Source of Inspiration

     By the divine touch of the lotus feet Lord Sri Rama the embodiment of Dharma, in the age of Treta, Ahalya devi manifested in to a resplendent being who did severe penance in an unmanifested form lying like a stone cursed by Sage Gautama. So it is said that "Saadhunaam darsanam punyam, sparshanam papa nashanam". Such holy places hallowed by the godly influence of many a great sages and saints abound every nook and corner, adorning the sacred land of Bharat from the time immemorial.

     Drawn by Eswara sankalpa Pujya Swamini Saradapriyananda Mathaji, received a piece of barren land in a burial ground donated by the villagers for establishing an ashram in a remote village in the drought prone Kadapa district, in Andhra Pradesh. Sri Gurudev's first visit to this place on 8th Feb., 1982 was to conduct Bhoomi puja.

      Recalling this event Mathaji said... "8th Feb. 1982 early morning by 7.30 AM. Sri Gurudev’s car entered the Ellayapalli village which is about one mile from the main road, without any regular road but foot paths leading in many

directions. We enquired the way and reached the Ellayapalli  village. That was the day of Bhoomi puja. Gurudev was walking along the two streets of Ellayapalle village. The people were just staring at, without even coming out of their huts and not knowing what to do. But in harizan lane an elderly man came out of his hut lifting up his hands in salutations. Immediately Sri Gurudev embraced in all love and said loudly saying "Hari Om..! Hari Om...!!. That was the real Bhoomi puja for Chinmayaranyam Complex. In his long vision Sri Gurudev set in motion the forces that were to operate there and the type of services that were to come up".

      Sri Gurudev sprinkling milk, turmeric water, sacred rice and flowers worshipped Mother Earth and sanctified the twenty-four acre land by his tapas and prayers. He narrated the story of the young man who worked upon a dry piece of land to convert it into a beautiful garden and illustrated how man had to offer only two percent as his contribution to anything from Nature. The Lord would bless the man by doing the other 98 percent.

Sri Gurudev proclaimed that this Ashram would be a new type of Ashram where the poor and needy would be served with love and affection. It would set an example to the whole country to show how village uplift had to be done.

     The village had two wells of which one was dry and the second would go dry any moment. Against this background Swamiji was visualizing a forest around the Ashram, which to many appeared to be a pipe dream. Pointing out with his walking stick to two banyan trees, standing on either side of the land, Swamiji said, "Dig along the line that connects the two trees. Water is sure to come." And yes, water did sprout forth from the well when it was dug.

     In this context Pujya Amma expressing her adoration towards her Master remarked, "Where He sits is a Temple and where He treads is hallowed ground"

     From the day One, the Ashram grew in a miraculous manner expanding into Chinmayaranyam Complex, gloriously manifesting the Will of God and Guru through the inspired and unstinting efforts, tireless tapas, and divine determination of Pujya Amma. We invite each and every one in the global Chinmaya Family to join us and help us continue to keep the Chinmaya Vision alive and glowing in Chinmayaranyam.

     Chinmayaranyam has become a focal point for other affiliated institutions namely Chinmayaranyam-Trikoota, Chinmaya Sarada Tapovanam, Chinmaya Yoga Ashramam, Geeta Ashramam, Chinmaya Balanivas, Chinmayaranyam Publications Trust. All the Ashrams are engaged in the work of spreading the spiritual message to the seekers and providing facilities for meditation, satsang etc.

Swamini Seelananda, one of the foremost among the disciples of Swamini Amma, is presently the Head of the Chinmayaranyam group of Ashrams.

     Let us walk through what happens in Chinmayaranyam......!!!