Mumbai-based photojournalist Shirish Shete has come out with a coffee table book which explores the spiritual life and journey of Mahayogi Swami Umananda Saraswati.

”Mahayogi Swami Umananda Saraswati: The Spiritual Revolutionary” talks about her early years, her role as a homemaker, her learning from gurus, and her mahasamadhi among other things.

Swami Umanand was born on December 31, 1916 in Sutala village in Nagpur. After completing her graduation, she married a civil servant and travelled to several places. Swami Chinmayananda’s teachings inspired her and she developed interest in spiritualism.

In 1968, she met Gurudev Muktanand Baba of Ganeshpuri and her search for a spiritual master came to an end. Muktanand guided her on the path of guru-devotion and very soon, she mastered this technique and experienced bliss in this path of yoga.

Her life journey can be described as a combination of motherhood (matrutva), chastity (pativratya) and master hood (gurutva). Her devotees fondly call her ”Tai”.

”Mahayogi Swami Umananda Saraswati is the modern master of yoga and a reviver of the long lost tradition of ‘gurubhakti’ yoga. Tai didn’t just practice devotion to her guru, but also professed the sadhana of ‘gurubhakti’ yoga in all her discourse and writings,” the book says.

According to her, ‘gurubhakti’ meant having constant awareness that one belongs to the guru.

Swami Umanand started her spiritual mission in a full-fledged manner, in Gurudev Dhyan Mandir in Mumbai in 1975, by establishing Shree Gurudev Dhyan Mandir Trust.

She travelled across the world teaching ‘siddha’ meditation.

Swami Umanand attained mahasamadhi on March 1, 1985 and a samadhi mandir was built in Nashik on her directions.

She penned a number of books on spirituality.

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