The beginnings of the Ananda Marga mission takes us back to the state of Bihar, India in 1955. In the town of Jamalpur, Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar organized the first chapter of Ananda Marga, (the Path of Bliss). His philosophy strongly rejected dogmas, superstitions, and conventions such as the caste system. Sarkar taught spiritual practices for self-development and urged the aspirants to take a strong stand against exploitation and corruption. The motto "Self-realization and service to humanity" became the guiding ideal for thousands of people who were attracted to the universal vision of Ananda Marga.

After a few years, the movement had spread through the states of Bihar and West Bengal. In 1962, P.R. Sarkar initiated the first monk of Ananda Marga. The creation of the order of nuns followed in 1966. Most members of Ananda Marga are lay people, including students, married couples, single adults, etc. All are able to benefit from the Yogic practices we teach as well as contribute to the society through one or another of ananda Marga's programs. The monks and nuns, who have dedicated their lives for social service, have served as full time workers of the mission and are very instrumental in Ananda Marga's expansion and existence. In 1963, Sarkar expanded the organization with the Education, Relief, and Welfare Section (ERAWS) and opened the first Ananda Marga schools. In the sixities, as Ananda Marga spread all over India, the scope of Ananda Marga's social service grew to include children's homes, medical clinics, feeding programs and disaster relief teams. AMURT (Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team) was started in 1965 and since then has constantly participated in disaster relief during natural and man-made calamities.

AMURT (Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team) is a non-profit, charitable organization formally established in 1970, and incorporated in the U.S.A. in 1985. AMURT is one of the few non-governmental relief and voluntary organizations of Third World origin. AMURT's objectives are to aid the poor and under-priviledged of the world through disaster relief, redevelopment programs and community service. In pursuit of these goals AMURT has maintained a long-established working relationship with the Red Cross as well as other numerous disaster relief and development organizations in the U.S.A. and abroad. AMURT has also been formally recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization by the United Nations through their Department of Public Information.

By 1970 Ananda Marga had become a global organization with headquarters in Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. The seed that was planted in the humble Indian village back in 1955 has today grown to be a vibrant global network of men and women whose desire is to serve God by serving humanity, across national, economic or ideological barriers.

Today Ananda Marga is a world wide organization with spiritual and social activity centers in more than 160 countries. It is a Spiritual Renaissance movement having close to one million followers. The mission is running thousands of schools, medical units, children's homes, yoga meditation centers and master units (rural development cooperative communities) in different countries of the world. The most prominent amongst Ananda Marga's development projects is the rural development program in Purulia, West Bengal known as Ananda Nagar (City of Bliss). A comprehensive and integrated approach to solving the area's problems has given hope to the inhabitants of this area, which has been one of the poorest in India. Ecology, culture, education, economic and social development have all been addressed. Following the same approach, while adapting to the local circumstances, hundreds of master units have been started in different parts of India and all over the world. These communities provide an alternative lifestyle to urban congestion, promoting rural development not only in terms of agriculture but also culturally, educationally, and spiritually. Ananda Marga is now a leading global agency for social development and progress, pioneering programs everywhere, with particular emphasis in the third world.

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