Built in 1936 by devotees, a simple mud-walled one-roomed kutia sheltered Swami Tapovan Maharaj until his Mahasamadhi in January,1957. The kutia is located on the hillside with a view of the soaring mountains and the rushing gurgling Ganges below.

The river Bhagirathi, headstream of the Ganges, flowing fast below, gives out a continuous soothing sound likened to the praanava, Om. Like a magnet, the Ganges draws us down the hill to become still and watch the eternal flow, symbol of Vedantic knowledge.
The one-room kutia, is now the centre of a more extensive ashram, but the humble cottage is a locus of silence and serenity, still retaining the simplicity and spiritual vibration of the glorious renunciant who dwelled there.

Swami Tapovan was an ardent devotee of Soumya Kasi, the deity of the ancient Kashi Viswanath temple located in the town centre. Monks in the Himalayas referred to Swami Tapovan as the Spiritual Bird of Sowmya Kashi - a bird possessed of the freedom and strength needed to reach great heights. Maharaj sat there in meditation daily.

The temple is steeped in antiquity and is said to have been established by sage Parshuram. Though the shrine is small the murti is a large 56cm dark granite svayambhu(self-born) lingam tilted slightly to the right. Its power is palpable.
The murti always heavily garlanded with Dhuttara kanaka(datura), marigolds and bilva leaves is worshipped by a continuous stream of devotees who come to bathe the lingam with water from the nearby Ganges. The Devi shrine nearby is equally mysterious and powerful with its huge vibrating trident

Tapovan Kuti is a divine destination for spiritual camps and retreats organized by Mission Acharyas, and the ashram welcomes pilgrims and devotees seeking a short reverential sojourn with Guru Maharaj to enrich their sadhana.
Students taking the Vedanta course at the Mission's Sandeepany Ashrams spend a month or two at this hallowed retreat, where their study is deepened by the divine vibrations all about them and the potent legacy of Swami Tapovanam and his ardent student.
Bandaras, or feeding of sadhus, is a frequent occurrence at Tapovan Kuti and the reverence of the sadhus for Swami Tapovanam is truly moving to witness.