Inside the world of Radhe Maa: India's 'Godwoman' - BBC World Service

Whoever prays for my blessings and miracles, gets it. Actually, I am a miracle mother. It’s a world like no other. Where a woman claims to do miracles and her devotees believe her to be god. Her supposed powers, they say, include blessing childless couples with babies, curing the sick and turning round sinking businesses. This is the world of Radhe Maa – the self-proclaimed ‘miracle’ mother. Blood came out of her mouth. She applied it as vermillion on me and said: ‘Nothing bad will happen’. To her followers, she is divine. These are just people’s imaginary stories. She is not doing anything extraordinary. To her critics, a sham. Her own family are her chief champions and rich businessmen her biggest donors, catapulting her to become one of the few women in India’s growing phenomenon of so-called ‘godmen’. In the whole world, its only in India that the concept of a person becoming god exists. There is also a fear that I might be removed from the godman’s favourite people. From humble beginnings, to a lavish Mumbai mansion, her so-called miracles reap big rewards. And you receive lot of donations? Yes, I speak the truth. I don’t care. The truth is that miracles are what is valued. Otherwise, no one would donate any money. With exclusive access, we venture behind the scenes of Radhe Maa’s life, where cameras rarely go, to uncover a world of faith and fear. My head goes heavy, as if there is some pressure on it. It starts feeling good. I close my eyes. A light comes in my eyes. I don’t shake vigorously. No, not that way. There is a dim blue light in my eyes. And in my head, it feels like I am playing. I am not in this world. When this happens to me and I place my hand on someone’s head, the goddess blesses them. When a devotee comes to you with a request, how do you know what you need to do for them? I have a point here. It starts tingling, tingling, tingling. When so many devotees come to me, I can identify those with real feelings and faith in Radhe Maa’s powers to resolve their problems. Because I feel ting ting ting ting ting ting ting ting ting. Claims of divinity and miracles are not unique to Radhe Maa. India has a hoard of so-called godmen. Some have been accused of wrongdoing, corruption, even sexual assault. Radhe Maa has herself faced allegations that she performed black magic and helped organise dowry payments, which are technically illegal in India. After the police investigated, the cases were dismissed. But thousands still flock to see godmen and women. Last year, a crush at one such gathering killed more than a hundred and twenty devotees. Founder of India’s leading anti-superstition organization, Professor Shyam Manav calls this devotion to self-proclaimed living gods a uniquely Indian belief. In the whole world, its only in India that the concept of a person becoming god exists. We have a common belief that our purpose in life is to find god, to find salvation, via meditation, chanting hymns, holding communal prayer gatherings. This enables us to get divine powers. Those who get divine powers are also called godmen, can do any miracle and declare themselves to be god. Despite a widespread perception that people influenced by such ideas are poor, illiterate and gullible, Radhe Maa is revered by many highly educated people from rich business families. Pushpinder Bhatia, a graduate of Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, says he never imagined he would end up following “a supreme being in physical form”. Yes initially there were questions, ‘Does God really come in a human form?' Is this true? Does she really bless you in ways that can change your life? How do these so-called miracles happen? Mr Bhatia came into contact with Radhe Maa after a tragedy in his family. Though some might say he was vulnerable at the time, he felt she truly cared. I think [in] my first darshan [audience] ever, I was pulled by the aura that she has. I think when you see through the human form of who she is, you will have an immediate connect. The darshan or being in the presence of Radhe Maa is a sought-after moment among her devotees. We were given access to one such darshan in Delhi. Among the hundreds attending were prominent businessmen and a very senior police officer’s family, who had flown in especially for her audience. I was there as a journalist to observe and report, but was told to take her blessings first, pushed right in front of a long queue. Then, instructions about how to pray, and a warning of harm coming to my family if I did not follow them. Faith was being coerced by fear. In that room, in red and gold – Radhe Maa's favourite colours - her eyes commanded everything. Happy one moment, angry in another. That anger inexplicably transferring to her disciple who then appeared to go into a trance like movement. To her critics, she’s a charlatan, defrauding people by pretending to have direct access to gods and goddesses. But Radhe Maa claims the donations she receives are proof of her powers. Miracles are what is valued. Otherwise, no one would donate any money. Am I right or wrong? And you receive lot of donations? Yes, I speak the truth. I don’t care. The truth is that miracles are what is valued. Otherwise, no one would donate any money. Miracles happen with them, their work is done and so they donate. No one knows how much is earned in donations. The money is managed by her family, who live with her here in this mansion in Mumbai. Built by her two sons who are entrepreneurs and married into business families who in extension form the closest set of Radhe Maa’s disciples. The elder daughter in law handles all Radhe Maa’s public appearances. She told me the donations are put into a charitable society run by her devotees, who judge requests by needy people and then distribute money or gifts. Recipients are forwarding their applications, and the disciples who contribute, they take a call by checking the genuineness and authenticity of the recipient. And whatever their requirement is, we try to fulfill it to our best. You are welcome to Radhe Maa ji’s palace This is Devi maa ji’s temple where she offers her prayers and her daily rituals. When she is giving her darshan she has that long attire, and when she is in her comfort zone we have her small comfort dresses. Yes. We call it cholas. So when we talk of saintly figures, we assume that they would have given up worldly things. They would have no attachments to anyone, no belongings. And of course, as we can see there's a lot of worldly possessions, it's a very well -to -do family. How does that co -exist? She is not living with us. We are blessed to be living in her ‘sharan’ [refuge] with her ‘kripa’ [grace]. She is far above this sense of attachment to materialistic and worldly things. She does enjoy dressing up and being a certain person though. We enjoy dressing her up and seeing her in that attire. we enjoy that kind of worldly pleasure. You will always go and fetch a dress which suits your idol the best. So why not for the living god? Megha is not the only one serving Radhe Maa. This so-called godwoman has a husband, Mohan Singh, known to followers as ‘Daddy’. He’s built a temple in her name in his hometown, Mukerian in Punjab. A small one room temple that also has Radhe Maa’s living quarters for when she visits. It’s run by Radhe Maa’s sister. Like children say I want to become a pilot or a doctor. Radhe Maa would often ask, Who am I’? So someone told us about a 135-year-old-guru. My father took her there. The guru said she is not normal. She is the human form of god. So he (the guru) gave me a mantra and when I chanted it the mother goddess appeared before me. You saw her? Yes! I was sleeping and she appeared in her divine form. My face turned red. And the mother goddess came and gave me bundles of money like this. And then when I stepped out, the word spread, and my divine powers became famous. Where is Radhe Maa’s neighbourhood? It’s a fantastical tale, repeated many times, as I discovered in the village where she was born. Her father was a public officer, he would give her pocket money but she would distribute it amongst children. There were people who vouched for her, but also many who refrained from talking about her, or seemed afraid to speak. Come here, she is asking about Radhe Maa. Ah! He got scared. It’s clear the power of Radhe Maa’s influence spreads far and wide. All we hear is a careful retelling of her miracles, especially by those who are given monthly pensions by her. He got a heart attack. It is only because of Radhe Maa that I am not a widow. Blood came out of her mouth. She applied it as vermillion on me and said, ‘Nothing bad will happen, your husband will be cured.’ We cannot say anything about her because it may harm us. If I don’t light a lamp for her, it causes some harm. I fall sick. Within these expressions of faith, ran a clear thread of fear – of being seen as unfaithful or not worthy enough. According to Professor Manav, it’s a tactic godmen and women use to their advantage. The law of probability means that some predictions will come true and the godman gets the credit for that. But he is not discredited for the ones that turn out to be wrong. That is blamed on oneself. That my faith was not strong enough. Or that ‘it’s my misfortune’. There is also a fear that I might be removed from the godman’s grace and his favourite people. During my research, I met people for whom Radhe Maa’s miracles or predictions didn’t work, and in fact caused harm. They did not want to be identified, or share their personal experience of loss and hurt on record. But I did speak to some people who shared their disbelief in her claims. These are just stories from people’s imagination that lift a normal person to one of divine status like Radhe Maa. She is not doing anything extraordinary. She is normal, except for make up and fancy clothes. It only heightened my curiosity about her devotees. And one evening I was shocked when I saw Radhe Maa ask her inner circle of followers who were seated on the ground to make animal sounds for her and they obliged. We met the core group of her followers including you. She was able to ask them to do so many things, act like an animal, like once like dogs or like monkeys like those were things I had never seen. She is somebody who has restrained herself in her room. So that is the only source of entertainment she has. We try to crack a little joke or we just try to make her laugh by doing all these actions. So, from observation I have seen that any spiritual guru once they get established or dedicated for their relationship with someone, there is a certain subservience also that gets established in that relationship. So, does that suspend your rational self? There is a word that devi ma ji says that when you come to me, come with an open heart and a belief. And I've seen it, when people are new or old, when they come with that thought process, she does miracles for them. And if you go there to test her, you will not be part of that Sangat anymore. She has her followers, but she also has a lot of people who don't believe in her or who don't believe in the possibility of a human being performing miracles and they say this is a superstition or coincidence? Because they haven't experienced it yet, she never goes and forces anybody to come and follow. People who haven't experienced yet they have a right to say anything. and people who have come and experienced, And people who have come and experienced, I am sure they know what they have gone through. What they were telling me was that faith demanded complete surrender, of all reason, in the pursuit of god. We are told that wisdom can be attained only by keeping unshakeable belief in your guru. Anyone who doubts doubts or tries to test the guru, will lose their faith. And this process of absolute faith makes people superstitious. Be it superstition or faith, the controversial phenomenon of godmen and woman in India is booming. And Radhe Maa believes her followers are here to stay. You have many devotees but there are others who test you and question your powers. What would you say to them? I don’t think about it. Earlier I would. Not anymore. Now I say, ‘I don’t care’. Because god is watching from above, taking care of me.

Radhe Maa is one of the few women in India's controversial phenomenon of ‘godmen’, who command large followings and claim to do miracles. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 https://bbc.in/3VyyriM The BBC has got rare and exclusive access inside this ‘godwoman’ palace, to understand this world of faith and fear, where followers are told donations bring miracles and disobedience could lead them to harm. 00:00 A world like no other 01:50 How the so called ‘miracles’ work 03:08 The ‘godmen’ phenomenon 04:48 An educated devotee 05:38 The ‘darsham’ in a room in red and gold 06:56 The value of ‘miracles’ 08:12 Radhe Maa ji’s palace 09:40 Becoming a ‘godwoman’ 10:38 Radhe Maa’s hometown 11:07 A world of faith and fear 12:58 Unquestioning devotion 🎞️ Find more of the best BBC World Service documentaries you can watch in less than 30 minutes here 👉🏽 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4cI2qSy69-3UkgBWaXGHRrx ---------------- This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel. If you like what we do, you can also find us here: Instagram 👉🏽 https://www.instagram.com/bbcworldservice Twitter 👉🏽 https://twitter.com/bbcworldservice Facebook 👉🏽 https://facebook.com/bbcworldservice BBC World Service website 👉🏽 https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio Thanks for watching and subscribing! #BBCWorldService #WorldService #india #godwoman #radhemaa