Bangalore: Tainted godman Swami Nityananda has decided to step down from all posts of his ashram to lead a life of spiritual seclusion. This, after a controversial CD surfaced three weeks ago, showing him in a compromising position with a Tamil film actress.
The Swami, who has lakhs of followers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, maintains his innocence. But his ashrams have been deserted ever since the scandals became public. His case comes up for hearing in Bangalore on Tuesday.
“I have decided to live a life of spiritual seclusion, for some indefinite time, to which the acharyas have agreed in principle,” said the tainted godman.
“In view of this, and to enable Dhyanapeetam to function with such amended agenda as may be necessary, I am resigning as the head of Dhyanapeetam and from all the trusts associated with it,” he added.
Sex Swami duped firangs in the US
Douglas McKellor, an American national and once a disciple of Swami Nityananda, has registered a case with California State Attorney General against the self-proclaimed godman.
In his complaint, McKellor has accused Nityananda of sexually exploiting the devotees at the ashram, fraud and financial irregularities.
A resident of San Jose in California, McKeller came in contact with Nityananda in 2007.
Influenced by the swami, McKellor changed his name to Swami Nityaprabha and later became the head of the California branch of Dhyanapeetham.
Describing how he got conned by Nityananda, McKeller, in his complaint, said, “I was in the first batch that enrolled for Nityananda’s week-long instant enlightenment programme.
It was held at the Los Angeles ashram in June 2007, where I paid swami a fee of $400,000 for the workshop and the enlightenment certificate.”
McKeller added, “During the workshop, I felt abnormally light-headed. It was like as if some strange drug was causing me lose all my senses.
Nityananda performed some fire rituals and asked us to cut a strand of our hair. Then, he put the hair in fire along with something that looked like marijuana seeds.
After the workshop, he issued certificates to everyone claiming that we had attained enlightenment.”
McKeller also accused Nityananda of sexually exploiting his American devotees. “Nityananda was fond of pretty girls.
While he was at Sanatan Dharma temple in Norwalk, California, for a two-day workshop on spirituality, he asked me to stand outside the door to ensure no one disturbed him, while he was with female guests,” he said in his complaint.
He was reportedly fond of striptease parties with pretty girls.
McKellor added that Nityananda used to eat his meals and rest with young girls in his private quarters at the cult organisation’s Norwalk and Montclair ashrams.
The swami had named attractive girls ‘flowers’ and used to say that they are a must item for his puja.
H S Chandramouli, Nityananda’s advocate, confirmed that a complaint has been filed by McKeller. “Those close to swami are discussing about the plan of action. However, noting has been decided yet,” said Chandramouli. – NDTV, 30 March 2010
Earlier Posts
- Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha heading the way of Gandhi’s INC – I – Radha Rajan – https://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/hindu-dharma-acharya-sabha-heading-the-way-of-gandhis-inc-part-1-radha-rajan/
- Debutante Dharma-Gurus: Violating a civilizational patent – Sandhya Jain – https://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/debutante-dharma-gurus-violating-a-civilisational-patent-sandhya-jain/
- The Nithyananda mea culpa interview – Rajiv Malhotra – https://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/03/13/video-the-nityananda-mea-culpa-interview-rajiv-malhotra/
- Nithyananda videos: A testing time for Hindus – Rasha Rajan https://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/03/05/nityananda-videos-a-testing-time-for-hindus-radha-rajan/
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