Where the sacred takes form
Lord Dattatreya beneath the Audumbar tree, the Shiva Lingam carried from the Maha Kumbh, the daily sacred fire, and the groves planted in sacred geometry - the devotional heart of the ashram.
Lord Dattatreya at the Audumbar Tree
Lord Dattatreya, the Supreme Master of our tradition, stands tall at Mohanji Datta Tapovan, Ganeshpuri, beneath the sacred Audumbar tree amid Nature - the flora and fauna bowing to His presence, radiating stillness, peace, transformation and divine energy in every corner. He perfectly personifies our highest aspiration. We worship Him as a living example of Nature, signifying our deep connection to Nature and our mission's focus on nurturing and preserving it.
He is our gateway to transcendent wisdom and compassionate guidance. His teachings break through religious boundaries to deliver universal truths, guiding us to look within, shatter egoic limitations, and explore boundless consciousness.
If the Source - pure consciousness without form or personification - became a Master, fully aware of who It is, having nothing to do with anything, but in everything, that would be Lord Dattatreya and His Avatars.- Mohanji
Seeking Lord Dattatreya's blessings is not just worship, but a path to self-realisation and liberation. Devotion does not ask for grandeur. By worshipping Him, we embrace the interconnectedness of all life and begin a journey to our true self.
Here, Lord Dattatreya communicates with us in various ways - in silence, through healing Nature, through sensations that awaken us from within, or through the different beings around us. His raw and boundless energy, coupled with grace and gratitude, helps shed unwanted baggage, remove blockages, and feel lighter and brighter.
One at once feels the divine presence there, making it the favourite hangout for our stray four-legged friends - not surprising, as Lord Dattatreya is shown surrounded by four dogs, signifying the four Vedas, the core scriptures of Sanatana Dharma. Step into His presence beneath the sacred Audumbar tree, an ideal haven for spiritual contemplation and personal growth.
Lord Dattatreya is not easy to find or recognise. He is the Supreme Master, complete consciousness. He is Nature. If you look for Him in Nature, the flora and the fauna, you will easily find Him and realise Him. Datta is Nature. Every atom represents Datta. That is the perfect Avadhoota. That is Lord Dattatreya.- Mohanji
The Audumbar Tree
The Audumbar tree (cluster fig) is highly revered in the Dattatreya tradition, considered Lord Dattatreya's very abode. When Lord Narasimha disembowelled the demon Hiranyakasha, the poison burning His nails was soothed by Mother Lakshmi with a paste made from the Audumbar - and both blessed the tree in gratitude.
A symbol of prosperity, abundance and longevity, the sacred Guru Charitra hails it as a divine wish-fulfilling tree. Meditating or chanting beneath it aids spiritual growth. Sitting under its branches feels like resting at the very feet of Lord Datta, experiencing His living presence.
The Shiva Lingam
The Shiva Lingam is a sacred symbol of Supreme Consciousness' all-encompassing, formless, infinite nature. It represents stillness, detachment, completeness and awareness - a potent tool for meditation, guiding devotees from worldly distraction towards inner peace.
Mohanji explains that the Lingam is not merely a physical idol but a structure designed to contain and transmit intense, concentrated power - the formless consciousness in a form the human mind can focus on.
The Lingam installed here is very special: it was worshipped through the entire 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj. Performing abhishekam on it purifies the mind, fosters clarity, diminishes the ego, and invites spiritual and material blessings.
The Yagna Shala
Next to the Shiva Lingam, the yagna shala is a dedicated sanctuary for the daily sacred fire rituals performed for our community and for uplifting the energy of the ashram and neighbouring spaces.
A yagna kunda sits inside the shala and one outside - built from natural brick, earth and clay, purified with cow dung, keeping it deeply connected to the earth. The geometric fire pit channels and amplifies spiritual energy; sitting beside it calms the mind and offers a perfect space for deep meditation and introspection.
The Nakshatra Vanam
The Nakshatra Vanam - forest of the constellations - grew out of Mohanji's vision to use the interconnectedness of Nature and ancient Vedic wisdom to enhance the space and the people in it. It unites the 27 nakshatras and 12 zodiac signs: each person is born under a specific nakshatra, and each nakshatra is linked to a corresponding tree. Connecting with your nakshatra's tree frees you from its astrological mal-effects.
The grove is laid out in sacred geometry - a circular, zigzag pattern surrounding a serene lotus pond at its heart - with 108 auspicious fruit and flower trees planted along the ashram periphery and the Datta statue area, where Lord Dattatreya stands majestically facing the grove.
The Tulsi Vanam
The tulsi (holy basil), revered across the Hindu tradition, symbolises devotion, purity and spiritual well-being. Its pure, bright aura - ten to fifteen times its own size - cleanses external negativities and wards off negative energies. Often called Vishnu Vallabha, tulsi mediates between heaven and earth, purifying the body, mind and soul of those who care for her.
The tulsi van surrounds the platform of Lord Dattatreya and the Audumbar tree, serving as the ashram's divine protector - inviting prosperity, positive energy and spiritual well-being. Little wonder visitors feel its calm, nurturing influence here.
Be part of this journey
Whether you give to a space rising today or to the vision ahead, you help build a home for seekers for generations to come. Donations are received with gratitude and acknowledged with a receipt.
Mohanji Datta Tapovan is a project of Mohanji Bharat Welfare Foundation, registered in India.