Traditionally, an ashram (Sanskrit/Hindi: आश्रम) is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo.

An ashram would typically, but not always, be located far from human habitation, in forests or mountainous regions, amidst refreshing natural surroundings conducive to spiritual instruction and meditation. The residents of an ashram regularly performed spiritual and physical exercises, such as the various forms of Yoga. Other sacrifices and penances, such as Yajnas were also performed. Many ashrams also served as Gurukuls or residential schools for children.

Ashrams have been a powerful symbol throughout Hindu history and theology. Most Hindu kings, until the Middle Ages, are known to have had a sage who would advise the royal family in spiritual matters, or in times of crisis, who was called the rajguru, which literally translates to royal teacher. A world-weary emperor going to this guru's ashram, and finding solace and tranquility, is a recurring motif in many folktales and legends of ancient India.

Sri Ramana Maharshi (Tamil: ரமண மஹரிஷி) (December 30, 1879 – April 14, 1950), born Venkataraman Iyer, was a Hindu spiritual master ("jnani"). He was born to a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu. After experiencing at age 16 what he later described as liberation (moksha), he left home for Arunachala, a mountain considered sacred by Hindus. He lived at the mountain for the rest of his life. Although born a Brahmin, he declared himself an "Atiasrami", a Sastraic state of non-attachment to anything in life and beyond all caste restrictions. The ashram that grew around him, Sri Ramana Ashram, is situated at the foothill of Arunchala, to the west to the pilgrimage town of Tiruvannamalai.

Sri Ramana Maharshi maintained that the purest form of his teachings was the powerful silence which radiated from his presence and quieted the minds of those attuned to it. He gave verbal teachings only for the benefit of those who could not understand his silence (or, perhaps, could not understand how to attain the silent state). His verbal teachings were said to flow from his direct experience of Atman as the only existing reality. When asked for advice, he recommended self-enquiry as the fastest path to moksha. Though his primary teaching is associated with Non-dualism, Advaita Vedanta, and Jnana yoga, he recommended Bhakti to those he saw were fit for it, and gave his approval to a variety of paths and practices.

Julie's Haircut is an Italian progressive rock group formed in Emilia between Modena and Reggio Emilia in 1994. They sing in English.

Active since 1994, Julie’s Haircut is a six piece collective from northern Italy. Their debut album “Fever in the funk house” (Gammapop, 1999), a strange mixture of garage rock, noisy psychedelia and pop melodies was hailed at by the Italian critics as one of the best debuts in Italian indie rock. The follow-up “Stars never looked so bright” (Gammapop, 2001) mixed these elements with a more soulful approach, mirroring the love for 60’s black music nurtured by the band. In 2003, after switching to Homesleep Records Julie’s Haircut released their third album “Adult situations”, the first to be internationally distributed. Here, melody and odd psychedelia mingle in a more personal way. By 2005 the music of Julie’s Haircut has moved forward towards more experimental grounds, focusing on improv and sound research, without losing touch with the groove and melody that characterized their music since day one. The result is their latest album “After dark, my sweet” (Homesleep, 2006), featuring former Spacemen 3 Sonic Boom, acclaimed as one of the best alternative Italian albums of the year. In 2006 they also functioned as “sound carriers” for some performances of former Can singer Damo Suzuki, thus entering the Damo Suzuki Network and consolidating a warm relationship with the japanese/german artist. In 2009 their new double album "Our Secret Ceremony" is released by A Silent Place. Their new 10” single, featuring cover versions of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Tarot, from “The Holy Mountain” OST and Nino Rota’s O Venezia Venaga Venusia, from the "Fellini’s Casanova” OST, is released in june 2011. In june 2012 the new ep "The Wildlife Variations" is released through Woodworm Music & Trovarobato.

Uttam Kumar (3 September 1926 – 24 July 1980) is one of the most famous names of Indian Bengali Cinema. Born Arun Kumar Chatterjee in 1926 at Ahiritola, North Calcutta he is widely known as Uttam Kumar and Mahanayak (The great hero). He remains as much of a cultural icon as he had been in his lifetime. A versatile actor, director, producer, singer and music director, his multifaceted talent earned him much acclaim and adulation.

Uttam Kumar was born in Kolkata in the home of his maternal uncle at Ahiritola, while his ancestral house is on Girish Mukherjee Road, Bhowanipore, Kolkata. After his schooling in South Suburban School (Main), he went for higher studies in Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration, a college affiliated to the University of Calcutta. He could not, however, complete his studies and started working at the Kolkata Port as a clerk. During this period, he acted in amateur theatre groups. His prodigious joint family had its own theatre group, the Suhrid Samaj, which staged many amateur shows.

Sharmila Tagore (born 8 December 1946) is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances. She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011. In December 2005 she was chosen as an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Sharmila was born in a Hindu Bengali family in Hyderabad State to Gitindranath Tagore who was then deputy general manager of the East India Company owner of Elgin Mills. Gitindranath was the son of Kanakendranath Tagore who is the son of noted painter Gaganendranath Tagore. She attended St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School and Loreto Convent, Asansol. She is the great-grand niece of noted poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Sharmila began her career as an actress in Satyajit Ray's 1959 Bengali film Apur Sansar (The World of Apu), as the ill-fated bride of the title character. She appeared in a number of Ray films, often co-starring with Soumitra Chatterjee.