Nardara is a small, undeveloped, quiet, and untamed village situated on the banks of India’s holiest river, the Ganga (Ganges), in the Ballia district of the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. Remote and isolated, the village is encircled by wild bushes and forested land. Deer and other wild animals roam freely around its outskirts.

The Ganga is the lifeline of the people. Most villagers are uneducated peasants who cultivate grains and crops using the river’s water, rear cattle, and graze them in nearby forests. They worship Ganga Ma—Mother Ganges—and strive to keep the river pure. During the monsoon, however, the river reveals its fierce power, flooding the village and threatening crops, homes, and livelihoods.

When we visited Nardara in 2003, there were no concrete buildings to be seen. Almost all dwellings were unfinished brick structures with simple walls and roofs.

Though a power line existed, there was no electricity. A road connected the village to the mainland, but traveling on it required considerable effort. There was no modern infrastructure—no telephones, no televisions, no post office, and no proper transport facilities. Paradoxically, this absence of modern amenities preserved the village’s natural and divine beauty. A serene, blissful peace permeated Nardara. One can only imagine what it must have been like a century earlier, when Yogi’s parents lived there—wilder still, more pristine, immersed in silence and sanctity.

Nardara lies close to the small town of Bariya, about five kilometers away. Bariya can be reached by road from Ballia, the district headquarters, which is well connected by road and rail to Patna, the capital of Bihar. Nardara can also be reached directly from Patna by motorboat on the Ganga within a few hours.

The people of Nardara belong to the Boomikar Brahmin community, said to have migrated from the west and settled there about 250 years ago. Although Brahmins by caste, they were largely unfamiliar with scriptures, Vedic learning, or rituals. Most were illiterate farmers by tradition, rearing cows and buffaloes; nearly every household maintained a small cattle shed. Some prosperous families even used horses for transport. In recent times, however, villagers have recognized the value of education and begun sending their children to schools and colleges to improve their living standards.

Despite their lack of formal education, the people of Nardara embody purity, simplicity, and warm hospitality. Their devotion to Ganga Ma is profound. For them, the Ganga is mother, goddess, and sustainer of life. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, the river flows wide—over two kilometers across. During the monsoon, its powerful current can terrify onlookers, yet its beauty remains spellbinding. Simply watching the Ganga can draw one into a natural trance; a divine mystery seems to float eternally upon its waters.

Sri Ramdat Kunwar and his wife, Smt. Kusum Devi, lived in Nardara. Sri Ramdat Kunwar inherited about thirty acres of fertile land along the Ganga from his parents, Sri Shivdayal Kunwar and Smt. Radhika Devi, and cultivated it diligently. He had three sons: the eldest, Manarakhan Kunwar; the second, Ram Surat Kunwar, born on 1 December 1918; and the youngest, Ramdahin Kunwar.

Sri Ramdat Kunwar was the acknowledged head of the village—a courageous, fearless man regarded as a local hero. Strongly built and skilled in wrestling, he worked tirelessly on his land with the help of his eldest son. The family lived prosperously and harmoniously.

Mother Kusum Devi loved all her children deeply, with special affection for Ram Surat Kunwar. Young Ram Surat was obedient to his parents and respectful toward elders. He readily served anyone in need and held his parents in the highest regard. From his father he learned wrestling; from his mother he heard the sacred stories of Rama and Krishna. He listened with intense devotion, imagining himself as Rama and Krishna, much to his mother’s delight. She fondly called him “Surat” and never tired of recounting those divine stories whenever he asked.

Manarakhan Kunwar, the eldest brother, was deeply attached to his younger siblings, especially Ram Surat Kunwar. From birth, Ram Surat seemed different. He often sat alone on the banks of the Ganga, gazing at the flowing river for hours. Though active and playful with friends, an inner longing always stirred within him. He felt as though he had lost something essential and must search for it. This unnameable longing brought both pain and purpose, becoming central to his life.

Unlike his brothers, Ram Surat Kunwar showed little interest in farming or cattle rearing. He longed to attend school alongside boys from wealthier neighboring villages. In 1923, Sri Ramdat Kunwar enrolled him in an elementary school at Bhusoula, just one kilometer from Nardara. Manarakhan Kunwar strongly supported this decision and helped his brother continue his education even during financially difficult times.

Ram Surat Kunwar rose early each morning and ran to the Ganga with a small brass vessel. After completing his ablutions, he swam for long periods at the bathing ghat. He then worshipped the village deity—Salagram stones naturally found in the Ganga—offering flowers with devotion.

Afterward, he hurried home, ate a simple roti for breakfast, packed rotis for lunch, and reached school punctually. His sense of punctuality and discipline remained with him throughout his life.

A brilliant student, he quickly absorbed everything taught at school. In the evenings, he returned home, set aside his books, and rushed again to the riverbank. There he played with friends, especially enjoying wrestling. When others left, he remained alone, watching the fish in the river. The Ganga was his constant source of inspiration.

In those days, many sadhus undertook the sacred Ganga Pradakshina—walking along the river’s banks from Gangotri, the river’s Himalayan source, to Ganga Sagar, where it meets the sea, crossing by boat and returning along the opposite bank. This arduous journey of nearly 5,000 miles took about six years. During the monsoon, when the river flooded and paths became treacherous, the sadhus paused and stayed in villages along the way. Villagers considered it a blessing to serve them, believing that such penance led to liberation.

Situated along this sacred route, Nardara often hosted these wandering sadhus. Villagers offered them food and shelter, gathering to hear stories of their journeys and, at times, receiving spiritual guidance. Young Ram Surat Kunwar was irresistibly drawn to them. Whenever sadhus stayed overnight, he sat near them, listening intently. Eager to serve, he would run home to fetch food; if refused, he secretly packed rotis in his long shirt and dhoti and hurried back to offer them.

Through these sadhus, Ram Surat learned of holy places along the Ganga and of saints living across India. He cherished their company—their freedom, renunciation, vast knowledge of life and God, their simplicity, and the peace and bliss they radiated. Though he did not yet realize it, these early encounters planted the seeds that would later draw him across India in search of saints and God, ultimately leading him to the same ecstatic, God-intoxicated life he once watched with wonder.