It is a matter of February 2022, exactly one year ago. Storyteller Pandit Pradeep Mishra had organized a program of Shivpuran in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh. The administration did not allow it for some reason. Storyteller Pandit Pradeep Mishra was so saddened by this that tears welled up in his eyes. These tears of his brought boil in the politics of MP. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra spoke to him through video call. He said, “Maharaj Dandavat, Pranam, the government is running because of your grace, the government is yours only…”. After this, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also called Pradeep Mishra to know his condition. Congress also openly came in support of Baba. Former CM Kamal Nath sent a team of Congress leaders to meet Baba.
Now let’s go back a little further. It is about the year 2018. Assembly elections were to be held in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave the status of minister of state to five saints. These were Narmadanand Maharaj, Hariharanand Maharaj, Computer Baba, Bhaiyyu Ji Maharaj and Pandit Yogendra Mahant. Before the elections, computer baba changed sides and joined the Congress. When the Congress government was formed, Computer Baba again got the status of a minister.
These two incidents show that how much Babas and Saints are threatening in the politics of MP. A saint from the Bundelkhand area of the same MP is now gathering discussion in the country and the world. He is Peethadhishwar Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham, located about 444 kilometers away from the country’s capital Delhi. Bageshwar Dham is in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Where millions of his supporters are telling his Peethadhishwar Dhirendra Shastri as a miraculous saint, there are some people who are questioning his claims by calling his miracles mere superstition spreaders. Opponents are perplexed as to why and how the crowd of thousands and lakhs bows down before Shastri, who claps on every occasion, curses those who raise questions and addresses the devotees in a colloquial language. But this is not a new thing for those who know this area of Bundelkhand closely. In fact, in this area for decades, such saints and sages have been in vogue, who themselves are called ‘Government’ and in front of whom big political figures are seen bowing down. (Pradeep Mishra in pic)
Bageshwar Dham Sarkar
There is ‘Bageshwar Dham’ temple in Garha village of Chhatarpur district. Local people say that Bageshwar Dham is the divine land of many ascetics. Here the complaint is heard to Balaji Maharaj through an application. Lakhs of people come to Peethadhishwar Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Dham with their problems. It is said that Dhirendra Krishna Shastri gets to know the problems of the people without even asking them. Then they tell the remedies to solve the problem and pray to Balaji Maharaj for the suffering.
Dhirendra is 26 years old. He tells that his father Ram Kripal Garg (Brahmin) always stayed away from the responsibilities of the house. Dhirendra has a sister and a brother who is younger. His mother Saroj Devi brought up her children amidst financial constraints. Dhirendra received education till graduation. Later went to the village temple Bageshwar Balaji and started worshiping. Here he did meditation. This is also the tomb of his grandfather Guru and Sanyasi Baba. According to Dhirendra Shastri, by the grace of Dada Guru and Sanyasi Baba, he received Balaji’s grace and success. Even before the devotee can tell, Dhirendra writes his mind’s words on a piece of paper. Due to this miracle, he has become the subject of discussion in the whole country.
Everyday thousands of devotees reach Bageshwar Dham. On Tuesdays and Saturdays this number reaches lakhs. Local people say that ever since the matter regarding Dhirendra Shastri cropped up in the media, the number of devotees reaching the Dham has increased even more. Dhirendra Shastri had organized a religious event in Bageshwar Dham from 13 to February. On the first day, Congress leader Kamal Nath surprised everyone by reaching there. Not only this, MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also reached the mass wedding program organized in Dham.
Annapurna kitchen runs in Dham
All the arrangements of Annapurna Rasoi are done with half of the offering and the amount of donation. Every year poor and destitute daughters are married with the donations that come to the Dham. This year on February 18, 121 girls were married. All household items were also presented in the marriage. Gurukul school is being arranged in Dham premises for Vedic education. A resolution has also been taken on behalf of Dham to build a cancer hospital with 400 beds.
This is how the application looks like in Shastri’s court
Application to be made in the court of Bageshwar Dham, meeting Dhirendra Krishna, taking advice and guidance from him is free of cost. The court is held on Tuesday. Those who apply for muscle, they have to appear in the court of Balaji Maharaj every Tuesday. One has to complete his muscle by participating in Mahaarti. On this day, a ghost court is also organized in the Dham.
Tokens are distributed from time to time in Bageshwar Dham. Dhirendra Krishna himself decides when the tokens will be inserted. When the date is fixed, it is informed on social media or at the end of Dhirendra Krishna’s court. For this the Bageshwar Dham Committee can also be contacted. All the devotees coming to Bageshwar before the date are informed that tokens will be inserted on this date. On the fixed day, a box is kept in the campus, in which you have to enter your name, father’s name, name of your village, district, state along with pin code. Have to write hand in hand. Also, you have to enter your mobile number by writing it. After inserting the token, Bageshwar Dham Committee contacts the person whose number appears on mobile and the token is given to him. You get a date in this token and on that day you have to attend the court of Bageshwar Balaji Maharaj.
The official website of Bageshwar Dham is also bageshwardham.co.in. Applicants have to tie a coconut in a red cloth and keep it in the Dham premises. Although here you will see coconuts tied in red, yellow and black cloth. The reason behind this is that if your application is normal, then the coconut is tied in a red cloth, if it is related to marriage, then in a yellow cloth and if the application is related to ghosts, then the coconut is tied in a black cloth. In many stories, Dhirendra Krishna says that if you cannot do this by coming to Dham, then you can do it at the place of worship located at home.
When your application is accepted, Dhirendra Krishna himself tells you in the court how much muscle you have to do. Generally, every devotee is ordered to perform at least 5 Tuesday’s muscle. Until your muscle is complete, consumption of alcohol, meat, garlic and onion is completely prohibited.
Saint Gurusharan of Pandokhar Sarkar
Along with Bageshwar Dham, Pandokhar Sarkar is also in the news for a few years. Videos of Saint Gurusharan Maharaj of Pandokhar Sarkar are also widely seen on social media. It can be seen in these videos that Gurusharan Maharaj writes the problem on the pamphlet even before the people tell him the problem. Like Bageshwar Dham, there is only Hanuman ji’s temple in Pandokhar Sarkar. There is a court here too. Pandokhar is located in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh. People come here from every corner of the country.
Saint Gurusharan Maharaj, a householder famous by the name of Pandokhar Sarkar, was born in Barha village of Bhind district. Like Bageshwar Dham, they also hold court.
Gurusharan Maharaj claims that he tells about people through the Heart Chakra and Taratak. Apart from this, they get information by awakening the sixth sense. Regarding mind reading and miracles, they say that they are similar. The magicians cannot tell the things that we people tell and we cannot tell what the magicians tell.
Courts are held in both Bageshwar and Pandokhar dhams. Sometimes rivalry is also seen between the two, however, sometimes both also praise each other. In different interviews, Gurusharan says, Bageshwar Sarkar and I (Pandokhar Sarkar) know about each other and also know how much we will be able to tell, how much we will not be able to tell.
Last year Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had organized a religious program in Datia. Both Gurusharan Maharaj and Dhirendra Shastri had reached this program. During this, Dhirendra Shastri had told Gurusharan Maharaj his elder brother and Gurusharan had invited him to come to Pandokhar Dham, calling him younger brother.
Gurusharan says that India is a country dominated by sages. Dhirendra Krishna Shastri is blessed by Brahma Baba, Brahma Parit, Setulal Maharaj and other powers.
In the Pandokhar government, a slip of one rupee is deducted. There is compulsion in this that whoever has the token, his number will come. Get the token cut in anyone’s name. Ask questions to anyone.
Some videos of Gurusharan are on social media, in which he is seen giving information about the case to the police officers. On this they say that if someone comes, then we tell the properties, formulas and actions. Knowledge shows the way. The law takes its course.
Annapurna Bhandara runs every morning and evening in Pandokhar. In the morning there is Prasad of Dal Bhaat and in the evening there is Prasad of puri-vegetables. About 10 thousand people eat there every day. There is a staff of 100 people. There is a 365-day yagya going on for the welfare of the people to prevent corona.
Gurusharan believes that nothing happens without money. Some take it by begging, some take it by rotation. Some take a plate and some take it through donations. Someone takes in the name of land, cow and hospital. Donation happens anyway. There is no arrangement without charity and meaning.
Rawatpura Govt.
Rawatpura Sarkar Mandir is situated in Lahar of Bhind district of MP. Thousands of devotees reach Rawatpura every day. This number reaches lakhs on Guru Purnima and other occasions. Politically, the Rawatpura government has influence not only in Madhya Pradesh but also in Chhattisgarh and UP. Big or small leaders of every big party have gone here at one time or the other.
Saint Ravi Shankar Maharaj has got fame in Bundelkhand by the name of Rawatpura Sarkar. His huge ashram is located near Rawatpura village (Lahar, Bhind, MP) on Hanumanji temple. Ravi Shankar Maharaj was born in Chhipri village of Tikamgarh district of Bundelkhand. His father Kripashankar Sharma and mother Ramsakhi Devi raised him in the midst of a lot of financial scarcity. His parents wanted to teach him the work of a priest. For this Ravi Shankar got admission in Ramraja Sanskrit Vidyalaya Orchha. However, he did not like it here and from there he directly reached Rawatpura village. Went to Hanuman temple and started worshiping and worshiping. It is said that Ravi Shankar Maharaj attained Siddhi in the Hanuman temple of Rawatpura and after that thousands of devotees started gathering from all over the country and the world.
In the year 2000, Maharaj Ravi Shankar formed the Rawatpura Government Public Welfare Trust. The trust also has many schools and hospitals in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Rawatpu in Bastar, Chhattisgarh Ra Sarkar University has also been set up. Rawatpura has many ashrams, institutes, Sanskrit schools, blood banks, nursing, pharmacy colleges, old age homes, etc.
25 years ago the whole area was under the control of dacoits
Local people say that 25 years ago people were afraid to come out here even in the afternoon. There was an atmosphere of fear. By the grace of Hanuman ji, now there is auspiciousness in the forest. Everyone comes here to see the miracle. This dacoit was considered to be the affected area. People used to get murdered. People’s movement and faith has increased due to the formation of Dham in the rugged.
In an interview, the narrator Ramakant Vyas says that there is a small river here. There was a lot of flood in the year 1990. At the same time Ravi Shankar Maharaj reached here after touring across the country. He got the Veda mantras chanted, Yagya and rituals done. The effect of the same austerity is that earlier it was a bumpy place, people could not stand, there were bullets fired every day, but later the atmosphere changed completely. Development work started. Road built. Earlier, during the rainy season, people used to take ration for 4 months and keep it in their homes because the movement of the river remained closed due to the rising of the river. Today the crimes have stopped. Electricity, water and police system was done. Lakhs of trees were ordered and distributed. Fees are not charged in the Sanskrit school here. The children here are doing ritualistic work abroad.
Ravi Shankar came to build an ashram at the age of 17
Rawatpura Sarkar is situated between Pahuj and Sonmriga rivers and is at a distance of 100 kms from two major cities Gwalior and Jhansi. In 1990, at the age of 17, Saint Ravi Shankar Maharaj took a vow to start a mission here. In 1991 he performed a yagya. Many spiritual, religious and humanitarian activities were started between 1991-95. In 1996, Ravi Shankar organized another Yajna for world peace in the memory of his Guru Devraha Baba. At first people felt that it was almost impossible to organize religious events on such a large scale in the rugged terrain, but the young saint proved everyone wrong. It is considered as the biggest religious ceremony in Asia.
In 2005 the ashram developed into a Dham and its name was changed to Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Dham. Ravi Shankar says that knowledge can be discovered in Ayodhya, Vairagya in Chitrakoot and Bhakti in Vrindavan but Rawatpura Dham is a place where one can aspire to attain all these three qualities. They say that the true search for truth, the wishes of those who come to Rawatpura Dham with a pure and simple heart are undoubtedly fulfilled. Due to divine and miraculous activities, devotees from all over the country and the world come to the court.
Dandraua Government
There is Dandraua Dham temple in Mehgaon of Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh. There is a temple of Hanuman ji here. Dandraua Dham is also known as Doctor Hanuman. Here Hanuman is in the form of Sakhi, that is, Hanuman ji has one hand on his waist and one hand on his head. This is dance pose. Not only this, the face of the idol is in the form of Bala instead of a monkey. Generally, in the idol of Hanuman, the mace is in his hand, but here it is kept next to him.
What is recognition?
Local people say that there is a chaupai in Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, ‘Ek Sakhi Siya Sang Vihai, Gayi Rahi Dekhan Fulwai’. This is the reason why the followers of Dandraua Dham wear only white dhoti and cover it. It is said that hundreds of years ago in the village of Dandraua, an idol came out of a neem tree. Since then it has been established here.
Everyday thousands of devotees come to Dandraua Sarkar. On Tuesdays and Saturdays the number reaches lakhs. Local people claim that people’s incurable to incurable diseases are cured here. This is the reason why Dandraua Dham is also known as Dr. Hanuman.
Sant Ramdas Dandraua is the head of the government. He has lakhs of devotees. In 1985, he established Purushottam Sanskrit College in Dandraua Dham for the promotion of Sanskrit language. College, Sanskrit school, hostel, cowshed, yagya school, store house, satsang auditorium, garden, pond etc. have been built here in the temple premises.
Different worship method from Bageshwar-Pandokhar
Local people say that there is no court here like the Bageshwar-Pandokhar government. Nor does Saint Ramdas tell someone’s past or future. Here people mainly come to visit the temple. It is believed that people who have any disease, they come to visit the temple on 5 to 7 Tuesdays or Saturdays. Here one has to circumambulate the temple. After this people get relief from diseases. Apart from this, no other kind of worship has to be done here. People can easily meet Saint Ramdas also. Yagya and stories are also organized at regular time intervals in the Dandraua Sarkar temple. Lakhs of people gather in these.
Dandraua Sarkar is very important in Chambal, Datia area of Madhya Pradesh. This is the reason why there are lakhs of devotees of Dham. From common people to leaders are also included in these devotees. MLAs and MPs from the surrounding areas are seen regularly visiting.
The threat of miraculous saints in the politics of Bundelkhand
‘Miraculous’ saints are considered to have influence in the whole of Bundelkhand and Chambal. A large number of people reach from Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur in UP to attend these courts. Similarly, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Sagar, Raisen, Panna, Satna, Datia, Bhind, Morena, Shivpuri, Gwalior, Sheopur, Raisen, Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal also have a large number of his devotees. People’s representatives of these districts also often They are seen marking attendance in Rabar. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had facilitated reconciliation between Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham and Gurusharan of Pandokhar Dham last year. MP’s Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput, Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang have also been seen taking blessings in Baba’s court. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also reached to offer prayers at Rawatpura Dham. Former Madhya Pradesh CM and Congress leader Kamal Nath had also reached Rawatpura to seek blessings from the government.
Rajeev Singh Parichha, a two-time BJP MLA from Jhansi’s Babina, says that the saints who have been so far in Bundelkhand have never directly supported any leader, but it is natural if their disciples contest elections from any party. Come after winning. Rajeev says that when a saint talks about religion and spirituality, other parties get misunderstood. They think that our land will be lost.
Jawahar Lal Rajput, BJP’s two-time MLA from Garautha, says that people in Bundelkhand have always had faith in sages and saints. The blessings of these saints shower on the people of Bundelkhand as well. Politics is a different thing. Sant Samaj is propagating religion. Society cannot run without these people. When the society goes astray, then the saintly society shows the direction.
Congress MLA in Chhatarpur, Alok Chaturvedi says that a saint does not belong to any party or group. Everyone is equal for them, saints neither ask for votes nor support anyone. Saints have a huge following, so if they get indirect benefit from the followers, then it is a different matter.
Congress MLA from Maharajpur, Neeraj Dixit says that I never felt that the Sant Samaj has an inclination towards any one party. I have also been associated with Saint Dadda ji. I am also associated with Dhirendra Krishna Shastri ji of Bageshwar Dham. Most of them keep meeting. Everyone comes and goes here.