Kali Mandir Ashram Expansion Project
Latest News and Fundraising Opportunities
Please help acquire the adjacent property and thus secure Kali Mandir's future as we worship the Divine Mother and serve generations of Her devotees.
GREAT NEWS!
It’s been our dream for a very long time to expand our community and purchase the property across the street from Kali Mandir. Recently our neighbor told us that he is willing to sell his 3.6-acre property to Kali Mandir. This property is very large and will immediately provide ample parking as well as housing for staff as well as for devotees on retreat. An existing round building can be used immediately for the Ramakrishna Seminary Library. These vast grounds provide plenty of opportunities for places of meditation. Seeking Ma's blessings, we shook hands with our neighbor on May 1, 2025 and embarked on a one-year escrow.
That's the great news! On the more challenging side, we have until April, 2026 to raise $1.5 million. Before this announcement, devotees who have heard the news through the grapevine have already come forward pledging money toward this project.
Updated total as of October 16th
Present Kali Mandir property shown in red. Future Ashram property in yellow.
View of adjacent property from Kali Mandir's courtyard.
It is a very large property - 5 parcels that stretch over 3.6 acres. The land includes the large lot directly across the road from Kali Mandir and continues to the top of the hill. It overlooks the temple and the beauty of Laguna Canyon. Combined with the present property, this would give Kali Mandir Ramakrishna Ashram more than 4 acres of land in Laguna Beach.
The property has a round house on the hill with incredible views that will be the home for Kali Mandir's Ramakrishna Seminary, housing our growing research library of nearly 8000 books, as well as serve as a lecture hall and community meeting space for classes in yoga, music, chanting, and bal vihar (children's religious education). This may also be the site of Ma Dakshineswari Kali's main temple in the future.
Future Ramakrishna Seminary libraryand community meeting space. In the future, this may be the site of Ma's new temple.
The lower lot at street level would immediately solve our parking problem by increasing our dedicated parking spaces from 12 to 40. This lower lot has a full-size mobile home which could serve as guest quarters for visiting devotees on retreat. On the terraced hill there is room for multiple kutirs (cottages) for ashram residents and visitors.
After cleaning up the property, we hope to plant groves of holy plants and trees such as bilva, ashok, hibiscus, tulasi, etc., creating sacred meditation gardens with views of the protected beauty of the Laguna Cove Wilderness Park that surrounds Kali Mandir. A meditation path up the hill could take you to a place where you would see only nature and the ocean in the distance.
Laguna Canyon is special. Ma Dakshineswari Kali was ritually awakened in Laguna Canyon in 1993 by Sri Haradhan Chakraborty and She has been continually worshiped here for 32 years. But Laguna Canyon has been recognized as sacred land and used for ritual for over 7000 years by the people of the Achachemen, Juaneno, Gabrielino and Tongva tribes. We feel that Ma chose to reside here because this land is holy and we worship Her here respectful of where we are and all who came before us.
View of the lot at the lower portion of the property.
Kali Mandir has no debt, has tax-exempt status, and owns the current temple property free and clear. While Kali Mandir is financially secure, we do not yet have enough to purchase the land. We will need to raise $1.5 million by April 2026 in order to secure this property. The opportunity to acquire this land in Laguna Beach adjacent to our present property is too good to pass up now, and too important for the future. This chance will not come again. Moreover, if this land were sold to a developer, it could drastically change the neighborhood and the existing ashram's beautiful natural environment.
By Mother's grace, and the loving and generous help the devotees, we have already raised over $600,000, which means we are more than 40% of the way there! And with Ma’s help, we hope, we hope to raise two-thirds by Divali.
Proposed property (on the left)
directly across from Kali Mandir (on the right)
We Seek Your Blessings & Help
Please consider contributing to help us acquire this property and thus secure Kali Mandir's future as we worship the Divine Mother and serve generations of Her devotees. No amount is too small (or too large! :) ). All donations are tax-deductible. You may want to donate in a loved one's name. Perhaps we could plant a tree in memory of a loved one. Perhaps the meditation path could be lined with bricks donated by devotees. There are endless possibilities working together as a community.
Different Ways to Support this Project
Donating using Zelle (no transaction fees):
Zelle does not charge any fees to you or to Kali Mandir for making a transfer. Individual banks may have daily and monthly limits they allow for Zelle transfers. Here's how to donate using Zelle:
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Log into your bank's app or website.
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Select Zelle and find the option to send money.
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Enter our Zelle email: devotees@kalimandir.org
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Specify the amount you'd like to donate.
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Please also email us so we know where to send the receipt.
Donating using Venmo
Please note that Venmo charges the recipient a 1.9% transaction fee for payments received. Venmo also charges a 3% fee for payments made using a credit card.
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Open Venmo on your mobile device or computer.
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Under pay/request search for Kali Mandir using our email: devotees@kalimandir.org
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The Venmo app will guide you through the donation process.
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Add any notes about your donation (optional).
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Please also email us so we know where to send the receipt.
Donating using Paypal
Please note that Paypal charges 2.9% as transaction fees.
Click HERE to make a secure donation to Kali Mandir via Paypal.
Donate by check
Make check out to Kali Mandir and write "expansion project" on the Memo line.
Donating stocks
Donating stock can be a tax-efficient alternative to donating cash. Contact us for details.
Fundraising programs
We plan to organize concerts, dinners, kirtans, and other fundraising programs at a variety of venues during this next year. We will post them on our website.
Share our campaign
Please share this campaign with your friends, family, and on social media. Your advocacy can amplify our impact.
Share your expertise
We will have to pursue multiple fundraising pathways to be able to purchase this property. Your creative ideas, expertise, advice, and time are valuable to us.
Financing
Though our goal is to purchase this land without incurring debt, we are open to private financing should we fail to raise $1.5 million within a year.
A NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE
Trevor Hall Benefit Concert
February 7th, 2026
We are thrilled to announce that our own Rampriya Das (Trevor Hall) will be giving a solo concert at the amazing Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University in Aliso Viejo. All proceeds will go to support Kali Mandir’s Expansion Project to purchase the adjacent land provide wider services to the community.