Built by a group of eight sadhavis, as per the instructions given by Swami Vivekananda, it serves as a monastic order for women.
[3] Headquartered at Dakshineshwar, Kolkata, the organisation has branch centres all over India, in Sri Lanka and Australia.
[4] The nuns of this order use the title "Pravrajika" before their ordained name, and are usually addressed as "Mataji" meaning 'revered mother'.
The main aim of the organisation is to fulfill the mission of Swami Vivekananda, that is 'Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva' serving God in Man, irrespective of caste, creed, and nationality as well as the upliftment and empowerment of women.
[8][9] The organisation mainly propagates the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta–Advaita Vedanta and four yogic ideals–jnana, bhakti, karma, and Raja Yoga.
Brahmacharini Asha had in 1946 written an article entitled, Hindu Women's Right to Sannyasa published in Udbodhan magazine, in which she expressed her strong desire for the life of renunciation.
Then on 2 January 1959, in the Old Shrine of Belur Math, the president, Swami Shankarananda and other senior monks conducted the Viraja Homa, and the eight Brahmacharinis were ordained into formal Sannyasa.
On 26 August 1959, the Sri Sarada Math was recognised as an independent organisation and the full administration was handed over to the nuns.
From the establishment of Sri Sarada Math in 1954 till it was legally independent in 1959, the total number of its members was 52.
The function of the Math gives emphasis on spiritual development (Atmano Mokshartham) while the Mission's main aim is service to society (Jagad Hitaya).
[22] With donations from Sri Devendranath Bhattacharya, the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Vidyabhavan, a degree college was started in 1961.
Later, some girls who received education at this college, have joined Sri Sarada Math and became nuns.
[22] The emblem of the Ramakrishna Math designed by Swami Vivekananda was slightly modified to keep a separate identity.
In Sri Sarada Math's emblem, the swan and snake are facing the opposite direction.
Following the guidance of her Guru and other disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarala Devi lived in Varanasi from 1927 to 1954, performing spiritual disciplines.
[27] Assuming the leadership of the Sri Sarada Math, Bharatiprana served from December 1954 to January 1973, till her Mahasamadhi.
Initiated by Pravrajika Bharatiprana Mataji, she joined the Order at Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Matribhavan in 1964.
However, soon after she was recalled to the headquarters to serve Revered Pravrajika Bharatipranaji (a disciple & attendant of the Holy Mother and first president of Sri Sarada Math).
The idea to form a monastic institution for women was first envisioned by Swami Vivekananda, long before he established the well-known Ramakrishna Math.
"[42] "With the Holy Mother (Sri Sarada Devi) as the centre of inspiration, a Math is to be established on the eastern bank of the Ganga.
This came to light from the letters of Swami Saradananda written to Sara Bull, 'Sister Nivedita and myself have found out by talking to Mother that she would like to see a convent started in the fashion of the Math, Belur, for women.
[51] Sri Sarada Math also has some speakers on Vedanta and Hinduism who have been travelling the various parts of the world to deliver lectures, talks, and discourses.
[58] Samvit is the English journal published by Sri Sarada Math's New Delhi Center.
[59][60] Besides journals, the Sri Sarada Math and its branch centres also have published several biographies of religious and spiritual personalities, and books on Ramakrishna-Vedanta.