Nithyananda or Rajasekaran Pillai Nithyananda is a controversial figure and self-proclaimed saint and Godman who has been accused of many crimes including rape. Nithyananda started his journey as a spiritual leader in 2000. Currently, he's assumed to be in Central America and is wanted by the Indian police.
Nithyananda wants to revive Hinduism and the Vedic way of life. He wants to create a new world order through these principles which he believes will be free from conflicts, poverty, and inequality. Above all, his goal is to create a Hindu sovereign nation called the United States of Kailasa. Which is/will be a safe haven for Hindus, as he has claimed that Hindus are being persecuted in India. (There will be additional information on Kailasa later in the blog.)
To start my research I watched a series of videos on youtube called: ‘My son joined a cult’, where the videographer is interviewing Nithyananda’s devotees. The videographer asks the devotees several run-up questions and then asks these devotees if Nithyananda and his devotees are a cult.
At first, I thought that the videographer was being disrespectful and offensive. At this time, I was like yes, Nithyananda is an extremely, extremely bad person but what he’s preaching (Hinduism) is just a way of life and a religious and spiritual path.
After doing further research I realised I was completely wrong. There have been several ex-devotees from the ashram who have claimed that he twists religion and religious teachings to his benefit. He has claimed on several occasions that he can make people levitate, open their third eye by touching them and heal people with chronic and deadly illnesses.
The incidents of 2010:
Nithyananda preaches celibacy but also says that it is a choice. Nithyananda claims to be celibate and not have any lusts or desires. In 2010 a sex tape was leaked of Nityananda and one of his rape victims. The rape victim recorded the sex tape as no one would believe her otherwise. The rape victim's name and identity were withheld to protect her and her family. A case was filed and Nithyananda’s ashram was raided where they found more evidence that he has (consensual and non-consensual) sex with his devotees. But by the time the police got there, he had already fled. A few years later, Aarti Rao, the first rape victim made a public statement when the case went stagnant. Even so, nothing happened.
Through the years several cases have come to light. Some famous cases are:
A young girl in her twenties died in the ashram: A young 21-year-old girl died in the ashram while her mother was trying to get her out for years. The cause of death was a heart attack but the mother is positive that it wasn't. The mother says that the chances of a heart attack killing such a young girl is slim, she questions why and how the girl got the heart attack. The mother also claims that her daughter had blood coming out of her mouth which was mixed with ‘white stuff’. The mother asked for a postmortem but she was told that the case was closed and there will be no further investigation.
Abduction of daughters: Another case was of the 2 daughters of ex-devotees, Janahardhan Sharma were transferred from one ashram to another without telling the parents. The parents went to the ashram and asked to see them and were not allowed. Later, they found out that they had been sent to the Nepal border with Nithyananda. The girls still haven't been sent home or met their parents.
Nithyananda has been arrested in India at least 3 times (or more) but somehow always got bail or been acquitted. In 2019, Nithyananda fled from India after yet another rape case, in Karnataka. He is suspected of being in Central America in hiding.
Sarah Landry and other’s stories:
During my research, I found the youtube channel of an ex-devotee called Sarah Landry. She was one of Nithyananda’s biggest devotees and was a part of his inner circle, and was also the Social Media Manager for Nithyananda. On her channel, Sarah talks about being brainwashed by Nithyananda and how she never questioned anything while she was in the cult.
Nithyananda used to send Sarah inappropriate messages as a guru when she tried to distance herself from him. He also told her that having a sexual relationship with him will help her path to peace and enlightenment.
On her channel, Sarah talks about what it's like being brainwashed. One of the main things that Nityananda preaches is Guruvah- your guru is everything. As someone who was brainwashed, Sarah describes how you believe everything you’re told, without questioning and how you can never say ‘no’ to Nithyananda.
Another ex-devotee of Nithyananda who spoke out about the cult in recent years is Jordan Lozada. Nithyananda made Jordan Lozpada have a sexual relationship with him, non-consensually.
Sarah recounts an incident where she started losing her faith. Nithyananda used to call young boys and girls into his room to serve the guru. One day, a lady in the inner circle was wiping down every single surface in Nithyananda’s room. Sarah asked the lady why she wiping and checking every single surface, the lady told her it was to check for any cameras in his room.
Sarah says that it's an open secret between Nithyanada’s inner circle that he rapes and makes children perform sexual favours for him.
Nithyananda’s ex-guard has also said that when he worked for Nithyananda he saw at least 30-40 women and men going into his room. The guard says that everyone at the back of their mind knows Nithyananda was asking them for sexual favour or raping them.
Sarah also recounts one of the first red flags. When Sarah was joining the ashram, during one of her first physical events someone from the inner circle gave a speech. This person said that being a devotee of Nithyananda is like the song ‘Hotel California’:
‘You can check out any time you like
But you can never leave.’
Sarah tells us about how many people in the ashram and kids at the Gurukul are beaten (by brainwashed devotees) if they try to leave. Nithyananda makes his devotees take nude pictures and record themselves having sex as leverage and threatens them with it if they try to leave.
Nithyananda uses character assassination to silence victims: When and if an ex-devotee leaves and tries to expose the cult or Nithyananda they suddenly have many lawsuits and rape cases against them. Nithyananda silences his ex-devotees and victims through threats and coercion. When Aarti Rao exposed Nithyananda he started a rumour that Aarti is riddled with STDs.
Sarah recites how she’s heard Nithyananda saying the most absurd things like ‘rape is not a crime, women need to learn Vedeic feminism, real feminism which is chastity towards a man.’
Sarah has spoken up about the time Nithyananda asked her to have sex with him and another girl of Sarah’s choice. Sarah told him she wouldn't as she was straight and the next day Nithyananda announced that ‘you couldn't attain enlightenment if you're not bisexual’.
Other claims against Nithyananda:
Nithyananda has been accused of human trafficking, child abuse, prostituting girls for donations and land, suicide attempts (cover-ups), character assassination and money laundering.
Sarah Landry lost her faith in Nithyananda due to one of these events. On 31st December 2019 Nithyananda ordered the children at the Gurukul to beat each other up. These kids were then locked in their dorms for 5 days till their bruises and scars healed.
Nithyananda claims that everyone who goes against him is racist and that Hinduism is not a cult. Even though everyone has made it crystal clear that Hinduism is not a cult, it's a beautiful religion but Nithyananda and his devotees are.
Yet, people still believe Nithyananda is God. ‘If Nithyananda has done nothing wrong, why is he on the run?’
The United States of Kailasa:
Nithyananda claims that Kailasa is a nation ‘beyond borders’ and is a ‘cosmic nation'. Kailasa is a Hindu sovereign state with its own passport, currency and flag. It is not bound by any laws and regulations and is only governed by Vedic principles. Nithyananda has claimed to have bought an island off the coast of Ecuador, which the Ecuador government has denied.
At the end of all my research and after writing this, all I want is justice for all of Nithyananda’s devotees and victims. I want to see people talking about this and speaking up. I want Nithyananda behind bars for raping and asking probably hundreds of people for sexual favours. I want all of Nithyananda’s ashrams’ closed and I want the cult to stop existing.
Commentaires