Swarupananda
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Sri Sri Swami Swarupananda Paramhanshadev was born Bankim Chandra Gangopadhyay (nickname ‘Baltu’) on 26th December, 1899 in Dualli 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 Kumillah.
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 Kolkata 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 Giri who named this new disciple as Akhanda Mandaleshwar Swami Swarupananda Paramhanshadev. However, his followers used to respectfully address him as '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. Then came up a school for boys and girls, 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.
Though a Karmayogin from the core of his heart, the bustle of activity could not subdue his inner longings to usher the common folk of the country to the altar of the divine. ‘Ajachak Ashram’ – the ashram he had opened back in 1937 in a rented house at Varanasi became the instrument in fulfilling this long-cherished desire of his. Convinced that the sacred Mantra, Om or the Pranava, would be able to unify people from all walks of life while taking them up the spiritual ladder, Swarupanandaji gave this Mantra to whoever approached him for initiation. Despite the stiff resistance from a section of local Brahmins who considered widespread initiation of the ordinary people with the Pranava as sacrilegious to this holy mantra, Swarupanandaji moved ahead with his plan and brought thousands of ordinary individuals on the road to the Almighty.
On 27th April, 1984, he left this mortal body for the heavenly abode in the lap of the Spirit.
Please visit Babamani's site at http://babamani.tripod.com
