| Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha | |
| Religion: | Hinduism |
| Birth Date: | May 13, 1933 |
| Birth Place: | Parlikkad, Thrissur district, British India (now Kerala, India) |
| Guru: | Baba Gangadhara Paramahamsa |
Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha (Devanagari: स्वामी भूमानन्द तीर्थ; Malayalam: സ്വാമി ഭൂമാനന്ദ തീര്ത്ഥ), is an Indian Sannyasin and social reformer. He is known for his talks and discourses on Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and Srimad Bhagavatam, and their practical application in daily life. He has also organized various movements to end some unlawful rituals practiced by some Hindu temples.[1]
Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha was born in 1933 in the village of Parlikad near Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district, in present-day Kerala, India. He had his early education at Parlikad and later with his two brother Sanyasins started the Vyasa College, Parlikad. During his professional life in Kolkata, he met Baba Gangadhara Paramahamsa, who later became his Guru and the association eventually led to his introduction to the world of spirituality.[2]
The Jnaana Yajnas (Knowledge dissemination programs) are a major part of Tirtha's Loka-sangraha (Welfare of the World) campaign, first held in Jamshedpur in 1964, and held regularly in various parts of India, as well as in Malaysia and the U.S.A.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha has conducted various movements for abolition of certain offensive and unlawful rituals and practices that were followed by some Hindu temples. Prominent among these are the practice called Thookkam at the Elavur Puthankavu Temple in Ernakulam District, and the practice of singing obscene songs during the Bharani festival at the Kodungallur temple.[9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
Narayanashrama Tapovanam, the headquarters of Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha, is located at Venginissery village, 10 km South-West of Thrissur city. The Centres for Inner Resource Development (C.I.R.D), which are remote centres of the Ashram, are located in Delhi and Jamshedpur in India, Vienna - Virginia in the U.S.A and the Society for Inner Resources Development (S.I.R.D) is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[14]
Tirtha was involved in establishing the Foundation for Restoration of National Values (FRNV) in June 2008 to help promote national values in Indian society. The advisory board of the FRNV includes format Indian Chief Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, Tata Group chairman Ratan N. Tata, E Sreedharan, and N. Vittal.[15] [16]
Vicharasetu (Path of Introspection), the English monthly journal published by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha, was started in 1968. Hindi and Malayalam versions of the Journal (Vicharasetu and Vicharasarani respectively) are also being published.[17]
Many books and CDs have been published by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha in English, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and Bengali languages. Notable among them are the following.