maugham also paid a visit to the ashram in 1938, and the author later used Ramana Maharshi as the model for the holy man Shri Ganesha in his novel 'The Razor's Edge'. Other people who have visited the ashram include Swami Sivananda, Paramahansa Yogananda, Alfred Sorensen and Wei Wu Wei.

For over twenty years, Arthur Osborne stayed at the Ashram in the company of the Maharshi and edited the Ashram's journal known as 'The Mountain Path.' He also wrote several books on Ramana Maharshi and his teachings. Mouni Sadhu too had spent several months at the Ashram when he visited it in 1949. David Godman arrived at the ashram in 1976, and since then, he has penned or edited fourteen books on topics related to Sri Ramana Maharshi. He continues to live near the ashram till date.

The younger brother of Ramana Maharshi, Niranjananda Swami, moved to the ashram along with his mother in the year 1916 and stayed at the ashram for the rest of his life. He was in charge of handling the Ashram's management, and the responsibility then went to his son and grandson, who then looked after the ashram.