Babaji’s Kriya Yoga Acharya
Being from the Tamil culture, Gowri greatly appreciates the various Tamil Siddha traditions and their perspective potentials in the context of God Realization.
Born as Gowri Varadhan in Salem, Tamil Nadu (India), to parents Shri. Radhakrishnan and Shrimati. Kalavathi, Gowri obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Technology and works as an investigative data analyst. His study of spirituality began during his teen years when he was introduced to the writings of Swami Vivekananda and he grew especially drawn to the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi and Seshadri Swamigal of Tiruvannamalai. He is also initiated into Sri Vidya Sadhana. Understanding Advaita through the eyes of Ramana, Gowri was able to also understand and appreciate other schools of philosophy such as Dvaita and Vishisht Advaita as different perspectives of the same truth.
In the early 2000’s, Gowri found the Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahamsa Yogananda, which introduced him to Mahavatar Babaji and Kriya Yoga. This, along with Babaji and 18 Siddha Kriya Yoga Tradition, by Marshall Govindan convinced him that Kriya Yoga was a perfected, scientific and authentic lineage of teachings of the Yoga Siddhas available for mankind to attain Self-realization. In the year 2008, he was initiated into Babaji's Kriya Yoga (both First and Second initiations) by Marshal Govindan Satchidananda and has been practicing ever since.
In 2011, he was initiated into all the 144 Kriyas in Bangalore, which were taught in three initiations and also took the intensive Babaji’s Kriya Hatha Yoga Training at the Quebec Ashram.
Gowri has been studying, practicing and training to be an acharya for many years. He has served as translator in a number of Kriya Yoga initiations in India for the benefit of Tamil speaking population not comfortable with English. He married in 2014, and he and his wife Kiran currently live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He offers free Kriya Hatha Yoga classes every week there and leads Kriya Yoga Satsangs where group sadhana is practiced followed by discussions on spiritual matters.
Gowri is deeply grateful for the support, guidance and encouragement received from MG Satchidananda ji, Durga ji, Satyananda ji, Nandi Devar, Vyasa and above all Sadhguru Babaji and Paramaguru Agasthiar. Gowri also feels the blessings of being born to parents who have supported him so whole-heartedly every moment of his life.