Paramhansa (or Paramahansa) Yogananda was born in India, and studied with gurus there. Later he spent many years in the United States teaching about Kriya Yoga, Hinduism and enlightened masters. His book, "Autobiography of a Yogi," portrays many aspects of Indian society and spiritual life, and is also considered by many to offer spiritual guidance as well. Yogananda founded the Self-Realization Fellowship in southern California. After his death, one of his disciples (J. Donald Waters, also known as Swami Kriyananda), left the SRF under unfriendly circumstances and founded the Ananda Church of Self-Realization, whose teachings are based on Yogananda's writings and Kriyananda's interpretations of those writings.