All those who run away to ashrams, thinking they are doing something great are just performing daily chores there - cooking, gardening etc. After all, the place has to be run.

In this quote, Tanushree Dutta critiques the idea of ashrams as places of spiritual enlightenment or transcendence. She suggests that many people who run away to ashrams, believing they are engaging in something great or sacred, are, in fact, simply performing everyday chores like cooking and gardening. Dutta’s perspective highlights the irony that these individuals may be seeking spiritual or personal growth but are instead engaged in the practical and mundane tasks required to maintain the functioning of the ashram.

By mentioning that "the place has to be run," Dutta emphasizes the reality that, like any organization or community, an ashram also requires administration and maintenance. The act of focusing on chores like cooking and gardening, while seemingly meaningful in the context of the ashram, may detract from the higher ideals of spiritual pursuit that many people associate with these places. She points out the practicality of running such an establishment, suggesting that the focus on spirituality can sometimes be overshadowed by the demands of everyday operations.

Dutta’s comment also touches on the notion of illusion versus reality. Many people romanticize the idea of going to an ashram for spiritual awakening, but Dutta implies that the reality of life there is grounded in practical, physical work. This undermines the idealized version of an ashram as a place solely for profound spiritual transformation, making it more of a community where basic tasks need to be carried out to keep the place running smoothly.

Ultimately, Dutta’s quote offers a critique of how spiritual pursuits are often intertwined with the practicalities of life. It suggests that the simple act of living and working within an ashram may not always lead to the profound spiritual awakening people expect, but rather involves mundane tasks that are essential to the ashram’s function.