An ashram is a
religious retreat, usually run by a
Hindu sage or
guru, living in an isolated area,
instructing a group of
disciples.
The term comes from a
sanskrit word, srama, meaning 'religious exercise'.
Ashrams are popular stopping off points for Western youth, lugging their
backpacks across
India, searching for their
souls, their
meaning, or simply something to do in the year before going to
college (hoping to learn to
meditate and impress their fellow
students with hints of
tantric sex secrets).