The place is also known for a Radha-Krishna temple, Uttar Brindaban, built in 1931 [5] by Sri Yashoda Ma, the founder and the spiritual head of the ashram.

[6] Yashoda Ma (née Monika Devi) [7] was the wife of Gyanendra Nath Chakravarti, the first vice-chancellor of Lucknow University, who was a well-known theosophist.

Later, in 1928, Monika Devi took the vows of sannyasa (renunciation), under the name 'Sri Yashoda Ma',[11] and a shortly afterwards, Ronald Nixon under the name, 'Sri Krishna Prem'; he was later known as Gopal Da, at the Ashram, which they together established in 1930.

Amongst its early inhabitants were Moti Rani (Yashoda Ma's youngest daughter) and Major Robert Dudley Alexander, who retired from his post of Principal, Lucknow Medical College prematurely, to be with Shri Krishna Prem.

Mirtola Ashram became a pilgrimage for Indian theosophists and started working extensively with the local communities pioneering hill farming techniques which he encouraged them to adopt,[16] a work for which Sri Madhava Ashish was awarded the Padma Shri in 1992 by the Indian government,[17] he later died on 13 April 1997,[18] succeeded by his disciple, Sri Dev Ashish.