ODORKOR, ACCRA, GHANA, January 31, 2016: HPI has received the following report from the Hindu Monastery of Africa’s national president, P.K. Wiredu (“source” above). The editors of Hinduism Today had met Swamiji on several occasions and found him always an uplifting spiritual personage:
The Hindu Monastery of Africa announce with deep sorrow the attainment of Mahasamadhi (passing on to eternity) of His Holiness Swami Ghananand Saraswati on Monday, 18th January, 2016. His mortal remains has since been buried and the final Mahasamadhi Puja (memorial service) will be held on Sunday, 7th February, 2016 at The Hindu Monastery of Africa, Odorkor, Accra at 7: 00 a.m prompt.
The Hindu Monastery of Africa was founded by His Holiness Swami Krishnanand Saraswati in March, 1975 when he initiated the first African Hindu Monk, His Holiness Swami Ghananand Saraswati. Never before has any African donned the ochre robes of sannyas. This was a great honor to Ghana.
His Holiness Swami Ghanand Saraswati was until his initiation known as Guide Kwesi Essel. He was born of humble parentage of Senya Beraku in the central region of Ghana on the 12th of September, 1937. At the early age of six his devoted mother died and this was to have a serious effect on his education. He had his primary school education at Winneba and Senya Beraku respectful. He quickly took up serious religions practice and in 1954, at the age of seventeen (17) he started a prayer group at his hometown, Senya Beraku-praying and meditating with friends. In the face of great difficulties and hardships, he persevered and worshipped zealously, sometimes fasting for long periods. His major preoccupation was praying to God to give him the opportunity to serve more and more people.
In 1962 he moved to Accra and on 24th November he formed the Divine Mystic Path Society. He then started correspondence courses on the Hindu way of life (Sanatana Dharma) with the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Himalayas, in India.
As a result of his urge to search for God and with the assistance and support of some well-meaning elders of the society to whom he had greatly endeared himself, he left in August, 1970 for the Himalayas, India, where he sat at the feet of masters at Sivananda Ashram.
He returned after almost two years of study passing through Germany, Denmark, the U.K. and the USA. He initially founded a branch a branch of the Divine Life Society at Odorkor, Accra, the present headquarters of the Hindu Monastery of Africa providing spiritual leadership to a number of devotees, instructing them in the higher esoteric teachings of the masters.
It was his dedication to the propagation and practice of these teachings that culminated in his initiation into the Holy Order of the renunciates of India, and the founding of the Hindu Monastery of Africa by his master, His Holiness Swami Krishnanand Saraswati who had come all the way from India. His initiation was unique in that, it was done by that Revered Saint of India, H.H. Swami Krishnanand Saraswati who had not met him physically until his arrival in Ghana for the second time and stayed only for two (2) weeks.
Originally, the Swami was scheduled to stay in Ghana for three (3) days only, but so strong and irresistible was the spiritual bond that had developed between them when they first met that they behaved and talked as if they had known each other for many years. It is significant to note that the visit of Swami Krishnanand to Ghana was arranged and organised by a group, which was completely independent of the Divine Life Society, and without prior knowledge of Swami Ghananand himself. Herein lies the truth in the old adage that “when the student is ready the master appears.”
H.H. Swami Ghananand Saraswati has been the head of the Hindu Monastery of Africa, Accra, Ghana since it was founded by H.H. Swami Krishnanand Saraswati in March 1975. Under Swami Ghananand’s leadership the monastery has established branches in five cities in Ghana, with another in Lome-Togo. More than 2,500 families from Ghana and Togo have embraced Hinduism, not to mention those who practice the principles of Hinduism privately.
The monastery supports orphanages, schools for the handicapped and destitute, and also undertakes various social services in the form of monthly free medical services and occasional eye screening camps for the poor and needy as part of her social responsibility. The monastery also lays stress on inter-faith harmony.
Swamiji has to his credit the authorship of fourteen books on Hinduism. No doubt, H.H Swamiji has by the grace of Guruji laid a very solid foundation for the development of Hinduism in Ghana and indeed the whole of the African continent. It is for us in this generation to endeavour to dedicate ourselves to the practice of the principles which he has taught us while involving our families in the practice to ensure that the principles get to as many as we could possibly reach.