A prostrated devotee pays her obeisance to Baba Bhole Nath outside the gilded gates of his palatial ashram in Mainpuri.
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 to 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: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
2/16
Photo: Dinesh Parab/Outlook
Visitors of Radha Maa await for a glimpse of the godwoman
3/16
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
A devotee from Agra wipes a poster of Baba Bhole Nath outside his ashram in Mainpuri, UP
4/16
Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook
Ankur Narula Church in Village Khambra, Jalandhar, Punjab
5/16
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
Baba Bhole Nath's former residence in Agra.
6/16
Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook
Cross necklaces sold around Ankur Narula Church.
7/16
Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook
A woman follower of Ankur Narula crying during Prayer meet in Church.
8/16
Photo: Suresh K Pandey/Outlook
Guarded interiors of Baba Bhole Nath's lavish ashram in Bichuva, Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh.
9/16
Photo: Dinesh Parab/Outlook
Gulabdhar Gupta, rickshaw driver, first time visitor at Radhe Maa's house.
10/16
Photo: Dinesh Parab/Outlook
Images of Radhe maa adorn the various corners of her palace
11/16
Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook
Oldest church Saint Mary in Jalander
12/16
Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook
Prayer speech by Ankur Narula Ministries at Jalandhar, Punjab
13/16
Photo: Dinesh Parab/Outlook
Radhe maa sits in her throne in her palace in Mumbai.
14/16
Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari /Outlook
Sadik Masi convert Hindu to Christian Religion
15/16
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.
16/16
Outlook Magazine cover on Baba dated August 1, 2024
