Daily Life of Ramana Maharshi at Ashram Explained

Short Answer

Ramana Maharshi’s daily life at Sri Ramanasramam was the simplest expression of a liberated being. He had no personal possessions, no private room, and no schedule he followed out of obligation. He slept in the same hall where devotees sat, ate whatever was offered to him, and spent most of his day in silent presence. His routine was not a fixed timetable but a natural flow: waking early, sitting in silence, walking on the hill path around Arunachala, receiving devotees, eating a simple meal, resting briefly, sitting again in silence, and sleeping in the open hall among all who came. He never claimed to be teaching, yet his every action was a teaching. He never sought disciples, yet thousands sat at his feet. His daily life was not a performance of holiness but the spontaneous, effortless functioning of a being in whom the ego had permanently dissolved. Every moment—walking, eating, sitting, sleeping—was abidance as the Self.

In one line: Ramana’s daily life was not a routine but a spontaneous flow—sleeping in the hall, walking the hill, sitting in silence, teaching without words.

Key points:

• Ramana had no private room—he slept and sat in the same hall as devotees
• His morning walk on the hill path around Arunachala was his only regular activity
• He ate whatever was offered, never asking for anything specific
• He spent most of his day in silent presence, rarely initiating conversation
• He answered questions briefly but never lectured or preached
• His daily life was a living example of egolessness, not a performance
• The ashram’s routine revolved entirely around his presence

For a complete understanding of Ramana’s daily life as a model of liberated living, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta provides the philosophical framework, while her How to Attain Moksha in Hinduism explains how such egolessness is the goal of spiritual practice.

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Part 1: The Ashram Setting

Sri Ramanasramam

The ashram was built at the foot of Arunachala, on the spot where Ramana’s mother was cremated.

Detail	Information
Location	At the southeastern foot of Arunachala mountain
Established	Gradually from 1922 onward
Key structures	Old Hall (where Ramana sat and slept), Mother’s shrine, Samadhi hall
Atmosphere	Simple, quiet, focused on Ramana’s presence
Today	Still functioning, attracting thousands of pilgrims

“The ashram was not built by me. Devotees built it. I simply sat. They came. That was enough.”

The Old Hall

The Old Hall was the center of ashram life during Ramana’s lifetime. He spent most of his waking and sleeping hours there.

Feature	Description
Size	Moderate, not large
Floor	Simple stone or cement
Seating	Devotees sat on the floor
Ramana’s place	A raised platform or simple mat
Atmosphere	Profound silence broken only by questions

“The hall was not special. What made it special was his presence. Sit there, and the mind quieted on its own.”

No Private Space

Remarkably, Ramana had no private room. He had no personal space.

What He Did NOT Have	What He Had
A private bedroom	A mat in the hall where all could see him
A locked door	Complete openness, no barriers
Personal possessions	A simple cloth, a staff, nothing more
Time alone	He was never alone—and never needed to be

“I have nothing to hide. Why would I need a private room? The body is here for all to see. The Self is here for all to find.”*

For a deeper exploration of egolessness as lived in daily life, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Essence of Yoga Vasista: The Book of Liberation describes the state of the liberated being who has no private self to protect.

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Part 2: The Daily Routine

No Fixed Schedule

Ramana did not follow a fixed timetable. His day flowed naturally without effort.

Misconception	Reality
Ramana had a strict daily schedule	He had no schedule. Things happened when they happened.
He planned his activities	He did not plan. Action arose spontaneously.
He expected others to follow a routine	Devotees created routines around him. He simply was.

“I do not have a schedule. I wake when the body wakes. I walk when the body wants to walk. I eat when food comes. That is all.”

The General Flow

Despite having no fixed schedule, a general pattern emerged because of the ashram’s needs and devotees’ expectations.

Time	Activity
Early morning (before sunrise)	Wake up, sit in silence
Morning (around 5-6 AM)	Morning walk on the hill path
Late morning (around 8-9 AM)	Return to ashram, sit in hall
Midday (around 11 AM – 12 PM)	Simple meal
Early afternoon (12-2 PM)	Rest (often lying down in the hall)
Afternoon (2-5 PM)	Sitting in hall, receiving devotees, answering questions
Evening (around 6 PM)	Vedic chanting (if devotees performed it)
Night (around 8-9 PM)	Lay down to sleep in the hall

“The days were all the same. And yet each day was new. The body followed the sun. The mind was still. The Self shone.”

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Part 3: Morning Activities

Waking

Ramana woke very early, often before sunrise. He slept on a simple mat in the hall.

Detail	Description
Sleeping place	On a mat in the Old Hall, among devotees
Waking time	Usually around 3-4 AM (sometimes earlier)
First activity	Sitting in silence—no morning prayers or rituals
No privacy	Devotees could see him sleeping and waking

“He slept like a child. He woke like a child. No ritual. No fuss. Simply awake.”

The Morning Walk (Girivalam Path)

The only regular activity in Ramana’s day was his morning walk on the path around Arunachala.

Detail	Description
Time	Usually around 5-6 AM (before it became hot)
Route	The 14-kilometer (8.7 mile) path around the mountain
Companions	Often followed by devotees who walked behind him
Duration	2-3 hours, depending on his pace
Attitude	Not exercise, not pilgrimage—simply walking, present

“Every morning I walk on the hill. Not to get somewhere. Not to achieve something. Simply to walk. The mountain and I are one.”

What the Walk Meant

For devotees, walking with Ramana was a profound spiritual practice.

For Ramana	For Devotees
Natural, spontaneous movement	A chance to be in his presence
No goal, no purpose	Walking meditation
Body moving, Self still	Learning to be present
No teaching intended	Teaching received through silence

“Do not ask why he walked. He walked because the body walked. That was his teaching—be natural, be present, be still, whether sitting or walking.”*

For a complete guide to walking as meditation in Ramana’s tradition, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Find Inner Peace Now offers practices for bringing awareness into every activity.

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Part 4: The Day in the Hall

Sitting in Silence

Most of Ramana’s day was spent sitting in silence in the Old Hall.

Detail	Description
His posture	Sat on a simple mat or raised platform, often cross-legged
His eyes	Sometimes open, sometimes closed—always turned inward
His expression	Serene, alert, peaceful, never dull or sleepy
Devotees	Sat around him, often in complete silence
Duration	Hours at a time, without moving unnecessarily

“He did not meditate. He was meditation. Sitting there, his presence did the work. Minds quieted. Hearts opened. That was his teaching.”

Receiving Devotees

Ramana never refused anyone who came, regardless of who they were.

Type of Visitor	His Response
Scholar	Answered questions briefly, pointed to self-inquiry
Simple villager	Same presence, same attention
Western seeker	Same silence, same few words
Rich or poor	No difference—he saw only the Self
Celebrity	Same treatment as a beggar

“All are the same. The Self in the king is the Self in the beggar. Why treat them differently? I see no difference.”

Answering Questions

When devotees asked questions, Ramana answered briefly, always pointing back to self-inquiry.

Type of Question	His Response
Philosophical	“Who is asking?”
About scriptures	“The Self alone is the truth. The scriptures point to it.”
About practice	“Ask ‘Who am I?’ That is enough.”
Personal problems	“To whom does this problem arise?”

“He did not give long lectures. A few words. Sometimes only silence. But those few words could change a life.”

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Part 5: Meals

Simple Food

Ramana ate very simply, whatever was offered to him by devotees.

Detail	Description
What he ate	Simple South Indian vegetarian food
When he ate	Usually once or twice a day, midday
Quantity	Very small, barely enough to keep the body going
Attitude	Ate without preference, without “liking” or “disliking”

“The body needs food. It eats what comes. I do not choose. I do not ask. When food is offered, the body eats.”

No Personal Kitchen

Ramana did not have his own kitchen or cook. He ate what devotees brought or what the ashram kitchen prepared.

What He Did NOT Have	What He Had
His own cook	Ate whatever was offered
Favorite foods	No preferences
Set meal times	Ate when food came
Complaints about food	Never complained, no matter how simple or plain

“He never said ‘I like this’ or ‘I don’t like that.’ Food was food. The body ate. That was all.”

The Dining Scene

Devotees would eat after Ramana or at the same time, watching him.

What They Observed	What They Learned
He ate without hurry	Be present, even while eating
He ate without preference	Let go of likes and dislikes
He ate very little	The body does not need much
He gave thanks silently	Gratitude without words

“Watching him eat was a meditation. He did nothing special. Yet everything he did was special.”*

For a complete guide to bringing awareness to eating and other daily activities, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Find Inner Peace Now offers micro-practices for every part of the day.

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Part 6: Afternoon and Evening

Midday Rest

After the midday meal, Ramana would often lie down and rest in the hall.

Detail	Description
Where	In the same hall, on his mat
Position	Lying on his side or back
Eyes	Often closed
State	Not sleeping deeply, but resting
Presence	Even while resting, his presence remained

“He never really ‘left.’ Even when the body rested, even when he seemed to sleep, his presence was still. The Self never rests. The Self never sleeps.”

Afternoon Sitting

The afternoon was similar to the morning—silence, presence, answering questions.

Detail	Description
Time	Approximately 2-5 PM
Activity	Sitting in silence, receiving devotees
Atmosphere	Often very quiet, peaceful
Teaching	Silence was the main teaching

“The afternoon was the same as the morning. Silence. Presence. The Self. Every day the same. Every day new.”

Evening Chanting

Devotees often performed Vedic chanting in the evening. Ramana did not chant himself but listened.

Detail	Description
Time	Around 6 PM
Who chanted	Devotees, not Ramana
His role	Sat silently, listening
Effect	The chanting was an offering, not a performance

“Devotees chant. I listen. The sounds rise and fall. Silence remains. That is the teaching.”

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Part 7: Night and Sleep

Sleeping in the Hall

Ramana did not go to a private bedroom. He slept in the same hall where he sat during the day.

Detail	Description
Where	On a simple mat in the Old Hall
Who else	Devotees sometimes slept in the same hall
Privacy	None—complete openness
Attitude	No need for privacy. Nothing to hide.

“I have no private room. Why would I need one? The body sleeps where it is. The Self never sleeps.”

What Devotees Experienced

Devotees who stayed overnight could see Ramana sleeping and waking.

What They Saw	What It Meant
He slept peacefully	No worries, no dreams, no disturbances
He woke gently	No grogginess, no irritation—simply awake
He was accessible always	He never withdrew from anyone
He had no ego to protect	No need for walls, locks, or privacy

“To see him sleep was to see a baby. To see him wake was to see a flower opening. Everything he did was natural, effortless, beautiful.”*

For a complete portrait of Ramana’s egoless daily life, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta provides the philosophical understanding of how a liberated being functions.

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Part 8: Special Occasions

Festivals

Ramana did not celebrate festivals himself, but he allowed devotees to celebrate in the ashram.

Detail	Description
His attitude	Neutral—neither for nor against
Devotee celebrations	He allowed them, sat through them
His participation	Minimal—he observed but did not initiate
The teaching	Festivals come and go. The Self remains.

“If devotees want to celebrate, let them. I sit. The Self does not celebrate. The Self does not mourn. The Self is.”

Visitors from Around the World

As Ramana’s fame grew, visitors came from India, Europe, Britain, America, and beyond.

Visitor Type	His Response
Spiritual seekers	Sat in silence, answered briefly
Curious tourists	Same presence—no special treatment
Scholars	Same few words, pointing inward
Government officials	Same as everyone else

“I see no difference between a king and a beggar. Both are the Self. Both come. Both sit. Both receive what they are ready to receive.”

No Special Treatment

Ramana never allowed himself to be treated as special, despite devotees’ devotion.

What Devotees Wanted	His Response
To bow to him	“Bow to the Self within you, not to this body.”
To celebrate his birthday	“The Self has no birthday. It was never born.”
To build a grand shrine	“The Heart is the only shrine.”
To carry him in a procession	“This body can walk. There is no need.”

“Do not worship this body. Worship the Self. That Self is in you as much as in me.”*

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Part 9: Common Questions

Did Ramana have any possessions?
He had almost nothing—a simple cloth, a walking stick, occasionally a fan. He owned no property, no money, no books. The ashram was owned by a trust, not by him.

Did Ramana ever leave the ashram?
He left the ashram grounds occasionally to walk on the hill, but he never left the immediate area of Arunachala. From 1896 to 1950, fifty-four years, he never traveled more than a few miles from the mountain.

Did Ramana perform any rituals or prayers?
No. He did not perform puja, chant mantras, or follow any religious routine. He sat in silence. That was his practice. That was his teaching.

How did new devotees know how to behave?
By watching others and by feeling the atmosphere. Ramana never gave instructions on behavior. The silence of the hall taught what was appropriate.

Did Ramana ever get angry or frustrated?
Those who were close to him said never. The ego that experiences anger was gone. The body could appear serious or firm, but there was no emotion of anger behind it.

What was the most remarkable thing about his daily life?
His complete naturalness. He was not performing holiness. He was simply being what he was—the Self—and the Self has no need to pretend, perform, or impress. That naturalness was his greatest teaching.

For those who wish to experience Ramana’s presence without traveling to India, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s nine books offer a way to sit at his feet through study and practice. Awakening Through Vedanta brings his teaching. How to Attain Moksha in Hinduism applies his method. Find Inner Peace Now offers daily practices inspired by his example. And The Hidden Secrets of Immortality reveals the deathless Self that was his constant abidance.

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Summary

Ramana Maharshi’s daily life at Sri Ramanasramam was the simplest possible expression of a liberated being. He had no private room, no personal possessions, no fixed schedule, no need for privacy or special treatment. He slept on a mat in the same hall where devotees sat. He woke early, sat in silence, walked on the hill path around Arunachala, ate whatever was offered, rested briefly, sat again in silence, and slept again among those who came. There was nothing dramatic, nothing extraordinary, nothing performed for effect. And that was exactly the point.

His daily life was not a routine he followed out of duty. It was the spontaneous, effortless functioning of a body in which the ego had permanently dissolved. He did not meditate—he was meditation. He did not teach—his presence was the teaching. He did not seek disciples—they came on their own. He did not try to be holy—he simply was what he was, and that simplicity, that naturalness, that complete absence of pretense, was more powerful than any lecture or sermon.

The lesson of Ramana’s daily life is not that you must imitate his external habits. You do not need to sleep on a mat or walk around a mountain. The lesson is that egolessness is not dramatic. Liberation is not a performance. The Self is not something you achieve and then display. It is simply what you are when the false self is removed. And when the false self is gone, life becomes simple, natural, spontaneous. You wake. You eat. You walk. You sit. You sleep. None of it is special. All of it is the Self. That was Ramana’s daily life. That is the promise of self-inquiry. That is your own nature, waiting to be recognized.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.