Self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda, booked in a criminal case related to his ashram fled the country on Thursday. The Gujarat police has taken two of his disciples in remand.
An FIR was registered on Wednesday against the controversial guru on the charges of kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children to make them collect donations from followers to run his ashram here, Yogini Sarvagyapeetham.
Nithyananda has fled the country after a rape case was registered against him in Karnataka, and it will be a waste of time searching for him here, the police said.
In the past too he has been in the news for a whole host of reasons. Here, we've put together some things that you probably did not know, and some that you probably forgot about (or at least wished that you had).
1. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
According to Nithyananda's website, he completed his schooling in 1992 and his diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 1995. In the same year he joined the monastic order of Ramakrishna Math in Chennai.
2. He was once locked in a digital squabble with Xiaomi
Baswed on his rather convoluted 'me in me, is me in you' statement, smartphone brand Xiaomi made a digital ad/parody titled 'SwaMi loves his #32MPSuperSelfie'. An actor can be seen speaking in the video about the brand's new phone and its features.
Watch the spoof video:
The Swami responded soon after with a video titled 'SwaMiji's Response to Xiaomi'.
"I will not be cowed down by any of the persistent attacks. I will continue to reveal the Paramashiva Jnana, the Paramashiva Vijana to the world. The earlier statement I made based on 'me', 'me', 'me' is Purusha...masculine version of explaining Advaita..." he can be heard saying in the video.
It did not quite compute, but you can watch it for yourself:
3. He claims that he can make cows talk in Sanskrit and Tamil
In a video that has garnered heavy ridicule online, the self-styled godman can be heard saying that he intends to "develop a proper, phonetic, linguistic-capable vocal cord for monkeys...for lions and tigers".
"We are going to have bulls and cows which will talk to you very clearly -- legitimately -- in Sanskrit and Tamil," he adds.
4. He was (and is) embroiled in a sex scandal
A video featuring the Swami and one of his disciples, film star Ranjitha, purportedly engaged in amorous acts surfaced in 2010. Though both parties involved continue to deny the video, claiming that is was morphed, forensic evidence seems to think otherwise. A forensic lab confirmed that it was indeed Nityananda in the video.
5. He has promised enlightenment to people in the next three years
In a video that went viral the Swami can be heard encouraging you to just stay "alive for the next three years". Alarmingly enough, he guarantees that he will "reach you wherever you are".
Well, technically speaking he still has time to make good on that promise.
But, dear reader, just don't die!
