Miscellaneous concerns
 
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Necessities      top of page
Most of the rooms are furnished with two cots, two chairs, and perhaps a small table. Each has its own bathroom. There may be a sheet and a pillow on each cot. Bring your own soap, towels, flashlight in case of emergencies, and the like. Heavy blankets are not needed, but, depending on your sleep habits, you may need a very light one. All of these necessities can be bought at the store on the ashram or outside the ashram.

Footwear      top of page
Most people wear inexpensive flip-flops or open sandals all the time --there is no need for regular shoes here. When you go to darshan, into most offices, and even into the Western or North Indian canteens, you leave your footwear outside. During darshan, there will be thousands of flip-flops piled outside the darshan hall. (You can tell how many people are inside by counting the shoes and dividing by 2.) You might want to write your name on your footwear or make them distinctive in some fashion.

Laundry      top of page
Starting about 7AM, you will find one or two dhobis --washerwomen or washermen-- sitting outside the building where your room is. Give them your clothes to be washed and ironed. Next morning, they will have them washed and ironed. You pay 2 rupees per piece (whether it is a sock or a towel or a sheet). So, you can give them 45 pieces or so and it will still be under one US dollar. Dhobis should have identity cards --don't deal with those that don't have a card.

You won't get a receipt with a number on it for your clothes, or anything like that. Just trust them.

You may try to figure out how they keep all the clothes straight, how they remember who you are, and so on. It's a mystery. But they rarely make mistakes.

Cleaning the rooms      top of page
You are responsible for keeping your room clean and leaving it clean. This is not a hotel, where the maid service automatically comes in an makes your bed, changes the sheets, and tidies the room.

You can hire a cleaning woman to sweep the room and wash the floor., for a nominal fee. Just ask someone where to find the cleaning woman. The cleaning woman should have an ashram Identity Card; don't deal with one that doesn't.

Wheel chairs      top of page
Devotees who need wheel chairs should inform the Public Relations Office while registering. There are a few ground floor rooms and wheel chairs. When issued, the wheel chairs must be maintained with care, kept inside the rooms, kept away from children, and on no account taken out of the ashram. Please return them on the specified date to facilitate others who need them.

Lost & found      top of page
If you find a lost article, please deposit it in the Public Relations Office immediately. Those who wish to claim their lost property may do so at the same office on proper production of identity. In this context, devotees are advised to be very careful with cash, jewelry, and other valuables while moving about in the various regions ashram.

Cloak rooms      top of page
The amount and type of items that you can take into darshan is limited. Two cloakrooms are provided for the safe keeping of non-valuable articles, one each for men and women. When you get to the ashram, ask where they are. Please be careful with the tokens of receipt and observe the timings. They are open from 4:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.

Safety lockers      top of page
A certain number of lockers are available, free, at the Public Relations Office for Overseas devotees. Three or four persons together are eligible for one, if they are staying in the same hall. If perchance, the key is lost, report it immediately because there is no duplicate --as well as for security reasons. The replacement of the lock must be paid for.