Bhagawan Nityananda (c. 1897 – 1961) was a Hindu guru and saint associated with the Siddha Yoga and Avadhuta traditions of India. He is widely regarded as a revered figure in twentieth-century Indian spirituality, and is best known for the ashram he established at Ganeshpuri in Maharashtra.
| Name | Bhagawan Nityananda |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1897 |
| Died | 1961 |
| Tradition | Hinduism; associated with Avadhuta and Siddha Yoga lineages |
| Principal seat | Ganeshpuri, Maharashtra, India |
| Known for | Spiritual teaching; establishing the ashram at Ganeshpuri |
Nityananda is generally described in hagiographical accounts as having lived as a wandering ascetic in southern India during the early decades of his life before settling in western India. He spoke little and is remembered for a terse, aphoristic style of teaching. Devotees considered him an avadhuta, a class of renunciate ascetics in the Hindu tradition who are held to live beyond conventional social and ritual norms.
In his later years, Nityananda established his residence at Ganeshpuri, a village in the Thane district of Maharashtra known for its hot springs and historical association with yogic practice. The ashram and surrounding shrines that grew around his presence have continued to draw pilgrims after his death in 1961, when his samadhi shrine was constructed at Ganeshpuri.
His teachings were transmitted largely through brief utterances rather than formal discourse. A collection associated with him, often referred to as the Chidakash Gita, records sayings attributed to him on themes of self-realisation, inner stillness, and the nature of consciousness.
Nityananda is recognised as the guru of Swami Muktananda, who went on to found the Siddha Yoga movement and established the Gurudev Siddha Peeth ashram near Ganeshpuri. Through this lineage, Nityananda's influence extended internationally during the latter half of the twentieth century. The Ganeshpuri area, including his samadhi shrine, remains a centre of pilgrimage in Maharashtra.