Chinmaya Mission San Jose

Chinmaya Mission San Jose conducts cultural classes for school children (K-12), study of Vedanta for youth and adults at many locations in the Bay Area.
Throughout the year, we celebrate all the major Hindu festivals and events, conduct various Yajnas and camps.
Swami Chinmayananda, affectionately addressed as “Pujya Gurudev” blessed our effort when we acquired the property on Park Avenue in San Jose in 1987. He named it Sandeepany San Jose. Pujya Gurudev sent us the best teacher he then had in India, Swami Tejomayananda, to be the first Acharya of Sandeepany San Jose from 1989 – 1993. Swami Chinmayananda also formally named the organization, Chinmaya Mission San Jose (CMSJ) in 1992.


Introduction
Brahmachari Soham Chaitanya was born in a spiritual family devoted to Chinmaya Mission. The opportunity to listen to satsangs from various Swamins and Brahmacharins introduced him to spirituality from a very young age. An engineer by background, Sohamji worked as a Research Engineer in Colorado after graduating with a Masters degree from the University of California Berkeley.
Listening to the Bhagavad Gita discourses by Poojya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji and Ramayana discourses by Poojya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji brought him to Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai.
He completed the 17th Vedanta Course under the guidance of Poojya Swami Swaroopanandaji and under the tutelage of Poojya Swami Bodhatmanandaji.
Prior to joining Sandeepany in 2017, Sohamji served at Chinmaya Mission centers in San Jose, CA and Los Angeles, CA for five years, facilitating youth and adult study groups.
Sohamji loves playing the harmonium, singing bhajans and dwelling on the scriptures which talk about the nature of happiness.
Sohamji can be reached at soham@chinmayamission.org

Link to discourses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imhZMQBa_fI&list=PLjHWThc-6fiZThz764hv8gZI4bV41fHHH

Deity: Lord Jagdeeshwara

Consecration Date : 2nd April 1988
The inauguration of the sanctuary took place on April 2, 1988 by Swami Chinmayananda at earlier location at Park Ave, San Jose, CA. The inauguration at the new ashram location at Clayton Road, San Jose was on June 8, 2014.

Location Address:
10160 Clayton Road, San Jose, CA 95127

Temple Description:
The mandir at Chinmaya Sandeepany has Lord Jagdeeshwara, presiding deity. This Murti was created by sculptors from Jaipur according to Pujya Gurudev’s instructions. All major festivals are observed at Chinmaya Sandeepany.

Temple Activities:
Major festivals are celebrated at Chinmaya Sandeepany throughout the year, with pujas conducted by Pandit Ravichandran. Some of the festivals celebrated are  Maha Shivaratri, Swami Chinmayananda’s Jayanti,  Sri Ramanavami, Krishna Janmashtami, Guru Purnima, Navaratri, Deepavali, Geeta Jayanti and Tapovanam Day. On the second Monday of every month, Shiva Abhisheka and puja are conducted. These Pujas are open to public.  (During the pandemic and current shelter-in-place requirements, we are not having any in-person
Pujas nor any live streaming. Currently Br. Soham Chaitanya is performing shodasha-upachara-puja on the festival days.
Festivals Celebrated:
1. Makara Shankranthi – Ayyappa Puja – January
2. Maha Sivarathri – Usually in Feb/March
3. Sri Ramanavami – Usually  in March/April
4. Sri Aadi Sankara Jayanthi – Usually in April/May
5. Sri HH Pujya Gurudev Jayanthi –  May 8th
6. Sri Vyasa Puja (Guru Poornima) – Usually in July
7. Pujya Gurudev's Aradhana – August 3rd
8. Sri Krishna Janmashtami – usually in August
9. Sri Ganesha Chaturthi – usually in August/Sept
10. Samasthi Lalitha Sahasranaama Archana for Navaratri – usually in Sept/Oct
11. Laksmi/Kubera Puja for Deepvalli – Usually in Oct/Nov
12. Samashti children's Deepavalli Puja – usually in Oct/Nov
13. Skanda Shasti – Usually in Nov
14. Gita Jayanti/Tapovan Jayanti – Usually in Nov
15. Maha Perivaar Aradhana Puja – usually in Dec/Jan
16. Samashti New Year Vishnu Sahasranaama Archana – Dec. 31

Special Events
Activities & More at San Jose
Contact

Address: 10160 Clayton Rd San Jose, California 95127
Phone: 408-254-8392

Balavihar Locations:
San Jose -location:
Chinmaya Sandeepany
10160 Clayton Rd
San Jose, CA 95127

Fremont – location:
Washington High School,
38442 Fremont Blvd,
Fremont, CA 94536,

San Ramon – location:
California High School,
9870 Broadmoor Dr,
San Ramon, CA 94583

San Mateo – location:
Aragon High School,
900 Alameda de las Pulgas,
San Mateo, CA 94402

Berkeley – location:
Albany Recreation and Community Services,
1249 Marin Ave
Albany, CA 94706