India and Swamis are indispensible. They are like body and soul, that make the ‘spiritual India’, what it is. But not all of them are creditable. One fine evening we return home contented with the sermons we heard from them reflecting on the finer points of deliverance, and on the next morning read news of some kind of scandal associated with them. Here let us have a look at a few of them who made news for wrongs reasons
1) Asaram Bapu
Image Source : TheHindu.Com
His name knows no introduction to the people of India cutting across sections of the society irrespective of their faith. He is presently lodged in jail for alleged molestation of girls in his Ashram. This self-professed social moralist has other charges to his stride too besides this one, including allegations of land grabbing, assault, and murder of four boys in some sort of tantric rituals. His son Narayan Sai too is alleged of similar activities and is suffering imprisonment.
2) Sai Baba
Image Source : IbnLive.In
Satya Sai Baba of Puttapati in Andhra Pradesh was styled as living God by his followers. Despite his unassailable status, he suffered from charges of sexual exploitation of his male and female devotees. He was accused of sexual abuse, money laundering, sleight of hand in magic, and murder. However, all these charges have done nothing to diminish his image among his devotees even after his death in 2011.
3) Ichadhari Swami Bheemanand
Image Source : TimesOfIndia.IndiaTimes.Com
This self-style Baba or Swami previously worked as a security guard and later on donned the saffron robes to hide in his more perverting activities. He in fact ran a sex-racket, supplying female students, airhostesses and even homemakers to high-end clients across Delhi. He allegedly raised an overwhelming USD 25 Billion worth of property from these activities.
4) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Image Source : HindustanTimes.Com
His name needs no introduction to those who have graphed the whole life of the Beetles. Influenced by his teaching, they came to India to stay in his ashram at Rishikesh. In 1968, during their stay there, one Mia Farrow claimed that the Maharishi had tried to get physically intimate with her. This was sufficient for John Leonnon to dedicate a song Sexy Sadie to Swami. He had in fact planned to title it Maharishi, but decided not to go through with that title.
5) Swami Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh
Image Source : TribuneIndia.Com
A spiritual leader with a mass following, his name came to headlines when in 2002 a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of India from an anonymous Sevika accused him of keeping in his Ashram a seraglio of prostitutes. This was followed with the murder of Ram Chander Chatrapati, a journalist who had been constantly writing against him. News magazine Tahelka published a story about alleged murders, sexual exploitation and possession of illegal arms in his Ashrams.
So there is not always holy about the self proclaimed Swamis of India. Keep your conscious tight in their presence, for their mesmerizing techniques can quickly lead you from a holy deliverance to an unholy one.