According to the court records and historical documents, in 1931, whilst walking with his business partner Shewakram, Lekhraj Kirpalani discovered a sadhu and took an initiation from him into some practise ... for the cost of 10,000 Indian Rupees. Shortly afterwards, he gave up business and started his satsang apply "antimony", some kind of mysterious eyeliner, and practising his brand of spiritualism or hypnosis ... his mesmerism. So began the Brahma Kumaris.
I am not an economist but ...
Questions;
Needless to say, India at that time was even more impoverished than it is today and this equated to a huge sum of money.
I am not an economist but ...
- In the 1930s, there were approximately 2.6 rupees to 1 USD,
Therefore the cost of course was 3,745 USD (1936 rate).
At that time, 1 USD was worth 0.2 GBP (5 dollars to the Pound),
Therefore, the cost of course was 749 GBP (1936 rate).
According to the official UK inflation data the value of £749 (1936) is approx £42,000 at today's rate,
Therefore, the cost of the initiation was approx £42,000.
Questions;
- a) What sort of initiation costs £42,000?
b) Who was the Sadhu and what did he practise?
Needless to say, India at that time was even more impoverished than it is today and this equated to a huge sum of money.