Seva in action
Projects
Alongside yoga and sadhana, the ashram runs a working organic farm, a play school for local children, and community projects for waste, animals and livelihoods, sustained by seva, donations and goodwill.
The farm
Organic Farm
Shankar Prasad Ashram sits on 2½ acres of coconut grove and rice paddy, where we also produce large crops of groundnuts (peanuts).
We grow many different fruits and vegetables, pineapple, papaya, banana, mango, starfruit, radish and spinach. We are 100% organic: no pesticides, and we make our own fertilizer and compost.
We eat our own rice, still with its husk intact, so it is highly nutritious and fibrous, and we sell our coconuts locally to make oil. We are exploring ways to systematize, package and market our “ludu”, energy balls made from our organic peanuts and coconuts. Ask us for a taste when you visit.
Growing in the sandy soil of the beach tropics is a challenge; after a lot of hard work from our staff and volunteers, we’ve developed a system for organic agriculture.
- Coconut grove, rice paddy and groundnut (peanut) crops
- Pineapple, papaya, banana, mango, starfruit, radish and spinach
- 100% organic, no pesticides, our own compost and fertilizer
- Husked, fibre-rich rice for the kitchen; coconuts sold locally for oil
- Homemade “ludu” energy balls from organic peanuts and coconut
We happily welcome long-term volunteers to work alongside our two farmers, care for the land and add more crops, peanuts, rice, mangoes, chikko, papaya, banana and coconut, and we encourage those with knowledge (or a wish to research while they’re here) to complement our system, like worm compost.
A long-term volunteer is needed to help manage this project. Please contact us for more information.
Open since June 2013
Muddu, Children’s Play School
In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.In June 2013 we opened the Muddu Play School for local children aged 2½ to 5, a dual-language program in Kannada and English, open to all regardless of caste, social position or income.
We provide scholarships for children whose parents cannot afford to contribute towards tuition, funded by the dakshina of donors locally and abroad. We have built a beautiful school building, and made and received donations of toys, puzzles and materials for play-based learning, along with a natural adventure playground of tyres, logs, a sand pit, and a turtle and fish pond.
Muddu gives local children a diversified curriculum that expands on the traditional Indian protocol: self-directed activities and play-time, English, Kannada and Sanskrit chants and songs, and time enjoying nature and the animals on our 2½-acre farm.
- Dual-language, Kannada and English
- Ages 2½ to 5, open to all; scholarships funded by donors’ dakshina
- Play-based learning, toys and a natural adventure playground
- English, Kannada and Sanskrit chants; nature and animals on the farm
Waste
Waste Management Initiative
We’ve launched a waste-management project at the ashram, recycling and selling waste, and we want to expand it as widely as possible, starting with friends, local schools and the council.
Hands on
Recycling & composting
Anyone with experience in recycling, composting or waste education is more than welcome. We have the ideas and the outlets to share this knowledge, now we need volunteers to help get the ball rolling.
Storytelling
Educational films
We’re also looking for filmmakers and videographers to produce educational films that teach children and community members these practices.
Join in
Lend your skills
If you have skills in waste management or film production, please join us and help carry the practice beyond the ashram gates.
Animal welfare · every May
Dog Sterilization Project
Annual Anti-Rabies & Sterilization Camp, in collaboration with Mission Rabies & WVS India. A celebration of compassion, coexistence and community care.
Every year in the month of May, the Shankar Prasad Foundation hosts an Anti-Rabies Vaccination and Sterilization Camp for community dogs, a vital initiative in partnership with Mission Rabies and WVS India.
Rabies is preventable by vaccination. Sterilisation reduces the stray population.
Rabies
Vaccination
- Rabies is fully preventable by vaccination
- Vaccinated dogs protect the people around them
Strays
Sterilisation
- Sterilisation humanely reduces the stray population
- Sterilised dogs are calmer and healthier
Planned
Upcoming Projects
New seva we’re preparing to grow. Every one of these welcomes short- and long-term volunteers.
Animal welfare
Stray Animal Welfare
With a local NGO, we sterilize and vaccinate stray dogs and cats in and around Gokarna, collecting the animals, taking them to a veterinarian in Goa, and returning them to their home location. The whole process is 1,000 rupees per animal, and it reduces the number of strays that suffer without a constant source of food and that carry disease.
Community
Waste Management
Educational meetings so everyone can learn to segregate and manage their waste and cut pollution in Gokarna and the surrounding villages, including programs in schools and working with local people to be proactive in cleaning up their community.
Livelihoods
Women’s Cooperative & Empowerment
Workshops, support groups and opportunities for employment for local women, a safe space to strengthen women’s voices within the community and earn an income to support themselves and their families.
Hospitality
Camps for Groups
Shankar Prasad welcomes groups of all types to share time at the ashram, with the capacity for small and large group retreats for people of all ages and interests.
Farm & therapy
Bio Swimming Pool
We plan to build an organic, self-maintained swimming pool at the back of our property, to be used for relaxation and therapy.
All projects welcome short- and long-term volunteers, get in touch if you’d like to help.
Seva & giving
Donations
We run on donations to maintain the ashram and its projects. The ashram normally runs on donations from guests and volunteers staying here and income from the courses offered.
In the spirit of goodwill, we ask for donations to help on a number of different projects:
- Continue to support the 10 members of staff and their families who depend on their ashram incomes
- Educational and medical sponsorships for locals
- Support of a Sadhu
- Animal welfare
- Upkeep of the heritage building and experimental organic farm
- Waste management projects
- Women’s cooperative and empowerment programs (after lockdown)
- Camps for children and groups (after lockdown)
One of our aims is ‘Simple Living and High Thinking’, following the Gandhian principle: the world has enough for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.
We try to live simply by being comfortable with less. We really appreciate your help and goodwill, and if you would like to make a donation of your time instead, we warmly welcome volunteers who are hardworking, experienced and dedicated.
Ways to give
Impact Guru
Donations can be made online via Impact Guru, link on request.
Shankar Prasad Foundation
Cheques may be made out to ‘Shankar Prasad Foundation’.
Current A/C 31648835456
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When making any donation, please email these details to swamiyogaratna@gmail.com, (1) your name and residential address, (2) the purpose of your donation, (3) the amount and currency, and (4) the date of transfer. This ensures your donation is used for the purpose you intended.
Shankar Prasad Foundation is a Public Charitable Trust (Regd. No. I-V/201/2010’11), with Income Tax Registration Certificate No. DIT(E) BLR/12/A A/S-2295/ AAJTS9640R/ITO(E)-3/Vol 2011-2012, dated 25/10/2011. Tax exemption under 80G will be available soon, please inquire. Thank you.