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Indira Gandhi began to cry hysterically, as Dhirendra Brahmachari escorted her out of the room
It was evident that after Sanjay Gandhi’s death, when Indira Gandhi found herself in distress and alone, there was no ... -
This Brahmachari Guru had a special place in Indira Gandhi's life
Through the 1960s, rumour was rife that Indira Gandhi was besotted with her yoga teacher, with whom she spent an hour ... -
From Ravi to Sri Sri : 10 days that changed everything
That is when I took the 10 days of silence. It (Sudarshan Kriya) just happened. It was a gift I never anticipated… and ... -
Did Chandraswami fund the killing of Rajiv Gandhi?
It was curious, even ironical, that a Commission set up by P.V. Narasimha Rao’s government should have indicated ... -
Baba Ramdev : From selling Chyavanprash on bicycle to being a Yoga star
They recall him hawking herbs - particularly, home-made Chyavanprash – from the carrier of a bicycle (later upgraded to ... -
How battle-lines were drawn between “guru” Mahesh Yogi and his favorite “shishya” Sri Sri
Maharishi took a random decision to not only shut down the school, but transfer all the kids to Delhi. Ravi rebelled ... -
Art of Sri Sri
The legend of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, his vast global following, naturally leads one to expect charisma, a blazing ... -
The childhood of Sri Sri
When did young Ravi realize he wanted to take the spiritual high road? “It was there from the very beginning. It was my ... -
Ramdev and Balkrishna : Sanyasis who sell soaps
In the context of his selling soap and cereal and attempting to sell his brand of “noodles” and now “jeans” too, it ... -
When Baba met Balkrishna
At Gangotri Glacier, Baba met the baby-faced Balkrishna, who would become his life-long friend, companion and business ... -
Being Baba : From Ramkishen to Ramdev
It’s hard to get a handle on the man, particularly because he seems to harbor many secrets and is wary of talking about ... -
A guru who would threat Union ministers to get their portfolios changed
It was obvious that Dhirendra Brahmachari’s proximity to the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi bred a certain arrogance and ... -
From “Baal Brahmachari” to a sadhu with great connections
His powers must have been extraordinary to impress among others, so uncompromising a rationalist as S. Jaipal Reddy -
The “Gaj-Kesri Yog” which made Chandraswami famous
Detachment from all things material is the mark of true sadhu, but it’s not a trait I’d associate with Chandraswami, ... -
The Pop Guru who had Beatles and Eastwood in his fold
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi conquered the occident with promises of heavenly bliss and gravity-defying, meditation-induced ... -
How Mahesh Yogi became world’s foremost Guru
Swami Brahmananda's death, in May of 1953, was the second turning point in Mahesh’s life. Paul Mason, his biographer, ... -
The “Amma” with a magical hug
How does an uneducated , low-caste fisher-woman, born in abject poverty and by all accounts, ill-treated by her own ... -
The “Shakespeare” of Ramkatha
There is no academy for kathakars. Nor is there a defined guild or lineage. Like a quintessential actor, a kathakar, we ... -
A Tantrik who came to symbolize the seamy side of spiritualism
He would wield influence with heads of state lie Margaret Thatcher, the Sultan of Brunei, Muda Hassanal Bolkia ...
