India is a secular country where any individual is free to follow the religion of his/her choice. People have strong religious sentiments and are God fearing. We are united as a nation, yet divided by religions. Hindu, Muslim, Christians, Sikhs, Jains etc; have divided the Nation to a larger extent. There are temples for Hindus, mosques for Muslims, Church for Christians as religious institutes. The ashrams are also accordingly segregated. Fireflies Ashram is one such Ashram in Bangalore which promotes secularism.
Fireflies Ashram is open to all the spiritual traditions which are concerned with self and societal development. Humanity is of prime importance than any religion here. It is a place for theological renewal and action along with social and ecological lines. It was started in the year 2001 by an activist and writer “Siddhartha” with the aim of promoting diverse spiritual traditions that would benefit the society on a large scale. The ashram has a capacity of occupying 80 people and has 3 conference halls to organize corporate and other functions. The ashram also has a meditation hall, an amphitheatre and a library. The ashram is 40 km away from Bangalore city, located at kaggalipura which is off the Kanakpura road.
The ashram is not associated with any spiritual guru or the philosophies of any individual. The teachings of Buddha, Kabir, Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda etc; are all accepted and followed. Secular thinking is much appreciated here which helps in the routine functioning, thereby helping us to lead a healthy and happy life. They also believe in preserving energy from the universe and conserving it for the mankind.
Activities:
Art: The founder is the artistic director of the art village. The intellectual artists along with innovative team, stays there and contributes towards ecological and social issues. Metal work, paintings, sculpture and stained glass are some of the art work carried over there.
Festivals:
The music festival is held under a banyan tree where music lover would taste a different genre of music. The Sita Devi festival and Ganesha festival are celebrated with devotees all over the country.
Timings:
10.00 AM – 7.00 PM
Contact Details:
Fireflies Ashram
Dinnepalya, Kaggalipura P.O.
Bangalore – 560082
Phone: +91-80-2843 2725
Mobile: +91 94804 51163
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.fireflies.org.in