Swarupananda

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Swami Swarupananda

Sri Sri Swami Swarupananda Paramhanshadev was born Bankim Chandra Gangopadhyay (nickname ‘Baltu’) on 26 December 1899 ( Birthday :: Bengali 1294 dusra mangalbar in Pous, English calendar December 1885 from a different source) in Chandpur, Dist.Chandpur in Dhaka, Bangladesh. His father, Satish Chandra Gangopadhyay, led the life of an ascetic despite the usual burdens of a householder. Mamata Devi, his mother, was instrumental in fostering the early signs of spirituality that sprouted in the initial years of little Baltu. The family known for their erudition and philanthropic activities resided at village Chandpur in the district of Chandpur. It is bounded by Munshiganj District and Comilla District on the north, Noakhali District, Lakshmipur District and Barisal District on the south, Comilla District on the east, and Meghna River, Shariatpur District and Munshiganj District on the west.

As years raced by, it became gradually evident that the child was quite unusual and not like the other boys he used to play with. While the other boys played, Baltu sat motionless underneath a tree meditating for hours in lonely grounds of Chandpur.

After he passed with distinction from Pogos School in Dakha, he came to Calcutta and took admission in Surendranath College. The British were then ruling India and under their governance, the plight of the commonfolk was truly horrible. As such, when the Nationalists urged the students to abandon their classes and plunge into the struggle for freeing their motherland from the rule of the British, Bankim harboured no second thought. A prolific writer, young Bankim started writing letters in Bengali—his native language—in order to motivate the revolutionaries who dedicated their lives to free their motherland from the shackles of bondage. As a result, he was arrested a few times for the charges of fomenting conspiracy against the government.

Once the country was independent, Bankim Chandra Gangopadhyay took formal vows of Sannyas on the occasion of Maha Kumbha at Haridwar from Mahamandaleshwar Jayendra Puri who named this new disciple as Akhanda Mandaleshwar Swami Swarupananda Paramhanshadev. However, his followers used to respectfully address him as 'Babamani'.

Babamani

Next, Swarupanandaji plunged into what he had been nurturing since long—to found an ashram where he could shape up his ideals. After some search, he decided to set up his ashram at Pupanki, an arid forlorn village near Dhanbad in Jharkhand. A smallish dam, named 'Mangal Sagar' was built with the help of the local inhabitants in order to ensure supply of water round the year.

Mangalkutir, Pupunki

Then came up a residential school for boys only, the Ashram building named 'Mangal Kutir', the Guesthouse and the Multiversity. The Multiversity was inaugurated on 1st January, 1974 to give final shape to his long-cherished ideals. Thus, Pupanki ashram played a pivotal role to bring about all-round development in the locality.

He died on 21 April 1984