Silence reigns at Nithya's ashram🔗

Malavika Velayanikal. BANGALORE

Locked gates, lonely gatekeepers, a few stray cows, and silence. That's what the Sree Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam is all about today.

Bewilderment reigns at the ashram in Bidadi, once a bustling place but now bereft of any activity. The "spiritual seclusion" that Swami Nithyananda has adopted seems to have shrouded his ashram premises as well. According to the gatekeepers, nobody is left in the ashram with the exception of a few volunteers and policemen.

The gates of the dhyanapeetam are manned by a handful of volunteers. They are wary of nosy reporters and curious passersby, and only the white-robed seniors among them are allowed to speak to those who knock at the gate. The bolts are unlocked only for authorised vehicles and telephone calls to ashram authorities go unanswered. Even their public relations officer prefers to keep mum.

The situation was similar at the dhyanapeetam. It was only after an hour and much cajoling that the most senior person among the volunteers, 33-year-old Santhosh, stepped out to talk to DNA.

Santhosh-A devotee

> My faith hasn't been shaken. Swamiji had foreseen this controversy three years ago. In a public gathering, he had warned devotees of impending trouble."

It was with seemingly infinite patience that he explained to us: "None of the ashram authorities are here, neither are the devotees. As you can see, it is almost empty. Except for a few volunteers and policemen manning our gates, there is nobody."

Pointing to a half-complete colossal building inside the ashram gates, he said: "That was being built to provide housing to our devotees, who used to come here for dhyana. Even the construction has stopped."

Incidentally, the dhyanapeetam website had uploaded a video last week, stating that the ashram had resumed its usual activities. However, in view of the situation at the ashram now, nothing looked farther from reality.

When asked about the whereabouts of the "sadhakas" of the dhyanapeetam, who the swami had endorsed as the managers of the ashram on a video made available online, the gatekeepers just shrugged.

Even the Muneeshwara temple on the ashram premises, they said, was closed. "Earlier, it was open to all. The villagers and devotees could come in at any time and pray," they said. The ashram store, where devotees could buy rudrakshas (praying beads), panchaloha bracelets and other spiritual gear, was also closed.

SOMBRE MOOD: The Dhyanapeetam Ashram was almost empty a day after Swami Nithyananda said he would give up his leadership

However, Nithyananda still commands his place on the pedestal among the more faithful. Santhosh, who came to the ashram seeking spiritual solace six months ago, still remains the devotee he always was. "My faith hasn't been shaken by the scandal. Swamiji had foreseen this current controversy three years ago. In a public gathering, he had warned the devotees of impending trouble," he said. However, he did not elaborate any further on the matter. [email protected]

2010-04

Attack through deliberate charges of smuggling sandalwood

April 2010

It was a planned attack through all regulatory bodies such as FERA – Foreign Exchange Regulatory Authority, FEMA - Foreign Exchange Management Act, the Wildlife Department and more, to relentlessly persecute His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda, as planned by the Hindu extremists, atheist groups and anti-Universalist fringe organisations.

The forest department was fed with false information that His Divine Holiness was hoarding and selling sandalwood. In this way, the Central Investigation Department and media networks colluded together to create justification for trespassing into the aadheenam premise yet again.

The CID used the media frenzy as justification propaganda to trespass into the aadheenam. When they came to the main gate, the main CID inspector furiously demanded that the people he was with were armed and threatened that if He was not let in, they would immediately begin firing.

The Sanyasi at the gate resisted, but he was simply punched in the throat and thrown to the ground by the main CID officer. As the mob of seven people entered, he was stamped to the ground multiple times.

The police officers rushed inside. As soon as the word came in that police officers had come inside the aadheenam, the residents of the aadheenam rushed to the apartment complex where they stay. They huddled inside the complex. They turned off the lights and closed the curtains, hid inside in the dark, terrified of what will happen. By now the Aadheenam has been attacked three times by huge mobs who burned down the huts. The residents knew that whoever entered the aadheenam was going to kill anyone in their way to their main target - His Divine Holiness.

In the dark, the residents heard the assassins calling out for His Divine Holiness by name. They rattled and banged on the doors repeatedly as the residents held their breath in the corner of their room, praying to their Guru to save them.

One police officer managed to get into an empty room. He rushed to the bedroom, where he was expecting His Divine Holiness to be. When he saw His Divine Holiness was not there, he started ransacking the entire room. He shredded all the pictures of His Divine Holiness. He found several hard disks, CDs and books which he took with him.

It took two hours for the noise to slowly subside and it was announced that it was safe for the residents to come out again. Only then they would find what was stolen and the atrocities done to their home and their families.

Media distorted the facts and wrote a fabricated tale In the wake of the media frenzy surrounding the false video, the Forest department instigated by Hindu extremist elements, also took the opportunity to put a false case on His Divine Holiness for the sake of harassment.

Following is the Notice from the Forest Department Sandalwood 34/2010-11

Assistant Forest Officer

Ramnagara Sub Division

Date: 26.4.2010

Notice

To,

Paramahamsa Nithyananda

33 years, Nithyananda Dhyanapeeta

Nithyanandapuri, Bangalore – Mysore Highway

Bidadi Ramnagara Taluk, Jilla

Subject: Regarding Nithyananda ashram possessing 70 kg of sandalwood enquiry and attendance for enquiry

Details:

1. Ramnagara area forest crime No.: 30/2009 dt. 03.03.2010

2. U/A Sum Ramnagar letter No.: A2/FOC 30/KV-30/2009-10/31D 16/4/2010

With relation to above subject, Ramnagar area forest officers on 03.03.2010 according to Karnataka Act 1963 and Rule 1969 have filed a case No. 30/2009. For this, on date 07.04.2010, you need to be present in the court with the documents of possessing 70KG sandalwood.

Assistant Forest Officer

Subdivision Ramanagar

Ramnagar

The notice was served summoning His Divine Holiness for the case of the fallen sandal tree which event was a natural occurrence which was even reported to the Forest department but they had said that no action as required.

Response of His Divine Holiness to the summons:

Sandalwood 34/2010-11

Date: May 14 2010

Nithyananda Dhyanapeeta

Nithyanandapuri, Kallugopahalli,

Off Mysore Road,

Bidadi, Bangalore-562109

To,

Assistant Forest Officer

Ramnagara Sub Division

Subject: Regarding Nithyananda ashram possessing 70 kg of sandalwood enquiry and attendance for enquiry

Details:

Ramnagara area forest crime No.: 30/2009

With relation to the above subject, we received a letter (enclosed) dated 26 April 2010, asking for Sri Nithyananda Swami to be present on 17 May 2010. Sri Nithyananda Swami is in judicial custody and hence cannot be present as told by the Forest department.

We would hence like to request a date in June.

Thanking you

Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam

2010-04-26

Conspiracy Deepens: False 'Poaching' charges against Paramahamsa Nithyananda