Godmen, Godmothers, Bhagwans, Bapus, Swamis, Maas, and Gurus ...

I have compiled published news articles and videos published on some well known Godmen, Godmothers, Bhagwans, Bapus, and Gurus from India. Some of these are currently or in the past involved in scandals, controversies, and accusations of fraud.

Whats in a Title?

Some of Indian Godmen assume titles such as Baba, Bapu, Sant, Maa, Guru, Satguru, Sai, or Swami. Others add suffix to their names such as 108, 1008, 420, etc. Many of you know must have heard about The AOL (Art of Living) and its founder SSRS — a.k.a Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a.k.a His Holiness, the Maha Param Pujaniya Gurudev Prabhuji Vishwa Vidhaata Bhagwan Mahadevji  Sriman Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji Maharaj or HHMPGPVVBMSSSRSM for short. To be fair, Sri Sri has done a lot of propagation of Hindu thoughts across the globe and took part in a number of interfaith activities. He has also been respectful to Sikh Gurus during visit to Punjab. But what's with this extra long name and the list of titles?

Amul Cartoon on Baba from Dera Sacha Sauda

 Create Controversy and Get Followers

 Sant Rampal, the self-proclaimed 'godman' from Haryana was booked on the charges of murder, sedition and waging war against government. He was arrested and taken into custody on November 19 after days of confrontation with police. When security personnel finally entered Sant Rampal’s Satlok Ashram Thursday, the sight that greeted them spoke of its enormous resources. Rampal claims to be a reincarnation of 15th century philosopher Kabir. He has created controversies by exposing Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj. He also claims that Kabir is the "Satguru" of Sikhs and Guru Nanak was a disciple of Kabir. His devotees used to bath him in milk and then prepare "Kheer" from that milk as "Prasad".

Baba Rampal in Police Custody in Haryana

Get Good Grades and a Good Job

Godman Kumar Swami denies curing patients with the help of 'beej' mantra... promises to make unborn child, the prime minister, president, doctor, film actor with his mantras. Please watch the news article by India.TV in three segments:

Miracle or Street Magic

Sai Baba was a very respected figure in South India and had a massive following in India and abroad. The Tarkasheel Society of Indian scientists have systematically exposed magic tricks demonstrated by Sai Baba. Watch it for yourself ....

Rumours about Sai Baba sexually abusing young male devotees have been circulating for years. In 1976 a former American follower,Tal Brooke, wrote a book called Avatar of the Night: The Hidden Side of Sai Baba. In it, he referred to the guru's sexual exploits. Former devotees such as Alaya Rahm and Mark Roche, featured in the the BBC film Secret Swami, are coming forward with increasingly graphic stories of the guru's serious sexual exploitation.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/3813469.stm 

Tantrik or Arms Deal Broker

Godman Chandra Swami was godman with a reflection of Rasputin. He was revered by Indian Prime Minister Narsimha Rao and played a key role in many political arrangements. He was involved with international gun smuggler Adnan Khashoggi and was investigated for a number of corruption cases.

Chandraswamy with his 24 Carat Gold Bamby

Dead or Meditating in Himalayas

Ashutosh Maharaj is presently in a commercial freezer in his ashram, guarded by elders within the multinational sect that he created. His followers from Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan insist that Maharaj is in a state of transcendent bliss called samadhi, a central tenet of traditional yoga in which a yogi becomes one with the universe. The guru's son and wife corroborate that he died of a heart attack in January, and that his followers are keeping his body in order to retain control of his financial empire, including the ten billion rupee ($170 million) estate where the corpse resides.

Ashutosh Maharaj "meditating" in Freezer Now

"Maharaj has been in deep meditation," one of his followers said. "He has spent many years meditating in sub-zero temperatures in the Himalayas, there is nothing unusual in it. He will return to life as soon as he feels and we will ensure his body is preserved until then."

Goddess or Exotic Dancer

Radhe Maa has amazing personality and cult following. This small time dancer from Punjab is an emerging godwoman who mesmerizes devotees with her trance like dances. Devotees pay for personal dance with the goddess.

Reformist or Gangster

Dera Sacha Sauda head has been a controversial figure. There have been a number of stories about his violent past and association with rape, intimidation, and murders.

Bapu or Predator

Asaram Bapu , the self styled 'saint' landed into several controversies including land encroachment, sexual assault and rape case. Recent charges framed against him were for rape, criminal conspiracy and other offences by a Jodhpur court in connection with alleged sexual exploitation of a minor girl in his ashram in Jodhpur. 

Ichhadhari Sant or Pimp

Probe into the racket allegedly run by Shiv Murat Dwivedi alias Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanandji Maharaj Chitrakootwale showed that he amassed more than Rs 60 crore in the last ten years. Dwivedi had more than 100 girls working for him. According to Delhi Police, Godman Shiv Murat Dwivedi was running a huge network of flesh trade involving more than a hundred brokers and thousand prostitutes across the country. Dwivedi, who hails from Chitrakoot, came to Delhi in 1988. “He worked as a security guard in Park Royal hotel for many years. He also worked at a massage parlour in Lajpat Nagar. Dwivedi started a Sai Baba temple in Badarpur and started a flesh trade racket. Soon, he built his own temple in south Delhi. His temple had 14 rooms, CCTV cameras and a cave. Probe shows he was also operating in posh areas like CR Park, RK Puram, Bhikaji Cama Place and Safdarjung Enclave.

Shivmurat Dwivedi on his arrest by Delhi Police

Exploits of a Swami

Swami Nithyanand is another controversial 'godman' who is an accused in a rape case. Nithyananda had a huge ashram on the outskirts of Bangalore. He disappeared from there four years ago after local television channels ran footage that allegedly showed him in a compromising position with an actress.

Swamy Nityanand with Actress Ranjitha

Evangelical Baba

Nirmal Baba is charged for spreading blind faith in the society by airing shows like ‘Third Eye of Nirmal Baba’ on TV channels where he asks people to follow his preaching and guidelines to become rich and get rid of all problems in life. Nirmal Baba, former name Nirmaljit Singh Nirula, was born in 1952 in Samana, India, near Patiala in Punjab, to a Namdhari Sikh family. He claims to have attained Nirvana in a Jharkhand forest in the 1980s. He then cut his Sikh hair, shaved off his beard and adopted the name, Nirmal Baba.

Advertisement by Nirmal Baba

Nirmal Darbar used to be the name of the paid televised show broadcast by approximately 40 different channels including AXN, TV Asia, Star News, SAB TV and more.During these Darbars, he used to make public appearances and conversed with aggrieved devotees All the Samagam meetings have tickets for INR3000 (US$49).The tagline of the show was "Yantra chale na tantra mantra, na rahe dukhon ka ghera, Bhagya uday ho jayega jab ho, Nirmal Baba aashirwad tera," meaning "Even when objects representing aspects of divine and mystical hymns and sounds having special meanings fail, good luck can be awakened in a person's life by blessings of Nirmal Baba.

The Bald Babaji of Chhatarpur

Guruji -- as we know him -- was born in his mortal avtar as Nirmal Singhji Maharaj in village Dugri in Sangrur district in Punjab on July 7, 1952. Guruji was Lord Shiva incarnate to his followers and had revealed himself in the divine form to many of his devotees. Guruji emitted the divine fragrance from his self which was akin to that of heavenly roses. Even today, long after he is no longer there in his physical form, his fragrance is felt as a proof of his presence very much in spirit!

Baba Nirmal Singh of Chhatarpur

 Can I get the name of the brand of perfume Baba was using? 

Miracle or Magic trick

The young Sikhs from UK expose the tricks used by a Baba to demonstrate a miracle.

Sufi or Fraud

This kind of Godmen are very common among Hindus and Sikhs in India but also in Pakistan. This Pakistani Baba from Gujranwala emulates his Indian counterparts in conning innocent public.



Read more: http://indianexpress.com/photos/picture-gallery-others/babas-on-the-wrong-side-of-law/5/