About us

Swami Vivekananda, during his time as a wandering monk in 1890, visited Haridwar–Rishikesh belt and witnessed the miserable condition of thousands of monks, pilgrims, and poor people who gathered there.

He intensely felt that something must be done in this regard. He himself was afflicted by Malaria and required medical attention which was far from satisfactory. This made a deep impression on him. Later after returning to Belur Math, Kolkata, Swamiji called his disciple Swami Kalyanananda (1874–1937) and entrusted him with a specific mission, "Look here, Kalyan, can you do something for the sick and ailing monks around the Rishikesh-Haridwar belt? There is no one to look after them. Go and devote yourself to their service."

Obeying his Guru's command, Swami Kalyanananda arrived at Kankhal in June 1901, acquired a small plot of land between Haridwar and Kankhal, and established a modest charitable dispensary that gradually evolved into the Sevashrama we see now.

Armed with only a few medicines and boundless dedication, he walked through Haridwar and Rishikesh searching for sick monks, carried them to the Sevashrama, cooked for them, dressed their wounds, washed their clothes, and even cleaned their bedpans himself.

Later in 1902, Swami Nishchayananda (1865-1934) joined him. Their work initially faced criticism from orthodox ascetics, who regarded nursing patients and cleaning them as unsuitable for monks.

This opposition gradually disappeared through the support of Swami Dhanraj Giri of Kailash Ashrama, whose public endorsement earned the Sevashrama widespread acceptance.

The Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal, stands as a living expression of Swami Vivekananda's ideal of worshipping God through selfless service to humanity. Swami Vivekananda explained to his disciple, “Kalyan, do you know what I want? I want that on one side there will be Sri Ramakrishna's temple where monks and brahmacharins will perform meditation and other spiritual practices, and thereafter they will apply what they have gained by these practices in their practical field of work.”

From these humble beginnings, the Sevashrama grew into one of the Ramakrishna Mission's foremost institutions of medical service, continuing to uphold our timeless ideal.

SHORT LIFE OF SWAMI KALYANANANDA

The life of Swami Kalyanananda was wholly dedicated to the welfare of mankind. It remains a perennial source of inspiration and a saga of selfless service for all those who take up service as a spiritual practice.

Born as Dakshinaranjan Guha in 1874 in Barishal district (now in Bangladesh), he came in touch with Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and the Lectures of Swami Vivekananda and was deeply impressed. He thus joined the Ramakrishna monastery at Belur in the year 1898. Swami Vivekananda accepted him as a disciple and initiated him into Sannyasa vows by giving the name Swami Kalyanananda. Observing his extraordinary devotion and obedience, Swami Vivekananda blessed him by saying, ‘Kalyan, you will be a Paramahamsa’. He surrendered himself fully at the feet of his Guru and gave his whole life to the cause of service and spirituality.

One day, Swami Vivekananda called him aside and told him, ‘Look here Kalyan, can you do something for the sick and ailing monks around the Rishikesh-Haridwar belt? There is no one to look after them. Go and devote yourself to their service.’ With this command of Swamiji in his heart he came to Kankhal near Haridwar in 1901 to carry out the task he was thus given. He took it up in right earnest with the motto given by Swamiji: ‘For the liberation of one’s self and for the good of the world’.

For thirty-six long years, until his passing away on 20^th October, 1937, Kalyan Maharaj continued to serve the cause of service and sadhana by establishing now well-known Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, a hospital aimed at serving the holy men as well as the poor and the needy. His life was a shining light of renunciation and service, worship of God in man and love for mankind. He demonstrated through his personal example as to how to apply the principles of Vedanta in practice by seeing the Supreme Divine Reality in all beings in day-to-day life.

Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal is a living memorial to this spirit of service and love which has inspired thousands to the ideal of service and spirituality.

For a detailed account of his life and contribution, please read Monastic Disciple of Swami Vivekananda, by Swami Abjajananda, published by Advita Ashrama, Kolkata. www.advaitaashrama.org

SHORT LIFE OF SWAMI NISCHAYANANDA

‘By serving God in man as preached by Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nishchayananda attained that abode which is attained by the Jnanis (the seekers of non-dual realization) through knowledge, the Bhaktas (the seeker of God) through devotion, and the yogis through meditation’. This is how the life and contribution of Swami Nishchayananda can best be summarized.

Born as Suraj Rao in 1865 in a small village near Janjira in Maharashtra, Nishchayananda met Swami Vivekananda in Madras in 1897 and was deeply inspired by his divine personality and lofty ideas. He was then working in Indian army. This brief meeting further ignited his spiritual aspirations and in 1901 he went to Belur Math where Swami Vivekananda was then living. Pleased with his sincerity and honesty of purpose, Swamiji accepted him and later initiated him into Sannyasa vows and gave him the name Nishchayananda, a reference to his firm grit and commitment to any cause that he undertook.

He stayed at Belur Math and continued to serve in various ways until the passing of Swami Vivekananda in 1902. After visiting several holy places, he finally came to Haridwar to take part in the Kumbha Mela and met Swami Kalyanananda who had been serving the holy men and poor and needy by starting a Sevashrama at Kankhal. Once Swami Vivekananda had told Nishchayananda that a monk should not a burden to society and must give back the support and help he receives from the society. Remembering the teachings of his Guru, and seeing the devotion of Swami Kalyanananda, Nishchayananda decided to stay and help run the Sevashrama. He gave himself fully to work of Sevashrama. If he saw anyone wasting anything, he would say, ‘Every brick of this Sevashrama is like a rib in my chest, and belongs to Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji. Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji are present here through and through. That is why we feel tremendous pain in our hearts when we find you wasting something or behaving carelessly.’

Until his passing away on 22nd October, 1934, he relentlessly served the Sevashrama with zeal and readiness. He led an austere life and was a true sannyasin to the core. His thirty long years of unstinted service and pure life, along with that of Swami Kalyanananda’s sacrifice and service has provided a firm foundation to Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal.

For a detailed account of his life and contribution, please read Monastic Disciple of Swami Vivekananda, by Swami Abjajananda, published by Advita Ashrama, Kolkata. www.advaitaashrama.org

Blessed Visits & Events

1887 - Visit of Sri Ma Sarada Devi

Holy Mother visited Hardwar along with relatives, devotees and few monastic diciples. On this time she visited Brahma Kund, Chandi Devi Mandir and some other pilgrimage place.

Swami Kalyananda at begin - 1901

Swami Kalayananda begin his services hiring two rooms at ₹3 per month in Kankhal for ailing monks and dispensary

At Rishikesh - 1902

Medical services started at Rishikesh as branch center

1901 - 02 - Visit of Swami Virajananda ji Maharaj

While touring north-India Maharaj came to Kankhal and was extremally pleased to the wonderful service activities of Sevashrama. Later few more time Maharaj came here and practiced austerities.

1903 - First Visit of Swami Brahmananda ji Maharaj

This was a memorable year in the history of Servashrama. Maharaj came from Varanasi and stayed here in a thatched hut for about a month

1904 - Visit of Swami Niranjanananda ji Maharaj

This was a memorable year in the history of Servashrama. Maharaj came from Varanasi and stayed here in a thatched hut for about a month

Swami Nishchayanada joining - 1903

Swami Nishchayananda, who was a brother-disciple Swami Kalyanananda joined at Kankhal Sevashrama and severed until his last breath more than thirty years

Land purchased at Kankhal - 1903

With the donation of a generous person of Kolkata, a plot of land purchased at Kankhal

1903 & 1915 & 1927 - Kumba Mela

Swami Kalyanananda made the arrangements for the stay of pilgrims and conducted service operations of various kinds.

1912 - Second Visit of Swami Brahmananda ji Maharaj

This time Maharaj, Swami Shivananda, Swami Turiyananda, Swami Achalananda, Ramlal Dada, few other monks and devotees were stayed for about a seven months. The same year by the wishes of Maharaj, Sri Durga Puja was celebrated at Sevashrama in grand manner.

1913 - Night school for poor students

To provide education to poor labors and their children a night school was established

1905 - Two spacious building constructed

As advised by Swami Dhanaraj Giri Maharaj (Kailash Math, Rishikesh), the devout Sri Bhajanlal and his friend given financial support for the construction of new buildings, which was planed and designed by Swami Vijnanananda ji Maharaj

1905 - A Library for General Public

This was yet another in which Swami Kalyanananda served the local people

1906 - Visit of Swami Truriyananda ji Maharaj

In Maharaj's presence, the Sevashrama would virtually turned into a sacred institution for the study and discussion of Vedanta

1910 - Visit of Swami Vijnanananda ji Maharaj

Visited Kankhal sevashrama and supervised building counstructions.

1912 - Visit of Swami Premananda ji Maharaj

While touring north-India Maharaj came to Kankhal.

1912 - 13 Visit of Master Mahashay

The chronicler of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, also performed spiritual austerities at Kankhal

1923 - Visit of Swami Shivananda ji Maharaj

During this visit he initiated some aspirants into the vows sannyasa and brahmacharya at the Sevashrama

About us

SHORT LIFE OF SWAMI KALYANANANDA