The 'Baba' Frenzy

Over a hundred devotees died at Bhole Baba’s satsang in Hathras recently, many of them women and children, especially from the Dalit or backward communities. The mass tragedy once again revived the debate surrounding babas or self-styled godmen and godwomen and people’s unhealthy obsession with them. Over the last decade, news of godmen like Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Asaram Bapu, and their nefarious activities, have captured the media’s attention. Many have been imprisoned for fraud and rape. And yet the frenzy doesn’t seem t🔴o be dying down. In Outlook’s next issue, we explored why people believe in godmen and godwomen, examining their branding and attending satsangs to witness without judgement.

Photo Webdesk

Updated on: 22 July 2024 7:29 am

Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook

A prostrated devotee pays her obeisance to Baba Bhole Nath ꦚoutsid♛e the gilded gates of his palatial ashram in Mainpuri.

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Photo: Dinesh Parab/Outlook

Visitors of Rad🌟ha Maa await for a glimpse of the godwoman

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Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook

A devotee from Agra w♌ipes a poster of Baba Bhole Nath outside hiཧs ashram in Mainpuri, UP

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Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook

An🔴kur Narula Church in Village Khambra, Jalandhar, Punjab

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Baba Bhole Nath's former residence in Agra.

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Cross necklaces sold around Ankur Narula Church.

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A woman follower&nb🅘sp;of Ankur ♑Narula crying during Prayer meet in Church.

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Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook

Guarded interiors of Baba Bhole Nath's lavish ashram in Bichuva, Mai𒉰npuri, Uttar Pradesh.

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Photo: Dinesh Parab/Outlook

Gula🐼bdhar Gupta, rickshaw driver, firs🦩t time visitor at Radhe Maa's house.

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Images of Radhe🐈 maa adorn the various corners of her palace

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Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook

Oldest church Saint Mary in Jalander

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Prayer speech🎶 by A♕nkur Narula Ministries at Jalandhar, Punjab

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Photo: Dinesh Parab/Outlook

Radhe maa s🉐its in her throne in her pa𓂃lace in Mumbai.

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Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook

Sadik Masi convert Hindu to Christian Religion

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Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook

A devotee sports a pendant with Baba Bhole Nath's face on it in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. These pendants are sold at his satsangs as merchandise for ♛Rs 10 each.

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