India has been the home of saints and sages since time immemorial. Each century has been marked by the existence of extraordinary beings who have attracted followers on the path of God-realization. The worldly life of the crown jewel of Hindu spirituality, Shri Anandamayi Ma spanned most of the 20 th century (1896-1982). Thousands of people from India and many other countries, from simple villagers to heads of state, were transformed by Ma’s luminous Presence. Although She was said to be illiterate and never wrote a book, spiritual Truth and inspiration sprang from Her lips every time She spoke. Her Presence transformed peoples’ hearts and lives and this transformation continues even forty years after Her passing. Ma’s words are considered to be gold, full of the Light of Her Perfect Being, containing maps for traversing the material world and gaining an experience of Ultimate Reality.

(from The Gospel of Anandamayi Ma: Conversations with the Divine Mother, Vol. 1, p.ix, edited by Lisa Prajna Hallstrom)

Although India is full of ashrams, or spiritual retreat communities, devoted to Shri Anandamayi Ma, there has yet to be a Ma Ashram in the continental United States. As Ma’s sangha, or community of devotees, continues to grow through virtual and in person satsangs, courses and retreats, it feels that it is time to have a physical place where devotees can gather to share Ma’s teachings and practices. We also hope to draw new people who have been touched by Ma and want to know more. The Shri Anandamayi Ma Ashram and Temple, Inc. was formed in October, 2023 as a 501C3 non-profit in Massachusetts. Its Board is now looking for property in New England that can accommodate 6-8 permanent residents, local community members who attend daily and weekly programs, and people coming from all over the world to attend residential courses and retreats. In the meantime, we have rented a lovely house in Amherst, MA to begin programs in June.

The mission of the Shri Anandamayi Ma Ashram and Temple is to maintain a place of regular worship and spiritual development for devotees of Anandamayi Ma, both those from New England and those from around the world. It will also offer education on the life and teachings of Anandmayi Ma for those who are new to the tradition, as well as courses on the Hindu tradition into which She was born. Of course, the saints and sages of all traditions will be honored as well, as Ma was always inclusive of all religious traditions. The ashram will have both a vigorous on line presence as well as a host of daily, weekly, monthly and yearly in person programs. As an in person center, we will welcome people to daily programs that include meditation, chanting, hatha yoga, and morning and evening arati ceremonies. There will be a Ma Satsang every weekend as well as selected courses for adults and children. The rhythm of the year will include celebration of many Hindu holidays. We hope to have a skilled IT team who will offer livestreams of most of our programs, so that people wanting to participate who live a distance away can join as they can.

The temple will be mainly focused on the worship of the Divine Mother, as manifested in the form of Anandamayi Ma. However, there will be photos of women saints and luminaries of all traditions around the temple, as they are in our sister ashram, Ma Sharanam, in Madhya Pradesh, India. As in all of Ma’s ashrams in India, there will also be murtis, or statues, of the main manifestations of God cherished by Hindus: Radha and Krishna, Rama, Sita, and Hanuman, Kali and Durga, and Lord Shiva and Parvati. When we enter the temple, we imagine feeling a stunning vibration of devotion and love as people who visit will be seeking the Divine in their hearts through devotional practices. The silence in the temple will bring all of us into the silence within, the wordless place where we can rest in the True Self.