Archives Timeline Stories
Jagadeeshwara Temple Inauguration
On the auspicious day of 10 November 1968, Lord Siva was ceremonially invoked at the inauguration of the majestic Jagadeeshwara temple on the top of a hillock in the tranquil grounds of Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Mumbai. Gurudev with his scriptural knowledge, guided the inauguration and installation ceremony. The Kalasha Puja with the holy waters of the Ganga straight from Gomukh was followed by a sacred anointing of the idol of Lord Siva with the other divine idols.
Long-Distance Vedanta
To address the challenges of distance, time, and access, Gurudev launched the postal tuition course on the fundamentals of Vedanta in 1966. This course laid the foundation for the many long-distance learning programs developed by Chinmaya Mission in the years to come. Remarkably, until His Mahasamadhi, Gurudev personally responded by correspondence to every doubt and question raised by students, making the learning experience deeply personal and enriching.
Launch of Chinmaya Vidyalayas
Guided by Gurudev’s vision for value-based education, the first Chinmaya Vidyalaya was established as a nursery school in Kollengode, Kerala. The Queen of Vengunad, Radha Devi Namboodiripad, generously offered part of her palace grounds, and K.P.S. Menon, former ambassador to Russia, lent his support as a patron. Today, the CCMT Education Cell oversees 81 Chinmaya Vidyalayas across India, one in Trinidad, 9 Chinmaya Colleges, and 14 Chinmaya Vision Schools, continuing to nurture generations with knowledge and values.
Vedanta to the World - First Global Tour
Gurudev’s first global tour (7 March - 24 June 1965) carried the essence of Hinduism and its universal applicability. He said, “With a heart full of love for all mankind, we undertake this pilgrimage to see Him in all and to show to all, Him who is in the heart of everyone.” In under four months, Gurudev’s tour covered three continents and 39 cities, paving way for 26 more world tours until His Mahasamadhi in 1993.
A Unified Hindu Venture - VHP
The plan for Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) was developed on 29-30 August 1964, in the sacred ashram of Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Mumbai, around the auspicious time of Krishna Janmashtami. Named “Vishwa Hindu Parishad” to spearhead a World Hindu Convention in 1966, it was envisioned as a spiritual and cultural body with no political affiliation. Gurudev, as the first acting President, welcomed over sixty delegates from the different branches of Hinduism to unite, spread, and strengthen the Hindu values of living worldwide.
CCMT as Governing Body
To streamline the expanding activities, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust (CCMT) was establsihed on 27 June 1964. Working for the organisational development of the Mission, CCMT serves as the head office and the governing authority, ensuring coordination across the various wings and global branches of Chinmaya Mission.
Swami Sivananda’s Mahasamadhi
An exemplary Karma Yogi who truly lived the ideology of “Serve, Love, Meditate, Realize,” Swami Sivananda of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, attained Mahasamadhi on 14 July 1963. He was the dynamic sage who turned Balakrishnan Menon, a skeptic journalist, into Swami Chinmayananda, the charismatic Jivanmukta, by initiating him (Diksha) into sannyasa on 25 February 1949. When Gurudev heard the news of the Mahasamadhi of His Diksha-Guru, He undertook a tapovrata - severe austerities that lasted a whole year.
Vedanta Course Inauguration
On the shores of the Powai Lake in Bombay (now Mumbai), to fulfil Gurudev’s vision of a future army of Rishi Putras or Hindu missionaries, the first Vedantic Institute was inaugurated with His opening address: “On Tapovan Day, January 9,1963, the Sandeepany Sadhanalaya shall come to light….This Sadhanalaya stands for the revival of our glorious culture, a culture that will run as a golden chord, binding us all as one people of divine nobility and spiritual brotherhood.”
Launch of Tapovan Prasad
On 30 December 1962, Tapovan Prasad, the first official journal of Chinmaya Mission, was published by Tara Cultural Trust. Its very name indicated that all the work of Chinmaya Mission was an offering unto Parama Guru Swami Tapovan Maharaj. Right from its launch, Tapovan Prasad has reflected the growth and vision of Chinmaya Mission, offering a monthly overview of its spiritual and organisational activities. The magazine’s motto from the Bhagavad Gita, “O Kaunteya! Know for certain – My devotee shall never perish,” is a powerful reassurance to every seeker.
Women-powered Centenary Yajna
In His opening address at the Centenary Jnana Yajna (1 February - 2 March 1962) Gurudev said, "It is very auspicious to find that the women of Madras, as a Committee of ladies, are organising the hundredth yajna….In this 100th yajna, we will go one step further. We will not so much as discuss how to tune up our instruments of the mind and intellect; we will see what exactly is the Divine Centre in each one of us.”