Largest homeless shelter (female) - 3,295 residents by Apna Ghar Ashram Bharatpur, Maa Madhuri Brij Varis Sewa Sadan Apna Ghar Sanstha

Maa Madhuri Brij Varis Sewa Sadan Apna Ghar Sanstha is one of India’s largest humanitarian shelter-and-rehabilitation organizations for abandoned, destitute, mentally ill, injured, elderly, and homeless people. Its main headquarters is in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. The organization was founded by Dr. B. M. Bhardwaj and Dr. Madhuri Bhardwaj on a very small scale, initially helping street children and abandoned people before the institution expanded nationally. The Bharatpur headquarters functions as a rescue-and-rehabilitation centre offering long-term shelter for people with nowhere else to go. Residents are often rescued from railway stations, roadsides, bus-stands, temples and public places. Many arrive in severe physical or mental distress, sometimes with untreated wounds, malnutrition, psychiatric illness, paralysis, tuberculosis, AIDS, etc. The organization provides food, clothing, medical treatment, medicines, nursing care, psychological support , rehabilitation and of course shelter free of charge through donations and volunteer support. “Prabhuji” Philosophy One distinctive aspect is that residents are commonly referred to and addressed as “Prabhuji” (manifestation of God). The idea is to treat every destitute person with dignity and as a manifestation of God. This philosophy is central to the institution’s identity.