Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, popularly known as Sree Chithira Thirunal, was the last ruling Maharaja of the Indian princely state of Travancore, in southern India until 1949 and later the Titular Maharajah of Travancore until 1991. His reign is known for several notable reforms that have indelible impact on the society and culture of Kerala.
Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha is a Hindu denomination within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. It was formed in 1905 by Yagnapurushdas following his conviction that Swaminarayan remained present on earth through a lineage of gurus starting with Gunatitanand Swami.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is located in Vishwanath Gali, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites and is among the twelve Jyotirlinga, shrines which are said to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. Standing on the western banks of the Ganges, the presiding deity is known by the names Shri Vishwanath and Vishweshwara, literally meaning Lord of the Universe.
The Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala, India. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is widely considered as the world's richest Hindu temple. The name of the city of 'Thiruvananthapuram' in Malayalam and Tamil translates to "The City of Ananta". The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the Kerala style and the Dravidian style of architecture, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century gopura. While as per some traditions the Ananthapura temple in Kumbla in Kasaragod district in Kerala is considered as the original spiritual seat of the deity ("Moolasthanam"), architecturally to some extent, the temple is a replica of the Adikesava Perumal temple in Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the guru and Pramukh, or president, of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu denomination. BAPS regards him as the fifth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, following Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, and Yogiji Maharaj. He was believed by his followers to be in constant communion with Swaminarayan, and ontologically, the manifestation of Akshar, the eternal abode of Swaminarayan.
Yogiji Maharaj, born Jina Vasani, was a Hindu swami and the fourth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan in the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. According to the metaphysics of BAPS, Yogiji Maharaj is considered to be the next iteration of Akshar after Shastriji Maharaj in the guru parampara, an unbroken line of "perfect devotees" who provide "authentication of office through Gunatitanand Swami and back to Swaminarayan himself." Together with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who acted as the administrative head of BAPS, he was instrumental in nurturing the growth of BAPS "through new programs, expansion into new areas, and the construction of temples". As guru, he consecrated over 60 temples and visited over 4000 towns and villages. He was particularly effective in attracting the devotion of youths and initiated a large number of them as ascetics. Furthermore, his multiple tours to Britain and East Africa were integral in the overseas expansion of BAPS. He died on 23 January 1971 after appointing Pramukh Swami Maharaj as his successor.
Gunatitanand Swami, born Mulji Jani, was a prominent paramhansa of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya who was ordained by Swaminarayan and is accepted as the first spiritual successor of Swaminarayan by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Born into a religious family in the small farming community of Bhadra in Gujarat, India, he first received religious education under his father's guru, Ramanand Swami, before encountering Swaminarayan and becoming a swami under him at the age of 25. He was revered for his spiritual discourses and divine service.
Sadh Belo, also spelt as Sadh Bela, or Sat, is an island in the Indus River near Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan that is famous for its highly revered Hindu temples. The temples are associated with the syncretic Udasi movement of Sikhism. The island is famous for Teerath Asthan which is the biggest Hindu temple in Pakistan. The complex has eight other temples, a library, dining areas, a huge garden, along with rooms and residences for monks and people who want to stay on the island on a spiritual retreat.
Ramdwara means "the doorway to the Ram". It is a place of worship for the people who believe in Ramsnehi Sampradaya, which advocates chanting of "Ram" (राम). Ramsnehi means "People who love God". Their way of worshipping God is simple. People of all faiths, castes, sections etc. visit at the Ramdwaras. This concept of Ram or Rama is distinct from the Hindu deity Rama.
Satguru Brahm Sagar Ji Maharaj Bhuriwale (1862–1947) was an Indian religious figure. He was born in Rampur Dham in the Rupnagar district of Punjab and died in Village Jhaloor Dham Distt. Barnala.
Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple (Bolton) is a three storied Swaminarayan Temple on Adelaide Street in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It is the first Swaminarayan temple to be established in the UK and Europe, officially opening in 1973. On 6 September 1973 a constitution was registered for the Temple under the Place of Worship Act, and on 6 September 1975 specially prepared murtis from the head Temple in Bhuj were installed in the Temple. The original structure was demolished and rebuilt in 1993. Prior to the new building a labour club and terraced houses were present on the temple site.
The Advaita Guru-Paramparā is the traditional lineage (parampara) of divine, Vedic and historical teachers of Advaita Vedanta. It begins with the Daiva-paramparā, the gods; followed by the Ṛṣi-paramparā, the Vedic seers; and then the Mānava-paramparā, with the historical teachers Gaudapada and Shankara, and four of Shankara's pupils. Of the five contemporary acharyas, the heads of the five Advaita mathas, four acharyas trace their lineage to those four pupils and one to Adi Shankara himself.
Alambazar Math is the second monastery of the Ramakrishna Order established in February 1892, which remained the order's headquarters till February 1898, when it was finally moved to Belur village on the bank of Ganga.
Mahant Swami Maharaj is the present guru and president of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu denomination. BAPS regards him as the sixth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, following Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj, and Pramukh Swami Maharaj. He is believed by his followers to be in constant communion with Bhagwan Swaminarayan, and ontologically, the manifestation of Akshar, the perfect devotee of God.
Mahant Swami Pratap Puri ji is an Indian spiritual leader and politician who is the current head of Taratara math. He is a resident of Mahabar village in Barmer district in western Rajasthan, India. He is very active in social media.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is a trust set up for the construction and management of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya by the government of India in February 2020. The trust is composed of 15 trustees.
Bairagi Brahmin or Vaishnav Bairagi or Vaishnav Brahmin is a Hindu caste. They are priests of vaishnava temples. They are sedentary rasik Brahmin members of the vaishnava sampradayas or Ramanandi sampraday. They are also called by different names that are Swami, Goswami, Gosains, Bairagi, Mahanta, Das, Adhikary, Vaishnav, Vairagi. They are Vaishnav, and wear the sacred thread. A majority of Bairagi Brahmin is found in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Bihar and the eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh. Bairagi are considered as part of the 'upper castes' of Bengal.
Thakurdwara Bhagwan Narainji is a historical Hindu temple belonging to Ramanandi Sampradaya, located in the village Pandori Mahantan in Gurdaspur district of Punjab in India. It constitutes one of the fifty-two Vaishnav dvaras of Indian subcontinent into which Bairagis have been organized. The shrine was founded by Ramanandi saint Shri Bhagwanji and his disciple ShriNarainji after whom the shrine has been named. The celebrated Vaishnav text Bhaktamala authored by Bhakt Nabhadas ji records the piety of Shri Bhagwanji and his disciple Shri Narainji. The temple is known for its spectacular Baisakhi fair.
Santadas Kathiababa was a Hindu monk who headed the Nimbarka Sampradaya in present-day India. A yogi and monk of Nimbarka order, he was a philosopher, writer and religious leader. Former Kumbh Mela President Yogi.
