The day starts long before the city does. Somewhere around four, a bell moves through the corridor, and by five the prayer hall is filling with the low, steady sound of bhajans.

You are welcome, not obliged

Guests are invited to every part of the routine and required to attend none of it. Sit at the back, keep your phone away, and you will be entirely unremarkable — which is the point.

The quiet hours

Between breakfast and the afternoon, the courtyard empties. This is the best time to read, write, or walk. Evenings return to the prayer hall, and most gates are locked by ten.