Chinmaya Mission Timeline
The Chinmaya Internal Foundation (CIF), registered at Cochin (now Kochi) in Kerala on 25 April 1989, was envisioned by Gurudev as a “temple of study and research, a center of Hindu culture, and a life-giving bridge between science and spirituality.” Housed in the sacred maternal home of Shri Adi Sankaracharya,…Read More
In the remote, backward Mukkavaripalli, Andhra Pradesh on 23 March 23 1986, Swamini Saradapriyananda inaugurated the first Harihar School. “In order to serve the poorest of the poor in the villages, we have now started, under the Mission, the first of a series of’ Harihar Schools. The Hari Har Vocational…Read More
With Vedanta as the guiding principle and selfless seva (service) as the driving motto, the Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development (CORD) took its first steps as the Chinmaya Rural Primary Health Care and Training Centre (CRPHC&TC) on 10 April 1985. Inaugurating it, Gurudev Chinmayananda expressed His purpose behind CORD thus:…Read More
On 21 October 1983, Gurudev offered a rare and precious gift through a special Diksha ceremony, initiating Br. Vivek Chaitanya as Swami Tejomayananda, who would later serve as Pujya Guruji and head the Mission from 1993–2016. On the very next day, Gurudev sanctified the Vanvaasi Shri Ram-Sita Mandir at Sidhbari…Read More
The 22-foot Hanuman idol at the Sidhbari Ashram was consecrated by Gurudev to protect the place from strong winds. Crafted from a simple sketch drawn by Gurudev, Standing on a 6-foot pedestal, the majestic idol was envisioned to bring a sense of divine magic, and sacred wonder to the entire…Read More
On 8 February 8 1982, after performing Bhumi Puja to sanctify the 24-acre land of the remote, dry, and poor Ellayapalli village in the Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh, Gurudev signaled its transformation into a spiritual haven. The Chinmayaranyam ashram became the site for a Telugu Sandeepany with its first…Read More
Sandeepany Himalayas (HIM) in the serene, sacred Sidhbari, commenced its first two-year Vedanta Course in Hindi after a memorable inaugural ceremony on 25-26 April 1981. Located between Dharamsala and the Yol Cantonment in the lush Kangra Valley, crowned by the snowcapped Dhauladhar mountains, Sidhbari presented an ideal and serene setting…Read More
On 7 November 1979, Chinmaya Mission West (CMW) inaugurated its first Vedanta Course outside India (1979–81), with about forty-two students, at Krishnalaya Ashram in Piercy, California – the first property acquired by CMW. Gurudev fondly called it the “Sandeepany of the West.” Set amidst the serene beauty of Northern California,…Read More