41-446: Nithyananda (born Arunachalam Rajasekaran ; 1 January 1978), is an Indian self-styled " godman " (a charismatic religious figure who claims to perform the miraculous). Following charges of rape and abduction filed in Indian courts, Nithyananda fled India and has remained in hiding since 2019. He is the subject of a court-issued non- bailable warrant relating to the allegations. Nithyananda
82-554: A scam ; his organization has denied any wrongdoing. In 2020, he announced the founding of his own self-proclaimed island nation called Kailaasa, though some evidence suggests he had been promoting the idea for around 20 years. Nithyananda was born Arunachalam Rajasekaran in Tiruvannamalai , Tamil Nadu , to father Arunachalam and mother Lokanayaki. He belongs to the Saiva Vellala community. Sources conflict as to his birth date –
123-425: A 2003 United States visa gave a date of 13 March 1977, while a sworn affidavit in a 2010 Karnataka High Court case mentioned 1 January 1978. He was first noticed at the age of three by Yogiraj Yogananda Puri. He claims to have had powerful spiritual experiences from age 12 and to have experienced full enlightenment at 22. In 2002 (age 24), he began his public life under the name Nithyananda. He says that this name
164-661: A Bengaluru-based astrologer Shankar Hegde made claims to predict the election results accurately, he received the challenge. Nayak offered to hand over a cheque of Rs.10 lakh (after deducting taxes as applicable under income Tax Act), if 19 out of the 20 results were proven right. However, later on astrologer Hegde did not turn up. Through the organisation named Aid Without Religion which was registered in July 2011, he has been helping people and institutions where there are no religious rituals, superstitious practices, unscientific systems of medicine and such supernatural beliefs. The registration
205-638: A Cult , streamed internationally. On 20 November 2019, the Gujarat Police issued a statement that Nithyananda fled India after choosing not to appear at several court hearings. Some senior police officials did not discount the possibility that he was still in India. Nithyananda wrote to the United Nations in 2021, claiming persecution and seeking recognition of his new "Hindu nation" Kailaasa. He also claimed attempts at mob lynching and assassination as reasons he
246-415: A class of 82 blind children, thus curing them of blindness. Skeptic Narendra Nayak challenged Nithyananda to prove his claims. Nithyananda has also claimed that he and his followers were able to perform activities like extrasensory perception , materialisation , body scanning , increasing height, and remote viewing , and that they had the ability to find lost objects. Nithananda has also claimed to be
287-515: A former devotee in France who claimed he was cheated by the guru out of an amount around US$ 400,000. In December 2019, Nithyananda claimed that he had created a new "Hindu nation" microstate called Kailaasa (also known as Shrikailasa, Kailasa, and United States of Kailaasa or USK) and claimed to issue passports, currency, and other documents. Nithyananda claims that Kailaasa is the world's only sovereign Hindu nation. Kailaasa has also been described as
328-553: A great presence of mind drove all the way to a nearby gas station and saw that everything was in order. He immediately filed a Police Complain. Nayak suspected that this attempt on his life could possibly be the repercussions to his fight for the justice of the slain RTI activist Vinayak Baliga , who was murdered exactly a year previous to this episode. Nayak's personal gunman was on holidays. Nayak continues to have personal gunman handed over by Mangalore Police till date. Narendra presented at
369-621: A human avatar of the Hindu divinity Paramashiva (the meaning of his epithet Nithyananda Paramashivam ). In 2010, Sun TV telecast video recordings that claimed to show Nithyananda and an actress Ranjitha (who was one of his followers) in a bedroom. The story became viral among news media in Tamil Nadu. Nithyananda and Ranjitha claimed the video to be fabricated and accused Sun TV of extortion. A forensic sciences laboratory in Bengaluru confirmed that
410-549: A more-or-less similar fashion. He was also involved in fighting against Midbrain activation , an alleged modern technique that enables students to see objects despite being blindfolded. In March 2017, there was an attempt on Narendra Nayak's life. During the early morning hours, while on his way to the Mangala swimming pool in his car, he was approached by two unidentified men in a bike wearing helmets and hinted that his tyres were punctured. An unfazed Nayak suspected foul play and with
451-471: A network of non-governmental organisations spanning three continents. The general consensus among the mainstream press is that Kailaasa is a fictional "fake country" and even a scam or con. Godman (India) Godman is a term used in India for a type of charismatic guru who is often raised to a demigod -like figure by their cult following. They generally claim to possess paranormal powers, such as
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#1732902264883492-516: A non-bailable warrant against Nithyananda following multiple orders to appear in court. In 2019, a couple from Tamil Nadu approached the High Court of Gujarat claiming that three of their four children were taken to Nithyananda's ashram in Ahmedabad from Bangalore without their knowledge; the couple sought return of their children to their custody. A first information report (FIR) for alleged abduction
533-832: Is a rationalist , sceptic , and godman debunker from Mangalore , Karnataka , India. Nayak is the current president of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA). He founded the Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association in 1976 and has been its secretary since then. He also founded an NGO called Aid Without Religion in July 2011. He tours the country conducting workshops to promote scientific temper and showing people how to debunk godmen and frauds. He has conducted over 2000 such demonstrations in India, including some in Australia , Greece , England , Norway , Denmark , Sri Lanka and Nepal . He
574-424: Is also a polyglot who speaks 9 languages fluently, which helps him when he is giving talks in various parts of the country. Nayak was named after Swami Vivekananda (born Narendra Nath Datta). He has stated that seeing his father's business premises being repossessed by the bank and his father buying a lottery ticket on the advice of an astrologer to pay off the loan with the total confidence that it would get
615-405: Is also wanted since 2019 for unrelated fraud charges in France. He is the founder of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, a trust that owns temples , gurukulas , and ashrams in many countries. A number of mainstream news outlets, inside and outside India, and a TV documentary series on Disney+ have referred to the organisation as a cult , its leader as a conman , and his micronation of Kailaasa
656-595: The Maharashtra Rationalist Association are also actively engaged in exposing false claims of spiritual gurus. The Indian spiritual leader Ravi Shankar has objected to the use of the word godman, preferring instead guru in reference to his activities. François Gautier has seconded this objection, arguing that Shankar's organisation, the Art of Living Foundation , has done much social work. Narendra Nayak Narendra Nayak (born 5 February 1951)
697-474: The biofeedback research conducted by Elmer Green at the Menninger Foundation around 1970. Several godmen have found patronage among politicians and other high-ranking officials. Sathya Sai Baba had several devotees in the political field. They include Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician L. K. Advani . In 2001, an official letter was issued that defended Sathya Sai Baba against accusations,
738-524: The mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc . He has claimed to have discovered over 400 siddhis , or paranormal abilities, expressible by humans and alleges having initiated his disciples into 60 such powers including kundalini and third-eye awakening. He has since asserted he would open the third eye , for anyone, free of charge by 2021, claiming that the person would be able to see through smog and walls. Disciples of Nithyananda claim that he gave initiations through "third eye" to
779-458: The High Court of Gujrat dismissed the habeas corpus filed by the daughter's father. The court reached this conclusion after interviewing the daughters via video conference. The court noted that the daughters are adults and mature and are consciously residing at a place ( Jamaica ) and following a spiritual path. Nithyananda was the subject of the 2022 Discovery+ docu-series My Daughter Joined
820-640: The US and in India repeatedly over the course of five years. She filed a complaint with the police department of Ann Arbor, Michigan , who did not commence any formal investigation. She also filed a complaint with the Karnataka Police in India. On 19 February 2018, the Third Additional District and Sessions Court in Ramanagara ordered the framing of charges against Nithyananda and five others in relation to
861-583: The ability to heal , the ability to see or influence future events , and the ability to read minds . Godmen usually have a high-profile presence, and are capable of attracting attention and support from large sections of the society. Godmen are revered as special human beings and often worshipped by their followers. Some godmen come from established schools of spirituality, but often they do not belong to any religious order. In recent years, many godmen have gained followers outside of India, which has increased their fame and wealth. Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011)
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#1732902264883902-636: The case. Criminal revision petitions by the accused were dismissed in the Karnataka High Court on 16 May 2018. An appeal against the High Court decision in the Supreme Court of India , in which all of the accused pleaded not guilty (except for one who was absent from court), was dismissed on 1 June 2018, following which charges were framed in the Ramanagara court on 4 June. In August 2022, the Third Additional District and Sessions Court in Ramanagara issued
943-593: The cause and form pressure groups against pseudoscience. He is also lobbying for a bill for the separation of state and religion to be introduced in the Indian parliament . After the murder of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar and enactment of the anti-superstition ordinance in Maharashtra state, Nayak expressed the need of a similar law in Karnataka . Regarding fellow Mangalorean George Fernandes , Nayak said
984-422: The first Global Congress on Scientific Thinking and Action which was held on March 17–20, 2021. During Session III on Alternative Medicine, he talked about the wide use of alternative medicines in India, including homeopathy, and said that various alternative treatments are often claimed to be Indian in origin. In addition, he states that the relatively low death rate from COVID in India has been falsely attributed to
1025-691: The first prize made him turn to rationalism . He married Asha Nayak, a lawyer in Mangaluru in a non-religious ceremony. Nayak started out working as a lecturer in the Department of biochemistry in the Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore in 1978. In 1982, he met Basava Premanand , a notable rationalist from Kerala , and was influenced by him. Karnataka State Police withdrew his security wherein Nayak
1066-440: The forthcoming elections. The prize was set at ₹ 1,000,000 (about US$ 15,000). About 450 responses were mailed to him, but none were found to be correct. The Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations has been conducting such challenges since 1991. During May 2013 Karnataka state assembly election, disappointed at the challenge being one-sided, Nayak had decided against the idea of challenging astrologers this time. But when
1107-517: The largest pole yoga ( mallakhamba ) class. Nithyananda has given discourses on various scriptures like Brahma Sutras , Patanjali ’s Yoga Sutras , Shiva Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita . Nithyananda has made several pseudoscientific claims, including that he delayed the sunrise for 40 minutes, that he could make cattle speak in Tamil and Sanskrit, and that he could disprove the correctness of
1148-512: The newspaper Mangalore Today since its inception. He also serves on the editorial board of the Folks Magazine. He has admitted to have been attacked for his activism a few times. He also has stated that his scooter 's brake wires were once found severed, after an astrologer predicted his death or injury. He was a close associate to Gauri Lankesh , M. M. Kalburgi , and Narendra Dabholkar ; all three like-minded and were assassinated in
1189-602: The premonition of her nomination as the President. In September 2013, Shobhan Sarkar claimed to have dreamt of gold buried under the palace of Rao Ram Baksh Singh , a 19th-century king. One of his disciples contacted Charan Das Mahant , then the Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries , who in turn convinced various other officials. Later, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted surveys of
1230-482: The signatories included then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee , former Chief Justices P. N. Bhagwati and Ranganath Misra , and former Home Minister Shivraj Patil . In 2006, Ravi Shankar was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by U.S. Congressman Joseph Crowley . In June 2007, former President of India Pratibha Patil claimed to have had a visitation from Dada Lekhraj (1876–1969) giving her
1271-651: The site on 12 October and announced an excavation on 15 October. On 18 November 2013, after finding no signs of gold ASI stopped the excavation and began filling up the trenches. The Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) has organised seminars to expose how alleged miracles are actually performed by sleight of hand . Members of the Indian Rationalist Association travel to villages across India and perform shows to debunk miracles, educating villagers to keep them from giving money to godmen. Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) and
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1312-462: The use of homeopathic medicines as preventative. When asked what should be done about the use of alternative medicines in India, he said, flatly, “They should be banned.” Nayak advocates that more people should be taught to perform the so-called miracles of godmen . He also advocates that people should be trained to recognize pseudoscience and demand scientific evidence . He holds the opinion that well-known scientists should be convinced to join
1353-418: The video appeared to be that of Nithyananda and Ranjitha. Sun TV and other media channels since then were subject to various lawsuits. Ranjitha filed a complaint with the High Court of Karnataka against news channels. Channels were ordered to apologize to Ranjitha for violating the complainant's privacy and dignity. In 2010, a United States citizen who was a disciple of Nithyananda accused him of raping her in
1394-754: Was a notable godman with a very large following. He was known for alleged miracles like materialising sacred ash ( vibhuti ), and other objects like watches and jewels. He was also involved in charitable works, which include a hospital and a university. There are also female gurus who are considered divine and are revered by their followers. Some of them are spouses and collaborators of notable male gurus. Female gurus who are considered to be divine or saintly by their followers include Mirra Alfassa (1878–1973), Anandamayi Ma (1896–1982), Mata Amritanandamayi (born 1953), and Mother Meera (born 1960). Although few godmen have allowed their powers to be examined scientifically, Swami Rama became famous by participating in
1435-552: Was appointed the 293rd pontiff of Madurai Adheenam . In February 2013, the title of Mahamandaleshwar was conferred on Nithyananda in a closed ceremony by the Panchayati Mahanirvani Akhara . Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, a religious organisation founded by Nithyananda, hosts cultural events in United States as well as India. They hold two Guinness World Records : one for the largest rope yoga class, and one for
1476-467: Was done at Rahu Kalam, a time of the day which is the most inauspicious – so it was a double rather a triple whammy, a Saturday, new moon day that too in the month of Ati which is considered to be the most unlucky time and at Rahu Kalam! He has been featured on National Geographic 's television show Is it real? . He has also appeared on the Discovery Channel . He has been a regular columnist at
1517-596: Was filed by the Gujarat Police in relation to the case on 17 November 2019. In affidavits filed in the Gujarat High Court from various locations in the Americas , two of the missing children, who were by that time adults, rejected their father's claim that they have been detained forcibly. In a joint live video statement, the two girls further claimed that their father had plotted the abduction controversy after his name cropped up in an embezzlement case. On 2 February 2024,
1558-455: Was forced to withdraw himself from Indian society. The Gujarat Police suspected that he could be shuffling between Ecuador and Trinidad and Tobago , while news reports said that he may have gone to Ecuador because the country does not have an extradition treaty with India. The same month, the Embassy of Ecuador said that it "categorically denies the statement wherever published that Nithyananda
1599-522: Was given asylum by Ecuador or has been helped by the Government of Ecuador in purchasing any land or island in South America", but has confirmed Nithyananda had reached Ecuador after he left India, then left soon after his request for international personal protection (refuge) was denied. The French government also has been seeking Nithyananda's whereabouts since 2019, to answer for fraud charges brought by
1640-557: Was given to him by Mahavatar Babaji in a mystical experience during his monastic wandering days in the Himalayas. In 2003, he started his ashram Dhyanapeetam in Bidadi near Bangalore, Karnataka . Nithyananda was formerly a chairman of Florida-based Hindu University of America . In 2012, Nithyananda was recognized as one of the "100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People" by Watkins' Mind Body Spirit magazine. Also in 2012, Nithyananda
1681-541: Was quoted to say that it was an open invitation by forces to finish him. Nayak decided to take on full-time anti-superstition activism in 2004 when he heard that a girl had been sacrificed in Gulbarga in Karnataka . He was an assistant professor of biochemistry when he took voluntary retirement on 25 November 2006, after working there for 28 years. Before the general election in 2009 , Nayak laid an open challenge to any soothsayer to answer 25 questions correctly about