Skanda Vale

Skanda Vale is a non-denominational spiritual centre and monastery located in Carmarthenshire, Wales, near the village of Llanpumsaint. Founded in 1973 by Guru Sri Subramanium, the monastery is inhabited and run by the Community of the Many Names of God, which also runs Somaskanda Ashram in Switzerland. Skanda Vale promotes a practical spirituality centred on devotion and selfless service. Skanda Vale is a syncretic religious community, albeit one that is seen from the outside as being a Hindu ashram. The monastics take Franciscan Christian vows of poverty, obedience and chastity and wear Christian monk-style robes. The ethos is based on Krishna's teachings from the Bhagavad Gita and sanatana dharma. The main shrines are to Hindu deities, and the pujas are clearly Hindu, however most monks and nuns are from western backgrounds. The temples are a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from Tamil and South Indian backgrounds who worship Murugan. Gujuratis and Bengalis visit the temples of Vishnu and Shakti. Skanda Vale is a registered charity in the UK and is funded entirely by donations. It is closely associated with the legally separate charity that sustains Skanda Vale Hospice.