"WHEN I SEE POOR, OLD AND HANDICAPPED PERSONS, I FEEL VERY SAD.THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING MUST BE IMPROVED."
After the revival of the Rathotsav festival in 1973, the Swamiji diverted His attention to fulfil His one more and very important assurance He had given to His Guruswami - the construction of a "Home" for the aged and the forsaken Saraswats. Swamiji had once said, "The condition of our old people is simply pitiable. They are regarded as burden by their own children and have no place to go , no place where they can live in honour and self respect. Some of them write to Us also,asking if they can come and stay here permanently.What reply can We give them ? "But Swamiji"s mind was even then busy finding a way to bring such people together. Thus came the birth of "Anandashray", one of the finest monuments to Poojya Anandashram Swamiji , the Home for the aged that came into being just before Swamiji left the peetha. He rightly named the Home "Anandashray" which aimed at bringing "Anand" among the distressed and the forsaken or uncared for Saraswats. Swamiji contributed sizeable personal funds for the venture. These personal funds included gold from kanakabhishek . His own compassionate urge coupled with the inspiration from His Guruswami to give the much needed relief to the aged, ultimately saw its successful establishment. Many aged and uncared for Saraswats have taken advantage of this Home. A unique feature of this Home is that the inmates are able to attend the daily poojas at the Math in addition to bhajans and keertans in the evening and satisfy their spiritual urge.
Swamiji often used to take the inmates of "Anandashray" to panchavati hills and used to give pravachans and lectures.Thereafter there used to be a small Tea party.This would bring happiness to the less fortunate old persons..swamiji would personally drive the car and take them to the panchavati hills..With great difficulty and very little help from the community Swamiji raised Anandashraya.It is our duty to safegaurd this structure as a Mark of respect to our Great guru HH Parijnanashram swamiji.
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