Fake babas in India play on emotions of ‘fear’ and ‘hope’; the superstitious life has become a business in India.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati and called the occasion historical, to create a future and inspiration for the entire world. Referring to Maharishi Dayanand’s ideal of making the world a better place, the Prime Minister said in this era of discord, violence and instability, the path shown by Maharishi Dayanand gives hope. The Prime Minister dwelled on the expansive notion of religion in India which goes beyond rituals and is defined as an entire way of life. ‘With us, the first interpretation of religion is about duty,” the Prime Minister said. Swamiji, the Prime Minister said, took an inclusive and integrated approach and assumed responsibility and leadership of many dimensions of the nation’s life.
Born on 12 February 1824, Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati was a social reformer who founded Arya Samaj in 1875 to counter social inequities prevalent during the times. Arya Samaj has played a crucial role in the cultural and social awakening of the country through its emphasis on social reforms and education. His teachings are essential in today’s world. More than a religious leader, he left a profound impact on the concept of religion and Indian society. Swami preached Universalism, not any particular caste. The Samaj promoted values and practices based on the belief of the Vedas. It was the first Hindu organisation that introduced proselytisation. Proselytisation means converting people’s religious or political beliefs. The Arya Samaj campaigned against casteism, widow remarriage, and women’s empowerment.
Swami Dayanand preaches that God is the primary source of all proper knowledge, we should read to accept the truth and give untruths. Everyone should follow love, righteousness, and justice, we should avoid ignorance and accept knowledge. His vision of India includes a casteless society; he believes that a person was not born in a caste; nevertheless, they are identified according to the occupation they follow. He first used the term Swaraj as “India for Indian” in 1876. He had a vision that India should be free from foreign rule and opposed untouchability, child marriage, and female infanticide and also encouraged widow remarriage, and the right to education for women and worked for the uplift of women.
However, these days in different parts of the country, new superstition and Babas are emerging and millions of innocent people are becoming victims. India has been the country of seekers but lately, it has been exploited by the ideas of superstitions and myths. The fake babas in India play on the emotions of ‘fear’ and ‘hope’. The superstitious life has become a business in India where the babas claim to demolish ghosts. The condition of women’s sorrow in our country is that their happiness may be different, but their sorrow is almost the same. That’s why it is not difficult for these babas to assess the sorrows of women, baba calls them sorrows, and assuming this as a miracle, most of the women start doing sorcery in the name of getting rid of their sorrows. There are 90% superstitious people in India, in the grip of this superstition, there are men and women of almost every religion, who are getting trapped in this quagmire, superstition is a curse on the country, and to root out this superstition, the Government of India/the state government or non-governmental organizations should continue to expose these hypocrites by running a campaign, so that no hypocrites are born again in India.
No one can object to religious faith and different ways of worship, prayers and religious rituals, but in the name of Dharma or some kind of magic, some babas just fool people and make money. Problems become serious when political leaders also start believing controversial Babas. Many politicians consult the godmen to seek their blessings for victory in elections and even find out the right time or muhurat for all important official and personal activities. But it is not just the politicians who seek godmen. I can mention a few of them like Chandra Swami, Bal Yogeshwar, Mauni Baba, and Asaram Bapu, who became close to top ruling leaders and later proved to be criminals. As Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh gear up for Assembly elections later this year, a 26-year-old godman from Madhya Pradesh is at the centre of a raging controversy in the state. Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, also known as “Bageshwar Dham Sarkar” and “Bageshwar Baba”, claims to read people’s minds and senior politicians of both BJP and Congress visiting his Ashram or meetings.
Shastri’s Bageshwar Dham, a Hanuman temple, in Gadha, Madhya Pradesh, is about 25 km from Khajuraho. The way to this remote village is currently dotted with new construction of ashrams, small hotels and restaurants on either side. As the temple becomes popular, the local economy booms. The place has gained prominence in the past four years, ever since Shastri became popular for his “clairvoyant’ abilities. People say Shastri can read everyone’s mind, and that his prayers are directly answered by Lord Balaji himself. There was nothing but a kuchha (makeshift) mandir, but now devotees from the entire country pour in on Tuesdays and Saturdays— considered auspicious days by Hanuman devotees.
Shastri’s success was almost overnight. While the Bageshwar Mandir established by Shastri’s grandfather is said to be as old as the village Gadha itself, the popularity of the temple or the priest was still limited. Shastri’s popularity seems to have ballooned in 2021, when right before the Covid lockdown, a three-day programme was organised by the Chhatarpur Congress leader. Since then, Shastri’s programmes have been regularly televised on TV channels, which made his appeal go nationwide.
In the recent past, a self-proclaimed saint, Vairagya Nand Giri ‘Mirchi Baba’, was arrested for rape charges in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior city. Bhopal Police nabbed Mirchi Baba following a rape case that was filed a few days ago on the complaint of a woman from Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. The woman alleged that she met with Mirchi Baba seeking solution to not being able to conceive a child in four years of her marriage. He allegedly convinced her to consume something like Sabudana goli (Sago balls) after which the woman lost consciousness and was raped. Mirchi Baba shot to fame during the 2018 Assembly elections, and then got further publicity during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when he carried out a Yajna Havan (a ritual to please gods) by using around 5 quintals of red chillies in the support of Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. Mirchi Baba and three other saints were offered the status of ministerial positions in the run-up to the 2018 Assembly elections by the BJP government, but they declined. Mirchi Baba then sided with the Congress and actively campaigned for the party, and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, during the 2018 Assembly elections. He also enjoyed the status of “minister of state” in the Kamal Nath-led Congress government of 2018. In 2019, he announced to take a “jal Samadhi” (a state of deep concentration inside the water) if Congress leader Digvijaya Singh lost in the 2019 elections; however, after his loss, baba was denied permission to do so.
These are a few examples of political patronage and social activists suggest some legal steps check or control such babas to protect common people. With Swami Dayanand, we always remember what Swami Vivekanand. Swami Vivekananda had said; “I would rather see you people as staunch atheists than as superstitious fools. An atheist is alive; he can be of some use. But when superstition takes hold, the brain is almost dead.”
It happens, the intellect freezes and man sinks deeper and deeper into the quagmire of degradation. And further, “It is far better that people become atheists by following reason and logic than blindly start worshipping twenty million gods and goddesses just by being told by someone.”
The writer is editorial director of ITV Network—India News and Dainik Aaj Samaj.