Ekam

Ekam rises from the plains of Andhra Pradesh like a white marble vision, a monumental meditation sanctuary cradled at the base of the 500-million-year-old Vellikonda Range, 80 kilometers north of Chennai. What began in 2002 as Oneness University, founded by spiritual teacher Kalki Bhagavan (born Vijay Kumar Naidu), has evolved under the leadership of his son and daughter-in-law into something more ambitious: a self-described World Center for Enlightenment drawing seekers from over 100 countries. Today, the center is led by Sri Krishnaji and Sri Preethaji (born Preetha Krishna), an enlightened couple who assumed leadership in 2017 and rebranded the organization as Ekam, shifting focus from the earlier Oneness Blessing (Deeksha) phenomenon to what they call "living in a beautiful state."

The centerpiece is the Oneness Temple, inaugurated in April 2008 at a reported cost of $75 million. Designed as a three-dimensional Surya Yantra mandala according to Vaastu Shastra principles, the structure features Asia's largest pillar-less meditation hall, over 22,500 square feet spanning three floors, accommodating up to 8,000 people simultaneously. Built entirely of white Indian marble, semi-precious stones, and hundreds of varieties of native woods, the temple rises 105 feet, crowned by nine spires representing planetary energies. At its heart sits the Hiranyagarbha, a golden sanctum symbolizing the cosmic womb of creation. The architectural ambition is staggering: every wall, dome, and latticed window calibrated to amplify what the founders believe are powerful earth energies converging at this ancient meditation site.

Sri Preethaji and Sri Krishnaji teach a fusion philosophy they've codified in their U.S. national bestseller "The Four Sacred Secrets" (translated into 13 languages). Preethaji, who discovered her spiritual mission at age nine, has delivered TEDx talks reaching over two million viewers on ending stress and anxiety. Krishnaji, who experienced spontaneous self-realization at eleven, began envisioning Ekam at nineteen. Together they've built a global following through the annual Ekam World Peace Festival, which in September 2021 claimed to impact 30 million participants worldwide, featuring guests like neuroscientist Dr. Joe Dispenza, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, and former UN official Satya S Tripathi. Their teachings emphasize moving from "suffering states" to "beautiful states" through consciousness transformation, positioning Ekam as a bridge between ancient Indian wisdom and modern neuroscience.

The grounds sprawl across multiple campuses in the Vellikonda foothills, where misty mornings reveal layers of ancient peaks and evenings bring quiet crimson skies. Daily rituals are free and open to all: the signature 9-Minute Blessing, Ayushya Abhishekam Vedic ceremonies, Arogya Deeksha healing sessions, and Mantra Dhyana meditations unfold from morning Arati until evening Maha Mangalarati. Visitors can walk in without registration or book multi-day immersions like Tapas, a four-week enlightenment journey alternating between the temple and the ancient Nirvana forest campus. The center operates year-round with simple vegetarian meals at Yogi Ahaar restaurant and lodging on the Sattva Campus.

Ekam's lineage traces to the earlier Oneness movement established by Kalki Bhagavan and his wife Amma (Padmavathi), who founded Jeevashram school in 1984 where students reportedly experienced spontaneous enlightenment after a mystical "golden ball" descended in 1989. The transition from Bhagavan's avatar-centered teachings to Krishnaji and Preethaji's more secular "consciousness upgrade" philosophy represents a deliberate rebranding. The center now runs programs like Manifest (a 12-month online mystic process that has reached 75,000 families since 2021), Field of Awakening retreats, and the Network of Oneness Achievers for high-achieving entrepreneurs. Their philanthropic arm serves over 1,000 surrounding villages with water, healthcare, and education.

The center draws both devoted followers who speak of life-changing transformations and skeptics wary of the $75 million temple built on donations, high program fees, and the movement's history. Yet for many, stepping into that vast pillar-less hall, where golden light filters through nine spires and the Hiranyagarbha holds court, remains an undeniably powerful experience. Whether one ascribes it to sacred geometry, earth energy grids, or simply the audacity of the architectural vision, Ekam commands attention as one of India's most ambitious contemporary spiritual projects.