Badarikashrama Temple and Ashrama

Today I am going to dedicate this post to my two Swamijis.... I have found that though their work has been profound, people's knowledge of it has been scarce. So this is the beginning of my attempt to bring their life's work to light.... Please join me as I introduce you to two remarkable people, and the Temple they founded.

Badarikashrama

Swami Omkarananda & Swami Mangalananda

   Badarikashrama Temple, in San Leandro, California, is a Hindu religious and cultural center which is designed to serve devotees in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was founded in 1984 by Swami Omkarananda and supports the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a     19^th-Century mystic saint, and his disciple, Swami Vivekananda. They were both influencial participants of the Hindu Renaissance, that began towards the tail end of the 19^th century.

Shortly thereafter, Swamiji’s disciple, Swami Mangalananda, directed the grand opening of an ashrama in Madihalli, Karnataka. Since it’s inauguration, the India Center has grown from a temple on a plot of 2 acres, to a full scale religious center on a plot of 52 acres. From Sunday sermons and langar, it has expanded to include visitors’ quarters and a full-scale school for children, ages 5 to 16 years.

Today, both centers stand as beacons of hope to their communities. Prayers and Prasad are accompanied by music and dance to lift the universal psyche of mankind. Go to their website at  www.badarikashrama.org  and look over their events calendar. Something may jump out at you as the perfect opportunity to a personal exploration of your spirit.