Entry No. 33 — the Pueblo file — filed under: witchy

Haidakhandi Universal Ashram

Crestone has fewer than 150 permanent residents and more than 20 functioning spiritual centers — and this ashram is one of the stranger ones to actually walk into. A resident community of Babaji devotees burns a daily havan fire in the open lawns while chanting Om Namah Shivaya, the smoke drifting up toward the Sangre de Cristo peaks overhead. The Mahalakshmi Temple is open to drop-in visitors, who sometimes end up staying for a satvik lunch, a tour of the shrine rooms, and a blessed mala pressed into their hands on the way out. Western seekers and initiated monastics share the same chai kettle here, which is either completely normal in Crestone or completely not, depending on your frame.

The move: Drive up on a full or new moon morning (10am ceremony), wander the garden and greenhouse beforehand, then attend the havan fire ceremony and let the bhajan singing do whatever it does to you.

📍 Before you go Camino Baca Grande is a paved road into the Baca Grande subdivision — no high-clearance required. Dress modestly: legs and shoulders covered; women in long skirts, men in long pants. The Maha Lakshmi gift shop is a separate entry point if the temple gate is unattended.

• 📍 Crestone
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 2349 Camino Baca Grande, Crestone, CO 81131

Hours: Added 2026-06-21 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-21