Toronto Ashram History
Toronto History:
With the blessings and guidance of His Holiness Swami Purnanandaji Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, India, Swami Brahmanandaji came to Canada in 1974. He relinquished the position as the Principal of Guyana Hindu College and took up the mission of establishing a branch of Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Canada.
Initially Swamiji started holding Sat-sanghas on Sundays at the homes of devotees and before long, a formal group was organized. In the same year the Organization was incorporated as “Bharat Sevashram Sangha – Sat-sangh Society of Canada.” The name was later changed to “Bharat Sevashrm Sangha Canada”.
The Mission temporarily moved to one of the fine Chapels of the University of Toronto at Wellesley and Bay Street, the University providing the premises free of charge. But in order to accommodate the growing membership, and to provide a home for Swamiji, a resolution was passed by the Executive Committee to purchase a property. In 1983 the Organization finally purchased a store-front property (with living quarters upstairs) at 196 Royal York Road in the City of Toronto.
His Holiness Swami Brahmanandaji sadly left his mortal body in 1987, but this did not extinguish the hope nor dream. In 1989, a big leap was made when members purchased a house on an acre of land in Etobicoke at the present location at 2107 Codlin Crescent, in the City of Toronto.
Currently, Swami Pushkarananda is a monk of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, 211, Rash Bihari Avenue, Calcutta-19, India. He joined Bharat Sevashram Sangha in the year 1975 as a dedicated monk. He was sent for training in different branches of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Bankura, Hohekhali, Calcutta Head qts, Surat and Ahmadabad. He managed a (Mandali) Preaching Party while he was in Surat in Gujarat and travelled from village to village in Gujarat to preach the Message of Archarya Swami Pranavanandajee Maharaj.