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Duncan and Andrea visit Ganga Prem Hospice 2017

In the spring of 2017, after the Devon Yoga Festival having donated to the Ganga Prem hospice since 2012, Duncan Hulin and his partner Andrea Guest had the opportunity to visit Nani Ma, the inspiration behind Ganga Prem Hospice.

Duncan and Andrea: "We arrived in Haridwar after a ten hour car journey from Shimla in the mountains. We arrived at our homestay close to the banks of mother Ganga just before sundown which was auspicious timing as after a two minute walk we were able to join in with a small fire aarti ceremony. Our homestay was the home of the late Harish Johari the author of a number books on yoga and ayurveda. His daughter Seema now runs the house as a homestay and centre for continuing her father's work.

The following day, Seema organised a car and driver to take us to the Ganga Prem hospice after speaking to Nani Ma in the morning to arrange a time in the afternoon.
It took the driver several wrong turns, asking locals etc before he found Nani Ma's house.

We were welcomed and invited in where Nani Ma told us the story of how the Ganga Prem has come about. We chatted for an hour or so in amongst looking at and admiring the beauty of life of three five day old kittens who still hadn't opened their eyes.

Her simple home also functions as a small ashram with a couple of rooms for visitors and a shrine to her Guru and Gurus.

The hospice is situated halfway between Haridwar and Rishikesh in a perfect location which is quiet and peaceful, surrounded by small scale farmsteads with the Ganga nearby and the Himalayan foothills in the distance. It is an ideal setting for those suffering to experience their final embodied days. From the inspired outset of the idea less than ten years ago, it is quite a feat that soon the first residence will be taken in. The building is being completed in three stages with stage one almost complete and the further stages will happen as ongoing funds allow. After this July's 2017 Devon Yoga Festival, we look forward to making our annual donation."

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Ganga Prem construction site, phase 1 soon to be taking in residents

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Traditional shrine construction to be the focal point of the hospice

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Nani Ma, who's inspiration is behind the hospice