This website is primarily for the Chicago branch of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha of North America. Here you will find some general information about the organization, but also information specific to the Chicago ashram.

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More about the Chicago branch of the ashram

View the Chicago branch's programs and activities

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Upcoming Events

Saraswati Puja

Bharat Sevashram Sangha will be celebrating Saraswati Puja on Saturday Jan28 at 10:30am. Puja, pushpanjali, homa, hate khori will be performed followed by prasad distribution.    If you are interested for your kid's hate khori, please bring a new notebook and a pencil.

January 28, Saturday Bharat Sevashram Sangha will be celebrating Saraswati Puja on Saturday Jan28 at 10:30am. Puja, pushpanjali, homa, hate khori will be performed followed by prasad distribution.    If you are interested for your kid's hate khori, please bring a new notebook and a pencil.

Maghi Purnima

Tuesday February 7 at 10am Bharat Sevashram Sangha will be celebrating Maghi Purnima. This year it is going to be 117th birthday of Sri Sri Guru Swami Pranavanandaji maharaj.

There are primarily three reasons Bharat Sevashram Sangha celebrates Maghi Purnima. Founder of Bharat Sevashram Sangha Yugacharya Swami Pranavananda-ji Maharaj was born on this auspicious Maghi purnima day in 1896. He was born in Faridpur District which is now part of Bangladesh. It was also the day of Maghi purnima when Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj attained Divine illumination in 1916. One year later in 1917 on the very same day of Maghi Purnima he founded Bharat Sevashram Sangha. ‘Annokut’ (offering 108 dishes to Guru Maharaj), ‘Probochon’ (a concise statement of a principle) and bhajans will be performed in this occasion. After Puja prasadam will be distributed. Everybody is encouraged to join the Puja and celebration along with friends and families and get blessings from Guru Maharaj.

Maha Shivaratri

Sunday February 19 Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Chicago will be celebrating Maha Shivaratri. Puja will start at 4:00pm. After Puja prasadam will be distributed. Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Chicago inviting everybody to join the Puja and celebration along with friends and families and get blessings from the Lord Shiva.

Basanti Durga Puja

Saturday March 31 Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Chicago will be celebrating Saptami and Astami and on Sunday April 1 Navami and Dasami of Basanti Durga Puja. On both days, Puja will begin at 10:00am, Puspanjali will start around 11:30am, and after puspanjali, prasadam will be served.

Other Activities

See entire BSS 2011-2012 Event Calendar

There are other daily and weekly activities at the Ashram. See all of the regular activities at the Ashram.

If any devotees are interested in sponsoring any ceremony or event at the ashram, please phone the Ashram and pledge your support. Your support of your community Ashram is greatly appreciated.

Past Events

Youth Summer Camp 2011

For the second consecutive year, Bharat Sevashram Sangha conducted a Youth Summer Camp from July 18 to 29 with more than twice the number of participants and for two full weeks instead of one week. All campers received a customized T-shirt with Bharat Sevashram Sangha’s logo printed on it. The theme of the camp was Ramayana. Children were taught about the Ramayana and how they can apply its lessons in their daily life. In order to make sure kids learned the teachings, camp organizers provided a set of question answer sheet on the kanda (teachings) taught on that day and kids practiced those to make sure they absorbed what they learned in spite of various age differences.

In addition to the Ramayana, the children learned and practiced yoga, surya namaskar and meditation under the supervision of Swami Devapriyananda-ji. One day kids were taken to a nearby park to do yoga in the open air. Apart from these kids practiced Gayatri mantra, learned about vegetarianism, the importance of drinking water, devotional songs, drawing and painting. On final day of the camp, kids participated in a quiz competition to prove how much they have learned about the Ramayana and also received attractive prizes. Apart from this kids got ample play time everyday.

All kids got goodie bags and a Ramdarbar picture frame to take home. The goodie bag included a Hanuman chalisa specially made for children with its meaning and a book Ramayana for children. In the graduation ceremony, kids performed a drama and dance based on Ramayana. Bharat Sevashram Sangha is very much thankful to all the volunteers and to all the people who helped make this camp successful by mentoring, sponsoring food, providing supplies, etc. Without their help the camp would not have been possible.