Kriyaban

If you are a devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda, this trip may inspire you considerably. Moreover, it will help you plan and undertake something similar, whether alone or in a group, for three months or just a week. Here you will find relevant information about the places I visited, modes of transport, how to get around the area, and, most importantly, you will get to know the atmosphere and essence of Yogananda's ashrams in India.

This adventure is filled with moments of spiritual inspiration, fun situations, and detailed descriptions of the places it covered. I hope it inspires you on multiple levels, not only spiritually, as a pilgrimage path but also encouraging you to explore Yogananda's steps in India.

The trip is divided into two parts: the first covers everything related to Yogananda's world, especially focusing on northern India. The second part encompasses the south, where, except for a couple of places with YSS ashrams, the rest are also very interesting. The gurus who have been or are there have a strong connection with Yogananda, such as Ramana Maharshi, Amma, Hariharananda, and Yogi Satyam, among others. We cannot forget the impressive nature gurus, with incredible transformative potential, also present in the south, such as the magical mountains of Arunachala and the Seven Hills in Coimbatore.

I experienced a three-month journey in India as a devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda. More than a trip, it was a pilgrimage without pretensions or expectations; the goal was always to take advantage of the environments to improve my daily meditation practices, intensifying them and obtaining consistently positive results. Therefore, it did not make sense to set expectations, as they would arise from sincere and deep practices.

The trip took place during the months of January, February, and March 2020. In these months, winter in India is not as intense as in Europe, but still, it was advisable to dress warmly and cover well at night in the entire northern area.

Whenever possible, I stayed in YSS ashrams, the SRF branch in India, and when it was not possible, I alternated between Kriya Yoga ashrams, other gurus' ashrams, and hotels. In the Kriya Yoga ashrams not under YSS direction, the meditations followed different dynamics than the typical YSS and SRF ashrams. However, I purposely chose these places when no YSS ashrams were available, preferring to explore these options before staying in a hotel, knowing they would contain interesting experiences.

By the way! If you haven't read the Considerations section yet, don't forget to do so. In this section, you will find very valuable information that can save you many headaches. In particular, there are details related to credit cards and mobile phone usage that are essential.

I hope this experience is especially useful for you. I wish you great spiritual growth and that your life is illuminated by the light of the God within you.

As with all trips, whenever you leave your home you ask yourself: "Did I turn off the gas? Did I lock the door properly?" These are legitimate questions and also the result of a lack of confidence due to an excess of wanting to control everything.

I have a layover in Turkey and there I meet two brothers who live in Germany and are also going to Delhi. In their case, their route and interests are quite different from mine; they are Afghan immigrants from the war era. One of them spent a few months in Mexico and decides to practice his rusty Spanish with me. That's when I discover that what almost happened to me, happened to him. Just two days before leaving, thanks to Mayte, I discovered that the visa I obtained after my procedures was not the final document and that one more step was missing for final validation; as for the Afghan, he was not as fortunate or blessed to realize this and at the airport they did not let him board the flight, so he and his brother had to leave for Turkey, spend the night, buy tickets again, and try again the next day with the correct visa. Conclusions: 1. The Indian e-visa website can be confusing and 2. Thank God Guruji never lets go of my hand!
The plane ride is strange, I always think that getting into a machine and coming out in another place is almost like taking a good acid trip. I never get tired of thinking the same thing, just as I never get tired of pressing my face to the window to see the landscape during the flight.

The adventure begins...

After a long wait for my backpack at the luggage carousel (and thinking more than a hundred times that it got stuck somewhere and would not come), I finally come out with the idea of changing some money right there; I accept the €7 commission for changing €200 to INR (Indian rupees) and then buy a SIM for my phone, a necessary condition to call the taxi I had arranged. Nothing like what I read about: “as soon as you exit, you will see shops where you can buy a SIM, etc.”. There was nothing of the sort and I decide to leave the airport to see if the shops are outside.
Once outside, I still see nothing and when I get the impression of seeing inside (through the windows) a kind of SIM dispenser, the military at the door prevents me from re-entering the airport with his characteristic head movement. Stranded and unable to call my taxi, I decide to look for “a trustworthy one” that charges me the least possible, considering that even negotiating down, he is going to make quite a bit.
A sinister-looking guy takes me to the Noida ashram, the good thing is he does not make conversation and I can focus on pressing my face to the window and seeing the landscape; after being in Kathmandu, nothing can surprise me anymore.

It's cold. With the sky overcast (typical fog in this season) the sun does not come in and winter is accentuated; fortunately, at the last moment, I bought some warm clothing with the idea of throwing it away when moving to warmer areas and not carrying it with me.

After two days in Noida, I really like the ashram; the food (served in school aluminum trays) is great, it is just enough, and you don't need to chew, which is great for my orthodontics; Guruji has thought of everything. Practically the same food is served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, what changes is the strength of the spice, in some cases the color, and in others the distribution of it in the different compartments of the tray, but I like it a lot. As it is a bit cold (and the rooms have no heating), during the day you stay outside or in places where it is better. I have already made a couple of devotee friends with whom I have started to adjust my understanding of Indian English; they have helped me with bus, taxi, and other arrangements.

On the night of the 31st, as is tradition among Guruji's devotees, the transition from 23:30 to 00:30 is done meditating. Here we were two hours earlier with chants; many songs were not in my repertoire and I thought it would be great to record them to export them to our center, but I decided to concentrate on the experience and not intersperse technology in such a fantastic moment. Finally, the meditation was done and I could observe (both in this meditation and in the previous one at 7 pm), the great devotion for Guruji, the Saints, and God that is breathed in the environment, it is so strong that you have the true experience that Yogananda is there; it is really beautiful and unique. This is the strongest reason to stay in a YSS or SRF ashram instead of elsewhere, these are opportunities not to be missed, they are truly experiences with the capacity to make you evolve in your relationship with God and the Guru.

Main entrance of the Noida ashram building

Thanks to the help of my companions Tushar and Hari, everything is ready to depart for Rishikesh on Friday the 3rd, in a 4-hour trip that costs €11 in a "luxury Volvo," as expressly recommended by them. After showing them my travel "mandala," they insisted that I write and note the details of it so that it can serve as a guide and reference for other devotees.

Cleaning your butt with water is not as dramatic as I thought; it is well organized. The first time you get your socks wet, but after that, you get the hang of it. It is important to remember that the hand you use to clean yourself must be different from the one you use to greet. I don't get confused; I greet with a Namaste and that's it.

The first night was quite strange, as leaving your comfort zone —your bed, your pillow, your heater, your sink, etc.—, it is a bit difficult to sleep and, if you add the time zone adjustment, it is even more challenging.

How many times I was about to rinse my mouth (while brushing my teeth) with tap water! Shiva the destroyer waits behind the faucet, eager to make many "I told you so" a reality... For now, I am safe and managing to avoid the problem.

In that sense, I am going to modify my plans in Coimbatore, two months ahead, to stay in the YSS ashram from March 7 to 9, just when the mahasamadhis of Yogananda and Yukteswar are celebrated... I will start preparing the handkerchiefs for the cascade of tears.

Noida has surprised me; I thought it would be a mere transition stay until I adjusted and started the journey to Rishikesh and it turned out to be an experience that left me with a wonderful feeling, full of love and peace. The people and the environment exude Yogananda and everything is very pleasant and calm, as it should be in a good ashram. I thought my journey would start with Rishikesh, and it was nothing like that; so much so that I felt sad to leave the ashram... who would have imagined... This is what happens when in your head you draw scenarios and precondition things deep down without having the slightest idea, just because your mind needs to be entertained with something. I loved that in the year-end meditation and the long weekly meditation on Thursdays they played audios of Yogananda speaking... no words.

Meditation hall of Noida ashram

Here in Noida, a day before leaving for Rishikesh, I have had several revelations just two days after the ceremony of the night of the 31st in which Yogananda "walked" among all of us. Re-reading the Autobiography, I realize that Yogananda's birth is on January 5th and now I understand why they are setting up the superstructure in the outer courtyard, as a major event is approaching. Talking with Tushar, he tells me that indeed the event is celebrated on the 5th and, as always, it is celebrated with a crowd; we are talking about 800 to 2000 devotees.

My plans are already drawn and although the temptation to stay and inject myself again with a dose of devotion is enormous, I decide to continue.

However, I have learned that it is important to be aware of these types of events here, in the Indian ashrams, to try to coincide with them.

Noida ashram gardens

In that sense, I am going to modify my plans in Coimbatore, two months ahead, to stay in the YSS ashram from March 7 to 9, just when the mahasamadhis of Yogananda and Yukteswar are celebrated. I will start preparing the handkerchiefs for the cascade of tears.

Noida has surprised me; I thought it would be a mere transition stay until I adjusted and started the journey to Rishikesh and it turned out to be an experience that left me with a wonderful feeling, full of love and peace. The people and the environment exude Yogananda and everything is very pleasant and calm, as it should be in a good ashram. I thought my journey would start with Rishikesh, and it was nothing like that; so much so that I felt sad to leave the ashram. Who would have imagined... This is what happens when in your head you draw scenarios and precondition things deep down without having the slightest idea, just because your mind needs to be entertained with something. I loved that in the year-end meditation and the long weekly meditation on Thursdays they played audios of Yogananda speaking; no words.

Useful Information

Airport: The commission for changing €200 (as of January 1, 2020) is €7.

Rajesh Taxi Delhi: +91 99992 91731. This is the trusted taxi service used by the Noida ashram. It is recommended to call or send a WhatsApp two days in advance to arrange the service. The cost of the trip from the airport to the ashram is 1150 rupees.

SIM card for mobile: Airtel company (recommended for having the best coverage throughout the country), near the Petrol Pump and McDonald's; go by rickshaw from the Noida ashram; 100 rupees. A 56-day plan with unlimited calls and messages and 1.5GB per day costs about 600 rupees. From the myAirtel App, recharges can be managed, or also in cash at any of the multiple recharge points. It is important to carry the visa, passport, and the ashram's contact phone for the contract.

B Bloc Market: Neighborhood with many shops 2 km from the ashram, to buy anything, for example, water (30 rupees).

Noida Ashram

Contact: noidaashram@yssi.org

Reservations: https://noida.ysskendra.org/reservation

Recommended donation: 1000 rupees/day, 3 meals included.

Web: https://noida.ysskendra.org/

Alternative Accommodations in Delhi

Inn Tawang Hotel, New Delhi

Phone: +91 11 4502 5000

Places to visit

Gandhi Museum, Akshardam Temple, KHARI BAOLI Temple, spice market, Paharganj neighborhood, and Old Delhi.

Important:

If you haven't read the Considerations section yet, don't forget to do so. In this section, you will find very valuable information that can save you many headaches. In particular, there are details related to credit cards and mobile phone use that are essential.