A true forest monk in the 5000 year old tradition of Himalayan sages, Swami Hariharananda Bharati was born in village Toli, Pauri Garhwal. He grew up in the foothills of the Himalayas and spent over 15 years meditating in the Himalayan forests after taking sanyasa vows from his Guru HH Dr. Swami Rama.
Meditating in the enchanted valley of Tarkeshwar blessed him with wisdom and sacred knowledge even though he often asserted he knew nothing; but the wisdom of his pure heart shone in his every deed. He headed the temple & ashram – a 600 year old sacred shrine in the Himalayas at Tarkeshwar; which was also his abode for many years.
Renowned as a teacher who guided his disciples into a state of deep meditation, his teachings not only imparted practical knowledge & inspiration to his students but were also laced with humour. His purity was evident in his frequent and spontaneous joyful laughter which earned him the title of a ‘laughing monk’ by his loved ones. His simplicity – combined with a cheerful, kindhearted & friendly persona, attracted the people he met, in all the countries he visited, to become his friends.
Swami Hari dedicated his entire life for developing facilities to provide the basic requirements for the poor villagers living in the Himalayan Mountains; facilities that would eventually develop into a self-sustaining medical facility and an educational & research institute. He founded the ‘Swami Rama Nishkam Karmyog Trust’ in the year 2001 at Malethi to provide for basic education, vocational training and overall social development to the underserved local village population of the Garhwal Himalayas. In June 2008Swami Hari left for his heavenly abode, leaving behind a legacy for a large number of students, friends and disciples.