About Chinmaya Chicago
Serving the Chicagoland community for over four decades — bringing the timeless wisdom of Vedanta to thousands of families.
800+
Children & Families Annually
4
Chicagoland Centers
42+
Years of Service
75
Years of Chinmaya Mission
Chinmaya Mission Motto and Vision
To Give Maximum Happiness To Maximum People For Maximum Time
Established by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, Chinmaya Mission strives to educate and inspire entire families into the ancient and life-changing knowledge of Advaita Vedanta. Over 800 children and their families attend Chinmaya Mission Chicago every year.
We conduct weekly Bala Vihar classes for children, discourses and study groups for adults, classes for chanting, yoga, bhajans, Sanskrit, and more. We also celebrate festivals with devotion and joy. We organize special events and discourses. We offer seva opportunities for students.
All are welcome to attend, irrespective of faith, race, age, and nationality.
Chicago Area Centers
Chinmaya Mission serves the Chicago area via three centers as well as a retreat center, thus bringing the powerful knowledge of Vedanta to more seekers.
The History of Chinmaya Mission Chicago
Param Pujya Brahmaleen Swami Chinmayanandaji, the world renowned authority on the scriptures of India, and the “Missionary of the Age – Yuga Purusha” has, with over 42 years of ceaseless service, created a renaissance of spiritual and cultural values in India and awakened the rest of the world to the ageless wisdom of Vedanta. Swamiji was an eminent scholar, a brilliant speaker, and an efficient organizer who reveled in bringing the wisdom of the Rishis to the level of the listeners.
1951 Onwards
Since 1951, after lecturing throughout India, Swamiji began his global pursuit to the United States, Canada, and other countries. Since 1965, he covered university campuses through his annual tours. To coordinate and strengthen this missionary work, Chinmaya Mission West came into being in Piercy, California as the headquarters for the West.
1979 – 1980
The spark kindled in Pujya Swamiji’s discourse on “Cause and Effect” at Oak Brook Church, Illinois in 1979 planted the seed for the first Gita Jnana Yagna in Chicago (August 10–19, 1980). This resulted in the establishment of the Regional Center of Chinmaya Mission West at Chicago. Pujya Gurudev named the center “Badri – A School of Vedantic Studies.”
Growth Years
Hundreds of children participated in Chinmaya Youth Camps. Weekly Bala Vihar and Yuva Kendra sessions held in living rooms and basements were very effective in educating families in Sanatana Dharma. The Board of Trustees purchased 6.5 acres of land at Route 83 and Stevenson Expressway — scenic, serene, and easily accessible. The Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve forms the backdrop for the Ashram.
July 1992 – Construction Begins
Construction began on a two-story structure. The upper level houses a meditation hall with an altar dedicated to Shree Badri Narayana; the lower level has classrooms, a dining hall, and a kitchen. On July 1, 1993, Pujya Gurudev blessed the Shrine location — even in a wheelchair — giving detailed instructions for the inaugural function.
October 24, 1993
Inauguration of the new building and Sthapana Mahotsava for Lord Badri Narayana took place by Pujya Swami Tejomayananda. The success of Chinmaya Mission Chicago is due to Gurudev’s blessings, the dedicated seva of Mission families, the Acharyas and teachers, and the continued encouragement of the numerous devotees of Gurudev.
Today
The center conducts several Saturday & Sunday Study Groups for adults and nearly 600+ children attend Bala Vihar® and youth classes. The Mission is served by our resident Acharya Swami Sharanananda, offering a wide range of weekly spiritual, cultural, and educational services to the community.
Chant Together on July 11, 2026
Join thousands at the Grand Hanuman Chalisa Yagna.