Controversial Spiritual Guru/ Indian Godmen
Godmen/ Spiritual Guru’s in India are treated and respected as a demigod by people of India. For innocent public, Godmen are the men sent by GOD to show them the right path, and yes there was a time when this was reality. Today Spiritual gurus, Godmen and astrologers must be treated as professionals, because few people have made it a profession to play with innocent people and their faith.
In 2012, a Hindi Bollywood movie came with the name, ‘OMG-Oh My God!’ directed by Umesh Shukla and produced by Paresh Rawal. This movie very clearly showed how these Godly men, Astrologers and Spiritual gurus are fooling the innocent public.
After the arrest of the Indian Spiritual Guru, Asaram Bapu, a question must strike every mind, Do we really need to follow Spiritual Gurus/ Godmen and Astrologers blindly??? Or should we ourselves be intelligent enough to understand their hidden desires? It’s time we should stop becoming fools on the name of God, Indian Culture and religion.
Here are Top 10 controversial Godmen/Guru’s of India-
P.S- This list only defines Spiritual Guru, Spiritual Leaders and Godmen who have been in controversies and Legal complications. This post does not mean to offend anyone, but just a mere try to aware that there is difference in Trust and Blind Trust.
Aasaram Bapu
A young lad who used to sell tea in front of a magistrate office became a Spiritual guru and leader with time. Today Asaram Bapu has assets worth crores, he has around 400 ashrams in India and abroad. He has been in the news every now and then for his blatant remarks and allegations.
In 2008, mutilated bodies of 2 boys studying at Asaram’s Gurukul were found at riverbed. Allegations of black magic by Asaram and his staff at the ashram started doing the rounds, the city people protested against it and demanded for CBI probe. Locals of Navasari district filed a complaint against Asaram for land encroachment in 2000. In 2001, Asaram was permitted to use 100 acres of land of Mangalya Temple for a Satsang for 11 days, but Asaram encroached the land worth 700 crores, which was later taken over. In 2013, a 16 year old girl’s parents have filed a complaint against Asaram with Rape charges. Medical examination has confirmed the assault.
Nirmal Baba
In 1981, Nirmaljit Singh Nirula began Brick Kiln Business, he suffered the loss and started a cloth shop, he was then involved in the mining of Kyanite. After all his business’s flopped one after another, he claimed that he has attained nirvana and became Nirmal Baba.
NIrmal Baba started a trust, Nirmal Darbar, has faced legal complications for its fraudulent activities for charging exorbitant sum of money on the name of solving problems with Nirmal Baba’s self proclaimed, divine powers.
Ramdev Baba
He is not a Spiritual Leader but a Yoga Guru, Ramdev Baba teaches Meditation and Yoga, he has formed a trust with the name Ptanjali Yogpeeth and he sells Ayurvedic medicines with the name of Divya Pharmacy under the trust, Divya Yog Mandir trust.
Ramdev Baba has been accused for numerous financial irregularities and Tax Evasion. In 2005, Brinda Karat accused Ramdev Baba for using animal products in his medicines.
Swami Nithyananda
Swami Paramhansa Nithyananda, has a big following in India and abroad. The main ashram of Swami Nityananda is in Bangalore-Mysore highway with the name of, Nithyananda Dhyanapeedam.
He landed in a trouble when a news channel telecasted a compromising video footage of Swami ji with a south Indian actress Ranjitha.
Osho Rajneesh
This Godman has many names, Chandra Mohan Jain, Acharya Rajneesh, Bhagwaan Shree Rajneesh and Osho. Osho is an Indian mystic Guru, spiritual teacher and philosopher. He has many followers in India, but has a much bigger international following.
Osho has written many controversial books, which lead him into controversies. His ashram is always in talks for good and bad reasons. His outspoken criticism about religion, socialism and other things has made this Godman very controversial.
Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi
The biggest controversy about this Godman(Spiritual Leader) was his claim, that he is the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi. His magic tricks of getting, Vibhuti (holy ash), rings, necklaces, watches from the air made him all the more controversial. Although Sathya Sai Baba had a big following, including Sachin Tendulkar. Sathya Sai had his ashrams in about 126 countries and many free hospitals, clinics etc.
His magic tricks have been caught by recordings, but he never commented on them.
Raadhe Maa
A woman who changed the way of profession of Spirtuality, when everyone was wearing saint like clothes, Radhe Maa always comes in glittery attires, all decked up with heavy jewelry and make up, she woos the crowd and her magnificent stages lure everyone.
Recently Media exposed every bit of Radhe Maa, leading her into big controversies.
Chandraswami
Chadraswami is a practitioner of Tantra (Tantrik Vidya), his real name is Nemi Chand Jain. It is believed that at age of 4early age, Chandraswami got attracted to Tantra Vidya. He became a student of Upadhyar Amar Muni and Tantrik Pandit Gopinath Kaviraj.
The MC Jain commission report states to his alleged involvement in Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassination. Income tax raid at his ashram, revealed original drafts of around 11 million $ to Adnan Khashoggi, an arms dealer.
Ichchadhari Sant
A security guard at a five star hotel in 1988, this Godman also worked at a massage parlor in New Delhi. He was even arrested in 1997 with the allegation of running a Prostitute racket. He changed his profession, with saint like clothes, a big beard, polite speech and became, ‘Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot’.
Today he has assets worth crores, a 200 bed hospital, a huge temple, writes for magazines, has video CD’s with the name, ‘Shri Sai Amrit Varsha’ and crores of followers.
Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim
Chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim was charged with a Rape case by the CBI, sexually assaulting women followers at his Sirsa based Asharam. CBI has also charged him for his alleged involvement in murder conspiracy of a journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti and Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
Trust everyone, but do nor Blind Trust Godmen and Spiritual Gurus/ leaders
No, doubt A well researched article. But Please Payal Don’t mind it whatever I am going to express now.
Dear Payal, It is for sure that some of these spiritual Gurus are really making common public fools and they must be exposed but some of them are innocence and no strong evidence is their to prove that they are scamasters and hence making fool to public.
First of all i would like to request you to please first read out the background of activist like Vrinda karat, Arundhati Roy , not from the media point of you. But from your own point. I would like you to write about Paul Dinakar and all. They too are making people fool but since media don’t wants them to expose so you are.
Hope you got my point.
I know very well that you are not going to approve my comment but my aim is just to send my words to you. Thanks
Hi Pratibha,
Thanks for reading the post.
Why did you think, I won’t approve your comment?? I didn’t find any reason not to approve it. The post shows my views and the comment yours. And I believe as a writer, one must respect others views as well.
Have you read this para,
“After the arrest of the Indian Spiritual Guru, Asaram Bapu, a question must strike every mind, Do we really need to follow Spiritual Gurus/ Godmen and Astrologers blindly??? Or should we ourselves be intelligent enough to understand their hidden desires? It’s time we should stop becoming fools on the name of God, Indian Culture and religion.”
My main aim to write this post was to aware people, that there is a difference in trust and Blind trust. Many people have made this a profession and they are great businessmen as people are following them blindly.
And for the list, these Guru and Godmen have been in the news and controversies, but adding their names in the list does not mean I am saying that they are criminals, or have a bad image. They are into controversies and have been too. It is our personal views, whether to believe them, trust them or blindly trust them.
I would definitely research about the social activists and write about them too. As far as this post goes, I will definitely add that this list only shows some Guru’s who have been in controversies, but only God and these men know whether these legal controversies were true or were they trapped.
I hope you are satisfied with the reply 🙂