One of the great Himalayan teachers of Vedanta, Swami Tapovan Maharaj lived at Tapovan Kuti, right next to Somashram. He also taught Vedanta in the classrooms of Somashram, and his presence became an important part of the spiritual life of the place.

It was here in Uttarkashi that one of his foremost disciples, Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati, came to undertake his intense study of Vedanta.

During his years of study with Swami Tapovan Maharaj, Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati resided at Somashram. The very room in which he stayed is still part of the ashram and is today occupied by a Brahmachari.

It is a simple but precious reminder that before becoming the founder of Chinmaya Mission, Swami Chinmayananda was himself a student in the Himalayas, living the life of a seeker and absorbing the teaching of his Guru.

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, our Vidya Guru, lived at Somashram for a few years, studied under Swami Tapovan Maharaj and taught Vedanta here.
It is said that in 1963, Swamiji was teaching Panchadashi at Somashram while Swami Swahananda of Ramakrishna Math was residing here and working on his English translation of the same text. Swami Swahananda attended some of Swami Chaitanyananda’s classes and is remembered to have been deeply impressed by his teaching.

Swamiji’s seva to Somashram extended beyond the classroom. He helped clean and develop the grounds and established the flower and vegetable garden that we continue to inherit and enjoy today. He was also closely involved in the construction of the substantial retention wall along the highway, working with the then District Collector.

His legacy at Somashram is therefore both vidya and seva – the teaching of Vedanta and loving service to the place where that teaching was preserved.

Today, that teaching continues through his disciples Swami Hari Brahmendrananda Tirtha and Swami Sharvananda, and his gurubhai Swami Vishnu Tirtha Maharaj, who together serve as the three principal Acharyas of Adi Shankara Brahma Vidya Peeth.

Swami Ganeshananda Puri of Sadhana Sadan lived at Somashram for a period during his years in Uttarkashi and his travels towards Mukba.

His stay forms part of the long history of Somashram as a quiet Himalayan abode where sadhakas could withdraw from the world, study the shastras and devote themselves to spiritual practice.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati resided at Somashram during the period when he was assisting Swami Chinmayananda with his work on the Bhagavad Gita.

From his years in the Himalayas, Swami Dayananda went on to become one of the foremost traditional teachers of Advaita Vedanta in modern times. He founded Arsha Vidya Gurukulam dedicated to the traditional study and teaching of Vedanta.

Swami Chidananda Saraswati of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, visited Somashram many times.

A close disciple and successor of Swami Sivananda, Swami Chidananda served for decades as President of the Divine Life Society and carried his Guru’s message of Vedanta, spiritual practice and service throughout India and the world.

His repeated visits to Somashram reflect the close spiritual connections among the great Advaita Vedanta ashrams of the Himalayan region.

Swami Premananda Saraswati, a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda Saraswati and a close disciple of Swami Chidananda Saraswati, lived at Somashram for a period during his years in Uttarkashi.

For more than five decades, Swamiji has been dedicated to sadhana and seva, serving the people of the remote villages of Uttarkashi through the Sivananda Seva Samiti, particularly in the areas of health and education. He also established and continues to guide Sivananda Ashram at Ganeshpur, which has become an active centre of spiritual and community life in the region.

His connection with Somashram continues to this day. Swami Premananda Saraswati is the President of the Trust of Adi Shankara Brahma Vidya Peeth and remains closely involved in its growth and development.

Having once lived here as a seeker, Swamiji now helps nurture Somashram as a living centre of Brahma Vidya, sadhana and seva.