Bhabananda Ashram at Suratpur & Yoga

International Yoga Day ( 21st June) is celebrated each year. We are noticing its popularity among the masses. In recent times Baba Ramdev contributed its awareness.

Mahabatar Babaji, Maha Guru Shyama Charan Lahiri, Gyanavatar Yoketeshwar Giri Maharaj, Yogannandaji are already known throughout the world. But very few know of Sri Sri Bhanbanandaji, the Guru of Sri Sri Dhynanda Giri. Sri Sri Bhabanandaji was the disciple of Yokteswar Giri Maharaj. Sri Sri Bhabanandaji practised yoga. He initiated several thousand disciples known as `Kriyabans'. He had his math at Chandrakona between Ghatal and Garhbeta in Paschim Midnapur District of West Bengal.

Sri Sri Dhynanda Giri, disciple of Bhabanandaji established a math at Suratpur in Paschim Mednipur District a few kilometres away from Paskura Station. The distance from Paskura to the math is about 45 kilometres. The two kilometres at the last stretch is through forest, agricultural land, villages, abandoned terracotta temples to finally reach the `Samadhi' of Sri Sir Dhynanda Giri. He passed away past 90 years on 10th February,2016 while perfoming the morning puja on `Guru Purnima Day' chanting his usual mantra. Mantras are given by the Guru to his disciple at the time of initiation.

Sri Sri Dhynanda Giri had about 20,000 disciples and several thousand devotees before he left the world. It is Industrialist Sanjoy Kumar Ghosh who taught me the difference between a disciple and devotee. I was already a disciple by that time. Through his words I learn't the difference between the two. He was a devotee of Sri Sri Dhynanda Giri.

Sri Sri Dhyananda Giri set up the math in the memory of his Guru Sri Sri Bhabananda Giri. I accidently visited the math on a Sunday in November, 2006. It was Sri Mrinal Kanti Bose who took me there. I was made to sit for over an hour till Guruji decided to initiate me. Sri Bose, a Scientist had been initiated in `Kriya Yoga' through a Chacha Guru. Since then I visited Sri Sri Dhyanada Giri several times for his blessing. The last two kilometres of the journey to the math was always memorable. Disciples and devotees visited Guruji. He spoke less but whatever he said was worth remembering. People fell at his feet during bad times. If he said anything it usually happened. He even cured people of their diseases. Once when my daughter met with an accident and was hurt in the leg, he suddenly came to the city and wanted me to visit him with my daughter. He touched the place of injury and warned to be careful with the leg as it would was very serious. His utterances were when the Doctor, a leading Orthopedic Surgeon said nothing. My daughter had to suffer over 18 months with the leg and still is facing trouble. His touch was enough. Devotees speak of how his touch changed their lives. Guruji brought out the inner talent in a person. I noticed it personally. His healing touch cured a patient of leukomea, first stage. Now the student is studying a professional course.

Once a disciple was asked by another disciple who was recently initiated, to tell something on Guruji. After a pause he said, it was in the eighties. He was a regular visitor to the math. Coming to the math was troublesome as there was no regular transport. He had stayed overnight and was taking a bath in the pond of the math after the bath he would leave taking lunch. The disciple said that he was thinking while taking a dip in the pond the amount of `dakshina' he would give to Guruji before leaving , rupees twenty or thirty . He suddenly heard a voice from top ` ja dibi digun pabi' ( whatever you give you will get double). The disciple looked up and on the side of the pond he found Guruji standing with a smile on his lips.

Another disciple said that Guruji once told him that he would visit his house. He told that he visit the next week any day. The week passed. Immediately the disciple rang up Guruji to tell him that he did not come to his house. Guruji told him that he had visited his house last week and found the kitchen very dirty. He told the disciple to clean the corner of the kitchen where dirt had accumulated. The disciple ran to the kitchen immediately to find the corner dirty. He cleaned the place at once. He now was certain that Guruji visited his house.

We were travelling from Kolkata to Suratpur in the morning. Guruji was informed that we would reach the math by 10.30 am. Mid-way the Kolaghat bridge was jammed and our car could not move. Suddenly from no where a car with a hooter came. Immediately we followed it . We stopped for sometime on the way for breakfast. When we reached the math we saw Guruji sitting on this chair. One of the persons who was going for the first time said that it seemed as if Guruji was waiting for us. Guruji then asked me who I had brought. I said a person from Punjab. He told me that a person from Punjab is there already. After sometime, the person from Ludhiana appeared . He told my friend that ` Baba dekhne se eisa poruntu bohut kutch karsakta hai.' (Baba looks like this but he can do lot of things). Yes the words of Gurudeva turned true. The trouble of the person was over. We are human beings with short memory. Soon after the problem the person was over the person stopped visiting Guruji. Possibly we are all like this. I include myself too. Guruji solved all our problems with ease.

Guruji spoke less. But what he uttered came to be true. He always said to do `Kriya Yoga' by imagining Lahiri Moshoy ( Sri Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri) . Guruji could have told me to imagine of him while doing `Kriya Yoga'

Silence was hall mark of Guruji who taught people to do good to others. He was a giver who gave whatever he received. No one was allowed to leave his math without food. One always had to take his consent before leaving. Many times it so happened that disciples and devotees had to come back as they did not take his permission before leaving the math.

I have seen people of all religions coming to him. He had several muslim followers who visited his math each year. I was told a group ( four engineers and one doctor) consisting of five( majority muslims) came from Jharkhand each year and spent a few nights at the math. He was open to all. There are many foreign disciples. A German doctor built a temple at the math.

Guruji is no more . It is International Yoga Day. Celebrations are going on through out the country. These are all official celebrations with the Prime Minister participating. I have been introduced to the subject but Guruji is no more. His `samadhi' in Suratpur is a source of strength. I personally feel he visits us whenever we are down to take us forward to reach the purpose of our birth.

Hail Sri Sir Dhyanada Giri , hail yoga. Such is the power of yoga. The world should be thankful to Mahabatar Babaji for his initiative to spread `Kriya Yoga' the long forgotten science in the world through his disciple Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri. He had scripted the way forward and the world is on the journey.