Only the Grace of the Lord grants the proximity of a Master. Rewa has been very lucky in this regard. Early on, as far back as the year 1954, when the Chinmaya Mission was just formed, Rewa was blessed by the visit of Pujya Gurudev. He came due to the invitation extended to him by his former class mate Shri K.K. Sharma, IAS, the then Chief Secretary to the Government of Vindhya Pradesh. This was a “C” class state formed by the merger of 36 Kingdoms of the region. Rewa was one of them and was the Capital for the State.
Pujya Gurudev gave a series of talks at the local palace hall called Vyankat Bhavan. He took the Kenopanishad and the Yagna was of fifteen days duration. The audience was a captive one, being the civil servants under the Chief Secretary, Shri Sharma, and having his orders to attend.
Subsequently after a gap of 23 years, in 1977 a renowned Royal, son of 26th ruler of Churhat state, Rao Shiv Bahadur Singh Ji and a disciple of Pujya Gurudev, Rao Rana Bahadur Singh went to Lucknow to meet Gurudev. He had earlier written to him and sought his permission to meet him. He prayed to Gurudev to visit Rewa again. Gurudev's humorous comment was that hardly anyone in Rewa understands English. This was probably the impression he had formed during his previous visit.
Ultimately, Gurudev directed him to request Brahmchari Vivek Chaitanyaji (now H. H. Swami Tejomayanandji - Param Pujya Guruji) to visit Rewa for a Jnana Yagna in Hindi. The first Hindi Yagna was conducted by Swamiji (Guruji) in Rewa in March '78. This yagna was very successful and the Grace of Pujya Gurudev started to reach Rewa in the form of the nectarine flow of the Supreme Knowledge. In October of the same year, Guruji conducted the second Jnana Yagna in Rewa.
For the next three years Guruji kept conducting Jnana Yagnas at Rewa twice each year. This led to the formation of the branch of the Chinmaya Mission at Rewa on 11th October 1978. About this time, a devotee by the name of Bhagvati Singh gifted 1.2 acres of his land to the Chinmaya Mission of Rewa. This land was situated in the area that is now a part of the industrial complex west of Rewa town at Chorahta.
The Government of Madhya Pradesh acquired this whole area for the industrial complex. The administration offered to allot any Government land to the Mission in lieu of the acquired one. After a long and futile search, another donor came forward. He too was named Rana Bahadur Singh and had his agricultural holdings in the village of Laoua (now Lakshmanpur), 13 kilometres from Rewa.
He came to meet Guruji just when all of us returned from a search for land. We were in a dejected mood as Guruji had disapproved of a plot of Government land, later found to have once been a cremation ground. Seeing our long faces, he offered to donate 2 acres of his land to the Mission. Guruji immediately went to inspect it. This is the land on which the beautiful Shri Raghunath Temple stands today at the centre of the Vanaprastha Sadan of Chinmaya Seva Ashram.
Guruji approved of the land but said he would seek the directions of Gurudev. We were advised to register a Chinmaya Seva Trust, Rewa, and donate the land to the Trust. Thus, on 30th September 1982, the first Chinmaya Seva Trust worldwide was born. Dr. Sajjan Singh Ji became its first Managing and Founder Trustee. Later, another acre was purchased from the donor using compensation funds received from the Government.
Gurudev then sent funds to build a dispensary-cum-office-cum-library block. This was completed, and Gurudev visited on 13th April 1983 to inaugurate the building. He also laid the foundation stone of the Shri Raghunathji Temple. His Highness Maharaja Martand Singh Ji Ju Dev of Rewa cut the ribbon at Gurudev's request.
During the ceremony, Gurudev outlined his vision of the Pitamaha Sadan (Vanaprastha Ashram)—a serene sanctuary for elders who would increasingly be left without the support of joint family structures. He envisioned a place offering modern amenities, peace, spiritual knowledge, nutritious food, nursing care and a chance to live with dignity.
Construction of the temple began soon after and was ready by March 1984. On 6th April 1984, Gurudev returned to install the holy Vigrahas of Lord Rama, Jaganmata Sita and Lakshmana. The idols were sculpted by the same artist who made the Siddhabari idols. Shri Kashinathji of Shimoga, who designed Siddhabari temple, designed this temple as well.
A dormitory, water tank with servants' rooms, garage, and later a large dining hall (40'x60') were added as Gurudev kept supporting the Ashram's growth.
In 1986 Gurudev came again and delivered four days of talks at the Medical College auditorium on “The Logic of Spirituality.” The hall overflowed with people; some travelled daily from Satna. Gurudev humorously remarked that many had come simply for Darshan!
During this visit, he was taken to an island near Rewa for a Q&A session. Under a huge tree, he appeared like a modern form of Lord Dakshinamurti. As he walked back to the boat he said the location was ideal for a retreat. Another nearby island of 1.27 acres, owned by the Maharaja of Rewa, was gifted to the Trust on 28th November 1988. Gurudev named it “Chinmaya Uparati” and sketched its building plan himself.
In 1991, a seven-day camp was planned, with a new bedroom and sitting room constructed for Gurudev. Funds fell short but Gurudev sent money unasked. A 27-foot Shiva Linga like the one at Siddhabari was built atop the sitting room. However, owing to a heart attack in Bangalore, Gurudev could not come; Swami Subodhanandji conducted the camp instead.
Maharaja of Rewa laid the foundation for Chinmaya Uparati on 10 June 1992. Work progressed, but Gurudev attained Mahasamadhi on 3rd August 1993. We later learnt that he had planned a four-day stay there in 1994. Today, Chinmaya Uparati serves as a serene retreat; H. H. Swamini Vimalanandaji has done month-long Mouna Sadhana there twice. A caretaker resides on site.
The Mission's activities expanded through the years. Teachers' Moral Education Orientation Camps, Patwari Morality Camps, and numerous seva and spiritual programs were conducted. A free dispensary began on 3rd September 1995 through sponsorship from Shri V. M. Sabherwal (UK). Eye camps, polio camps and health initiatives became regular services, including a monthly free eye camp in collaboration with Shri Sadguru Seva Sansthan, Chitrakoot since 2013—benefiting thousands.
In August 1997, devastating floods hit Rewa and surrounding villages. Chinmaya Mission was assigned Silapri village for relief. The Mission provided medical aid, shelter, food, disinfected wells, repaired hand pumps and collaborated with Government agencies to ensure correct distribution of relief. Guruji named the community hall built there “Chinmaya Chhaya.” A renovated Hanuman temple was also consecrated.
Today, the Pitamaha Sadan has 34 Kutiyas, dormitories, a large library, digital spiritual archives, WiFi campus, a Post Office, a generator and regular Vedantic activities. Daily Vaidik Puja is performed in the temple.
Facing a lack of space in Rewa city, Brig. Anjani Kumar Shrivastava VSM donated his house—4000 sq.ft.—which Guruji inaugurated on 8th March 2008 as “Chinmaya Shree,” now the city centre and Trust office.
Under the visionary guidance of Pujya Swami Prashantananda Ji Saraswati, a 7 kW rooftop solar power plant was installed on 25th March 2016—the first PPP-model net-metered system in Madhya Pradesh. It formally commenced on 10 May 2016. Many dignitaries continue to visit this model installation.
The Mission has helped establish Chinmaya branches in Satna, Churhat, Semaria, Sidhi and Shahdol. Satna now has a Chinmaya Vidyalaya.
Patrons - 11
Life Members - 231
“Buildings can be built, funds can come, but what is the contribution to a community, society and the country and to the culture? It is necessary to sit down and study. Then what? It is in the beauty of the people who flower forth from it, that blossoms and sends out a new fragrance of our culture to our people. Once the flowering has come and the fragrance has spread, others will rush in.”
“Don't hold on to old and wretched lower values, habits and inhibitions. Take up the right values and start living. May the blessings of Shri Tapovanam be upon us.”
Inputs by:
Vijay Bahadur Singh Karchuli
Managing Trustee
Chinmaya Sewa Trust Rewa