In the Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramhansa Yoganandaji describes his intensive spiritual training, as young Mukunda, under his sublime guru Swami Sri Yukteswar at the Serampore hermitage on Rai Ghat Lane.

Yoganandaji studied at the Serampore college from 1913 graduating with an A. B. degree (Bachelor of Arts) in 1915. In his autobiography, he fondly recalls visiting his Guru at his Serampore hermitage by “setting out on a bicycle at nine-thirty in the morning. In one hand I would carry an offering for my guru — a few flowers from the garden of my Panthi boarding house”. And after spending hours in his Guru’s company, and helping with ashram duties, he would “reluctantly depart around midnight for the Panthi.” Occasionally, he stayed on all night with his guru, “so happily engrossed in his conversation” that he scarcely noticed when darkness gave way to dawn. It was at the Serampore hermitage that young Mukunda had, in 1915, been ordained into sannyas by his beloved Guru, whereupon he became Swami Yogananda. And it was also at this hermitage that, in 1936, he received from his Guru the supreme title of Paramahansa.

Shortly after his sannyas, encouraged by Swami Sri Yukteswarji, Yoganandaji started an organization, first at Dihika in 1917 and a year later, at Ranchi. The aim of the organization was to share the nectar of India’s ancient spiritual wealth with interested truth-seekers from across the globe.

After Sri Yukteswarji’s mahasamadhi, YSS acquired a part of the hermitage property. In honour of Swami Sri Yukteswarji and in memory of the monumental role he played behind the formation of a worldwide mission (manifested through Gurudeva as Self-Realization Fellowship in USA and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India in India) a Smriti Mandir was dedicated to Sri Yukteswarji in 1977 by Sri Sri Mrinalini Mata (the President and Sanghamata of YSS/SRF) assisted by Sri Uma Mataji. Gurudeva’s youngest sister, Purnamayi  Sarkar (Thamu),  then a resident of Serampore,  was also present during  the dedication ceremony.

At present, group meditations are conducted at the Smriti Mandir every Saturday. Commemorations of the Avirbhav Divas of both Yoganandaji and also of his Gurudeva, Swami Sri Yukteswarji are regular yearly features attended in large numbers by  devotees, friends, and local inhabitants of Serampore.

Yogoda Satsanga Dhyana Kendra (or Meditation Centre) at Serampore, is located at Netaji Subhas Avenue, close to the Smriti Mandir. This Kendra property had originally been the home of Paramahansaji’s uncle Sri Sarada Ghosh. It was later made over to YSS by his son Sri Prabhas Chandra Ghosh, a loyal devotee of Yoganandaji, who had also served as the Vice President of YSS from 1936 until his passing in 1975. During his college days, Yoganandaji had resided in a room on the ground floor of these premises. The same has been converted into a shrine dedicated to Yoganandaji and is referred to as ‘Anandalok’, literally, ‘The Abode of Joy.’

With the addition of several rooms, the Serampore Dhyana Kendra has started to serve, from 2012, as a retreat centre complete with dining facilities where devotees can spend a day or two for their personal retreat.

This centre also includes a beautifully designed book sale counter where YSS publications are available. A Sunday school also operates at the kendra where the “how-to-live” principles of Paramahansaji  are imparted to young children with the help of enthusiastic YSS volunteers.

On Rai Ghat Lane, along which Yoganandaji often strolled with his Guru, YSS also runs a homoeopathic dispensary with the help of experienced doctors and an efficient team of dispensers. The dispensary is  popular among the locals and among patients from distant areas.

Note: For special commemoration services and celebrations, the details of the programmes and special meditation schedules are published separately on our website.

How to Reach

• Local trains are available from Howrah railway station and it takes 40 minutes to reach Serampore. From Serampore railway station, the Serampore Dhyana Kendra is a 10 minute walk or one can hire a cycle-rickshaw.
• From Dakshineswar, it is 15 km. One can either take a bus from the local bus depot, which stops in front of the retreat, or can avail local train services from Uttarpara railway station (on the other side of the Ganges).

Yogoda Satsanga Dhyana Kendra — Serampore

57, Netaji Subhas Avenue
SERAMPORE 712201
Dist. Hooghly
West Bengal
Phone: (033) 35601902
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]