Anandashram was founded in 1931 by Swami Ramdas, (1884-1963) and Mother Krishnabai (1903-1989) endearingly called by devotees as Papa and Mataji respectively.

Anandashram is located in Kanhangad, a town in the Kasaragod district of Kerala State in South India.

The ideal, which the Ashram holds before it, is Universal Love andService based upon a vision of divinity in all beings and creatures of the world. Here every man, woman or child, to whatever denomination, creed or caste the person may belong, shall have free access.

This is a place where every effort will be made to cultivate the spirit of mutual love and service, so that what is realised within its walls may prove as an example for the right conduct of human life in outside world.

True to this dictum, Ashram has been rendering assistance to the poor and needy section of the society for food, clothing, medical treatment, education, marriage, self-employment, house construction and to philanthropic institutions such as old age homes, Leprosy welfare centres, orphanages, Animal welfare centres, School for Mentally handicapped children, etc.