Establishment of Gayatri Tirtha in Shantikunj, Hardwar

I returned from the Himalayas in 1972 to Hardwar where I had already got a small building named Shantikunj built earlier. It was sufficient for the stay of Mataji and devkanyas whop were living with her. More land was purchased and cinctruction work was started. The idea was to develop it into a Risi Asram. In the begining living accommodation for myself, my colleagues and guests along with a kitchen, was built.

This Asram symbolies Devatma Himalaya and hence symbolic temples of Ganga, Uttrakhand and seven Risis, other important Risis were built here. Within two years the temple of Adys-sakti Gayatri, wells and the meeting hall were also built and shantikunj was turned into a tapasthali (a center for spiritual pursuits). A small room for installing the idol of Gayatri Mata and the Akhand Dip had already been built earlier.

Twenty-four purascaranas of twenty-four lakhs each were to be performed to awaken the dormant energy (sanskars) of this land which was lying barren since long. In the begining nine virgin girls performed jap for four hours in tjhe day and four in the night. Later, the number of the girls was increased to 27. They were all trained and taught by Mataji and after a period six years they all attained the standards of graduation and post-graduation. All these girls were suitably married between the ages of twenty to twenty-five years. Earlier, all these girls, numbering more than hundred, were trained in music and in delivering religious discourse and were sent throught the country in batches of five spreading the message of the mission, especially in awakening of women all over the country.

The work of moulding and preparing vibrant and brilliant workers was taken in hand at haridwar and for thgis Pran pratyavartan camps, Yug-shilpi camps, Vanprastha camps of the duration of month each were organized. The holy atmosphere of Shantikunj situated on the banks of the holy Ganga in the lap of the Himalayas surcharged with spiritual vibrations attracted and inspired hundreds of persons who participated in the series of small and big Gayatri- Puruscaranas which were started here for general cateogary of sadhaks. Side by side, the training of self-sacrificing vanprasthis, who had dedicated their sadhaks were supplied with free food. The number of such sadhaks continued steadily increasing. The services of such self-scarifying, devout, full-time sadhaks who were in conscious process of spiritual awakening were needed to revive Risi traditins by engaging them in the spread of this momentous missionary task.