Baba Ramdev is perhaps the most famous of India’s men in saffron. His witty talk on TV, his actual performance of yoga asanas in public and his gregarious nature have endeared him to legions of people all over India. Even children love to watch his programmes. The Divya Yog trust that he belongs to “endeavours to establish a learning centre where in it will be the prime objective to foster education based on modern scientific learning; to promote a healthy mind and a vibrant body enabling facilitation of spiritual development to rejuvenate latent noble virtues in children so that their lives epitomize the values of beauty, dedication, and rationalism.”
The headquarters of the trust, situated on the banks of the Ganges, was built in 1932 by Swami Kripalu Dev Ji Maharaj. Incidentally, the ashram gave shelter tothe revolutionary, Rash Bihari Bose (famous for the bomb conspiracy and who was carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head. |
A hug from her, some murmured words in Malayalam, is all that her devoptees crave for. Mata Amritanandmayi was born in 1953 in the village of Parayakadavu in Kerala. From the age of around six, Mata Amritanandmayi began to sing the divine names of God. Through the intensity of her devotion to Krishna, she reached a state of universal consciousness. By the late 1970’s spiritual seekers from all around India began arriving at her ashram at Quilton in Kerala. She says that all the gods are within and a divine incarnation can manifest any of them at will. This Ashram serves as home to over a thousand full-time residents.
The Mata Amritanandmayi Mission Trust, under the benign guidance of Amma, is involved in humanitarian activities for the most disadvantaged sections of society She feels that doing social service helps one build compassion for those who are less fortunate. She has travelled to many countries on the invitation of her disciples and established various ashrams. |
