The film was made available for censor certificate on the basis of order passed by High Court of Karnataka. Accordingly five members of Regional Censor office headed by K Nagaraj, Swami Nityananda advocates KV Dhananjaya Kumar, Ms Ragasudha plus Madan Patel - director and producer of the film watched the film at a preview theatre in Bangalore instead of the regular place where Regional Censor Office watch the film. This was purposefully to avoid any commotion.
Knowing that the film 'Satyananda' is censored at a place in Ganganagar, Sri Rishikumara Swamy dropped in without invitation. He was promptly sent out as there is no provision for any other person to watch the film. The viewing of this film is also on the court order. It would lead to contempt of court - Regional Censor officer K Nagaraj known for upright thinking not allowed any other person.
The parties of Swami Nityananda sought one week time for filing any objections. Patel plays the politician-film maker, while Chetan plays the role of Satyananda. (IndiaGlitz)
Who is Swamy Nithyananda? 34-year-old self-styled godman Swamy Nithyananda, facing arrest in an assault case, surrendered on Wednesday afternoon at the Ramanagar court near Bangalore in Karnataka. The controversial godman evaded law for three days after an FIR was lodged against him for assaulting a reporter from a TV channel who allegedly asked uncomfortable questions during a press conference. That press meet was called after Arathi Rao, an NRI based in the US, had alleged that Nithyananda had been sexually abusing her for more than five years.
Nithyananda is not new to controversies. There was massive uproar when a video of him frolicking with Kannada actress Ranjitha appeared in 2010. The incident led to a public outrage and Nithyananda had to cool his heels in jail for 53 days before he was granted bail. A CID probe into his alleged sex acts and other misdeeds is still on in Karnataka.
The Madras High Court had also issued notices against him recently after he was anointed the 293rd pontiff of one of the most ancient mutts in south India - the Madurai adeenam. The mutt weilds considerable influence over some of the wealthiest temples in Tamil Nadu. The appointment generated a huge controversy and many groups in and outside Tamil Nadu have been trying to get him removed from the mutt.
Nithyananda was known for his proximity with the RSS and other right-wing Hindu outfits. He was often seen hobnobbing with powerful Karnataka leaders like B S Yeddyurappa, Dharam Singh and Rameshwar Thakur. Bollywood actors Viveik Oberoi and Juhi Chawla were also reported to be his disciples.
When Nithyananda landed in Bangalore ten years ago, he was virtually unknown. The booming city allowed him to prosper. Within three to four years, Nithyananda had become one of this city's many godmen. He claimed to have had a vision of opening an ashram near a banyan tree. That's why, he once said, he zeroed in on Bidadi near Bangalore to open his ashram. He claimed that the original owner of that land also had the same dream, following which he gave the land to Nithyananda.
The ashram called Dhyanapeetham was opened on Jan 1, 2003. Today, there are nearly 150 permanent ashramites at Bidadi. Nithyananda also runs a gurukul at Dhyanapeetham with about 50 kids who are taught vedic chanting and martial arts. Today, he has a considerable following in southern India and his mission has branches in the US, Europe and Malaysia. The US branch is called the Life Bliss Foundation, headquartered in Los Angeles, which runs meditation courses that cost anything from 10 dollars onwards. The period ranges from one-day meditation course to year-long meditation courses.
Nithyananda's original name was Rajasekaran. Born to Arunachalam and Lokanayaki in 1978, he hails from what his followers call the spiritual town of Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Nithyananda claims he studied up to Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Rajagopal Polytechnic, Gudiyattam. Nithyananda also claims to have studied yoga from the age of three and that he got spiritural enlightenment at 12. It is then that he started calling himself 'Nithyananda', which means 'eternal bliss' in Sanskrit.
Nithyananda once claimed he can levitate, i.e. float in air. He even called a press conference to exhibit this trait. However, while his devotees jumped and danced during that press conference, no one floated in the air or defied anti-gravity. It proved to be what they call a flop show. Later, a video showing him dancing at his father's funeral with his slippers on his father's dead body also appeared towards the end of 2010.
While Nithyananda's clout and power cannot be denied, what many people have not been able to understand is his source of strength. His operations are discreet and even his inner circle does not know much about his activities. However, the godman may find it extremely difficult to ride out of the current storm.
0 comments