The materialization of Ánandamúrtijii’s dream of Ánanda Nagar started in 1963 with an act of generosity by a local Raja who donated to Ánanda Márga the first 500 acres of land, and it has grown since with the selfless sacrifice of countless volunteers who have donated their time, minds and energies to translate it into a reality that has been the undisputed engine of autonomous local development in the area of Purulia, which hosts Ánanda Nagar.
The presence of Ánanda Márga’s flag rural development project has touched many lives there because the tribal people who had always been neglected by the central and local governments finally found people who would respect them and freely provide support and guidance to improve their living standards.
Not only many local people found work in the construction of roads, dams and buildings within the Ánanda Nagar proper, but they also benefitted from the better communication and increased crop production such infrastructures provided to all.
Their children were given the possibility to get an education despite their economically downtrodden status and in many cases they have helped raise their families out of poverty, by becoming teachers, engineers, chemists, doctors etc.
Those who have remained farmers have learned new farming and irrigation methods that have contributed in raising their yearly income, and that is exactly the concept of seeding all-round and self-sustainable progress that Ánanda Nagar is all about.
Twice a year Ánanda Márga has been holding a large gathering at Ánanda Nagar and many thousands of members flock there from every corner of India and the world, bringing new ideas and renewing their commitment to Ánanda Nagar’s development, because Ánanda Nagar’s spiritually energizing atmosphere is uniquely inspiring.
This ancient land is a powerful magnet for spiritual seekers since the birth of human spiritual awareness, and the vibration of yogis and yoginis who have reached enlightenment there is still felt across Ánanda Nagar.