The Anaskati Ashram, popularly known as the Gandhi Ashram, is the place where the father of our nation spent two-weeks in 1929. It is situated atop a hill in Kausani village of Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand at an elevation of 1890 metres. It was Mahatma Gandhi who deemed Kausani village as the Switzerland of India after being mesmerised by the beautiful Himalayas he saw from the Ashram.
It was at this ashram that Gandhi wrote his treatise on the Bhagavad Gita, Anasakti (‘detachment’) Yoga. The Ashram is run by the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. Prayer meetings are held in the mornings and evenings, and the ashram’s library and reading room are being developed as a training centre. Books related to Gandhian philosophy are available here for researchers, intellectuals, and tourists.
Near the entry gate, one can witness statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhiji’s famous three monkeys. There is no entry fee. You would require about an hour to explore the ashram and get a feel of the place.
However, to my disappointment, after reaching there I couldn’t find even a single person who could guide me through the ashram. The prayer hall was broken beyond repair and I didn’t see any restoration work happening on my visits for two consecutive days.
Despite its broken walls and shattered windows, the ashram offers a state of tranquility with a beautifully pristine view of the Himalayas. There’s a spot called the Himalaya Dracaena from where you can see the snow-laden peaks of the Himalayas.
A great place to enjoy the serenity and calmness along with amazing views of the Himalayas.
