Brahma Kumaris University

As a worldwide family of individuals from all walks of life, the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization offers an education in human, moral and spiritual values. To meet the challenge of change, it initiates dialogue and presents a fresh vision of the future. It recognizes the intrinsic goodness of all human beings and teaches meditation to help each one rediscover their inner resources and strengths. Perhaps few organizations have stimulated as much change and discussion at the time of their inception, or have undergone such expansion in the course of 60 years, as the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. And yet, from its beginnings the BKWSU has managed to remain steadfast in maintaining its original principles and in adhering to its original purpose. The University came into being under the name "Om Mandali" and consisted of only a handful of men, women and children living in Hyderabad (now part of Pakistan, but at that time part of colonial India). These spiritual pioneers were inspired to transform their lives after a respected and wealthy member of their community, Dada Lekhraj experienced a series of profound visions in 1936. The visions revealed spiritual truths about the nature of the soul and God, the Supreme Soul. These concepts were simple in their expression but their meaning so deep that they awakened a powerful sense of recognition in those with whom the visions were shared. A year after its establishment, the organization moved from Hyderabad to Karachi. For fourteen years, until after the partition of India and Pakistan, the founding group of 300 individuals, lived as a self-sufficient community spending their time in intense spiritual study, meditation and self transformation. In 1950, the community moved to Mount Abu, a quiet place reputed for its ancient spiritual heritage. Nestled high up in the Aravali mountains of Rajasthan, it provided an ideal location for reflection and contemplation. Brij-Kothi was their first home. This building was located in a vast expanse of bare rocks, uninhabited except for a few recluses living in small caves. A few years later, the community moved to another site which remains the University’s world headquarters - Madhuban (meaning ‘Forest of Honey’). The potential of the place did not go unnoticed as the location offered opportunities for expansion. The courtyard of Madhuban, which serves as a meeting place for students from around the world, was once two large stables. These structures were the first to be transformed into classrooms and living quarters. With every year, there came an addition in the form of an extension or new building. In 1952, Brahma Baba, as Dada Lekhraj had become known, felt that it was time to reach out to the rest of India and share this knowledge, as he was aware of the devastating scars the troubled independence process and partition had left on peoples’ lives. A few sisters left their haven and moved to Bombay and Delhi ‘on service’. Their task was to establish study centers where the knowledge of Raja Yoga would be taught. Today, there is scarcely a town in India where the name of Brahma Kumaris has not been heard. From its modest beginnings, the organization kept progressing in leaps and bounds to reach by early 1996, about 3,200 meditation centers in 70 countries with over 450,000 students. Madhuban serves as the nucleus of the Brahma Kumaris’ centers worldwide and Mt. Abu, ‘the Father’s mountain’ is regarded as a pilgrimage place by many who are in search of spiritual rejuvenation. Together they attract over a quarter of a million individuals from all ethnic and religious backgrounds every year. From classes in the stables, the organization has come a long way and has just inaugurated ‘The Academy for a Better World’ as part of the celebration of its 60th anniversary. This Academy is a place of international endeavor -- a place where men, women and children can reach their unique human potential and cultivate the values of our common humanity.In 1952, Brahma Baba, as Dada Lekhraj had become known – being aware of the devastating scars the troubled independence process and partition had left on peoples’ lives – felt that it was time to share with the rest of India the knowledge that he had received. He therefore sent a few young women members to Bombay and Delhi ‘on service’. Their task was to establish study centres where the knowledge of Raja Yoga could be taught. Today there is scarcely a town in India without a Brahma Kumaris (BK) study centre. Since the fifties, the organisation has progressed in leaps and bounds. In 1971, permanent centres were established in the UK and Hong Kong, which soon led to worldwide expansion and consistent, progressive growth, both geographically and in overall membership. Today there are hundreds of thousands of students attending thousands of meditation centres in nearly one hundred countries. While Madhuban itself serves as the nucleus of these BK centres, the Madhuban complex currently includes two other campuses, The Academy for a Better World, also known as Gyan Sarovar (Lake of Knowledge) located elsewhere on the mountain, and Shantivan (Forest of Peace) located at the mountain's base. Altogether every year the three campuses attract over 2.5 million individuals (students and visitors) from all ethnic and religious backgrounds.