Om Mandli Bhaibund Committee Report 1938

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Om Mandli Bhaibund Committee Report 1938

Post07 Jan 2012

From: 1938 Bhaibund Om Mandli Report & latest BK History Revision.

In academia, the BKWSU has been described as predating the New Age movement and has managed to avoided being classified as a cult, along with other extreme religions now generally known as "new religious movements", as it spread into the West in the 1970s. Closer inspect of original material shows that it in fact underwent an identical period of cultic fervour, and social and familial reaction, back in the 1930s in Pakistan. Even to have been named as such.

Accusations of its tendency to break apart families, to split wives from husband and given them the encouragement on how to do so, to use of hypnotic suggestion, and it attitude of self-professed superiority and being above the law - all of which have continued in various communities as it has expanded around the world to this day - are all present in this snapshot from its earliest days.

[Some very minor spelling correction made for clarification. A "moulivies: (sister in charge) is generally better known as a Maulvi or Mawlwi. It is an honorific Islamic religious title given to Sunni Muslim religious scholars similar to the title of Mullah and generally means a highly-qualified Islamic scholar who would have completed full studies in a madrassa.

A "Sakhi" is one of the eight main Gopis (or female followers of Krishna), as in the Asta Sakhis. Female adherents of the BKWSU are often named after the "Gopis" of the Vedic scriptures and their founder thought to be Krishna incarnate.
]
Om Mandli Bhaibund Committee wrote:Om Mandli Bhaibund Committee Report
1st November 1938


Om Mandli Bhaibund Committee Report

Om Mandli founded by Bhai Lakhraj of Hyderabad Sind has been the subject of criticism in many articles that have appeared in the various papers throughout India from time to time. Many people, especially those residing outside Hyderabad, seem to be very imperfectly acquainted with the affairs of the Mandli. The Hyderabad Bhai Bund Committee that had specially been instituted to face this danger, feels called upon to place before the public a tree and detailed account of the activities of the Mandli. The opinions of the Committee are based on authentic reliable evidence of persons, many of them whom have been the Members of the Mandli, and have stayed there for months together. They have been eye witnesses of the accounts they have given in their evidence.

This Committee was started in May 1938, as a demand of a public meeting and it was commissioned together to study facts regarding OM MANDLI and the evils it has produced in the Hindu Community, and to draw up its report.

The Committee met twenty two times in the period of one month and recorded statements of great many persons, some of whom were partisans of Bhai Lekhraj and were Members of the Mandli at that time. In order to thoroughly investigate into the matter and have the evidence properly sifted and to gate at the truth, the Committee especially deputed some persons to enlist themselves as Members of the Mandli and to take notes of everything that transpired within it.

The Committee on 22nd June 1938 submitted its report at a Public Mass Meeting, which authorised it to take such steps as they were advised against the Mandli. The Committee is working upto-date.

On the basis of facts collected, statements recorded, and some interviews with Bhai Lekhraj, the Committee came to the conclusion that the following evils and abuses, now in evidence, are the direct result of the existence of the Mandli and the propagation of its cult.

    1. Under the guise and outside veneer of high sounding Vedantic philosophy and spiritual exaltation, a systematic ridicule of Vedas, Shastras and Guru Granth Sahib is going on with a view to infuse and spread hatred and contempt for our sacred religious books.

    2. All sacred places of Worship and prayer, like mosques, temples and churches are being dubbed as bedlams and their frequenters as fools and priests, preachers, pandits and Brahmins, are all being stigmatized as deceitful and hypocritical charlatans. Not only that, all Rishis, Mahatmas and Gurus also come for their share of abuse, and poor innocent women are duped into the belief that One Redeemer in the world is "Dada Lekhraj" and salvation can only be attained through him and his Mandli.

    3. The founder of the Mandli, Bhai Lekhraj, is a master hypnotists, and some of his Sakhis have also been trained by him into that nefarious art. With the aid of this black Art, he, with his powerful gaze, through from his, and his female disciples' magic laden eyes, hypnotises youthful women, and when they are completely under his sway, he sports with them, plays "Krishna LILA", makes them dance, rocks them in swings, exchanges with them morsels off ood, embraces them, lies with them on the same cot, bathes with them in the same tank - in short outrages all cannons of descency.

    4. His constant and continuous advice to maidens and married women is to set at naught the advice of their parents and husbands, and to continue to come to him and if their guardians put pressure on them, to leave them altogether and reside in his Mandli. He sends out his Sakhis to lure them into coming to him.

    5. For women duped into his possession, he keeps all luxuries ready. Rich foods, appetising sweets, creamed milk, luscious fruits, almonds and pistachios are always ready for them. In order to take them out to the gardens and excursions, he maintains motor buses, and also a car for giving them lessons in driving. In this huge house of sensuous luxury, many servants are maintained and to make women oblivious of their husbands and parents and their responsibilities, the supplies them with all sorts of comforts and silken beds scented soaps and fragrant powders and sweet perfumes.

    6. He acquises in being proclaimed as Lord Krishna Incarnate, and call his Sakhis as his Gopies and declares that the Age of Krishna has come back. He likens himself and his "Gopies" to Pandavas and their husbands and parents to Kauravas, Demons, "Kans" and Rahu, and preaches violence against, and separation from them. He plays upon their vanity by calling them in such flattering terms as "Yogishwaris", "Gopies", "Lachimis" etc, and incites them to deny to their husbands their conjugal rights. He constantly dins into their ears that their husbands are passion-ridden and lascivious and their children cannot be much different. On that account, ther are never to be given their marital rights. And in order to put their husbands off, they are taught all sorts of tricks and dodges. An amorous husband is to be told that she is having her menses, that she is sick, and if he continues to be insisten, be is to be delivered a knock out blow or a smashing kick.

    7. With the aid of his black art, he renders his Sakhis unconscious and in that state of insensibiity they scream, they turn pale, they tremble visibly and are un-mindful of everything. Sometimes they laugh up-roarously and again weep and wail and invoke Krishna and run after "Dada Lekhraj" as Krishna incarnate and cath him, and embracing and clinging to him cry out "you have steln our butter etc". In that way, under the influence of hypnotism, they regard Bhai Lekhraj as God Incarnate, the person who has lit the torch of Truth and dispelled all evil forces. It is due to this mismeric influence that they pant for his Darsham, their vision gets blurred and through their purblind eyes they see no difference between right and wrong. Such is the staff from which the "Dada" draws his transports of joy and delight.

    8. To conseal his real purpose and with a view to show himself off as a lover of education, Bhai Lekhraj has nomially opened an infant school and boarding house in his place "OM NIVAS". Here also the same series of lies and mis-representations masquerading in the guise of Truth and Light are being sedulously imparted to these young and impressionable children. Poor innocent girls who know nothing of marriage and the processess of birth are taught that men are tyrants, that pregnancy is painful and therefore marriage is to be avoided. They who have drunk at the Fount of Light, how can they associate with husbands groping in darkness? These children are hypnotised into unconsciousness for hours on end, and when they recover themselves, they look vacant and besotted and on their distraction is put the interpretation that they have had communion with God. Poor girls know not the difference between hypnotised insensibility and the yogic Samadhi.

    9. To cheat the parents into the belief that their children are not wasting their time in the "OM NIVAS", a sewing class has been opened, which is more for their entertainment than for their training. There are no fixed hours of work, The whole day is wasted in idle merriments and in devising ways of enticing new members.

    10. To pass off as Mahatama immune from terrestrial attachments, he has hit upon the clever idea of calling every person as "OM NIJ ATMA" but there is so such of ego and vanity in him and his language is so venomous and foul that one begins to wonder as to how can such a man claim to teach "GIAN".

    11. Bahi Lekhraj is 54 yearas old and has a wife and five children. For years together he was a partner in a Firm at Calcutta and later on started his own jewellery business. He is not educated nor had he had time or leisure to associate with Saints and Sadhus. He is innocent of Sanskrit, and can have no knowledge of the sublime truths of the Shastras. Since the last four years he has closed his business and settled down in Hyderabad. His partner who was with him for 20 - 25 years informs us that at the time of closing his business he spent Rs 10,000/- in Benares to receive training under a Sadhu in spiritualism for a few weeks which in truth is hypnotism. A person who has spent all his llife in business, who has neither made any study of Shastras nor has associated with Sadhus and Mahatamas, who has never shown any leanings towards being spiritual, nor has undergone any spiritual exercises how can he boast of giving salvation to others? His only method of approach is hypnotism, with the aid of which he easily subjugates weak minds and moulds them to his will. Bhai Lekhraj's "Power" is effective only with young women and crumble down in case of men. If he were an all powerful prophet as he claims himself to be, would his influence be limited exclusively to the weaker sex? He loves young womenfolk and openly affirms that only they are worthy to be our spiritual guides. Is it not merely an eye wash to have introduced this device of claiming his women disciples as the only religious and spiritual leaders? Who ever heard of women as Priests, Mahatamas, Pandits, Moulivies and Clergy?
At the time of sitting of the Enquiry Commitee, when Bhai Lekhraj realized that the public in general was up in arms against him, he requisisioned the services of the police to guard the OM MANDLI. This was treated by street urchins as a matter of fun and a crowd collected to witness this sight. To disperse them, the Mandli people threw pails of water and other articles over them which on the contrary enraged them and they retaliated by throwing stones and sticks and bricks and break the doors and window glass-panes. At this time the Members of the Committee arrived on the spot and pacified the excited mob. Thereafter Bhai Lekhraj who was panic stricken declared to the Members of the Committee in the presence of Mr Bhagwandas, District Superindendent of Police, that he had closed the OM Mandli and a letter to that effect was despatched to the Collector by Lekhraj's Chief Disciple Radha Bai - a girls of two and twenty and un-married. It was about this time that Bhai Mangharam Uttamchandani's wife owing to the influence of Bhai Lekhraj, refused to associate with her husband and permitted him to re-marry. But as our panchayat was strongly opposed to such a course, some of our influential Members undertook to ween the young wife back to her normal life. She however remained absolutely imprevious to all the appeals and efforts they put to persuade her. Her talk clearly indicated that she was under the dominence of some sinister and perverse influence. MrBhagwandas, Dy Supdt Police intervened and pressed Bhai Lekhraj to ask Bhai Mangharam's wife to go back to her place. One word from Bhai Lekhraj had the talismanic effect on her and she hurried back home. As puppets to jugglar masters, so are women to Bhai Lekhraj. There are a number of such other cases.

By about the end of June 1938, Bhai Lekhraj shifted his activities to "OM NIVAS". Though ostensibly the Mandli was closed, it went on working merrily at Om Nivas. At this time the citizens of Hyderabad sent a petition to the Collector under some 17000 signatures and formed a deputation which waited upon him. Three Sakhis represented the OM MANDLI and an amicable settlement was brought about, the terms of which subsequently published. The Mandli people guaranteed to observe not only the letter but the spirit as well of the agreement. The following is the substance of the agreement.

    1. Mandli and Sat Sang shall be thrown open only and exclusively to women.
    2. No male including Bhai Lekhrak shall have any contact, direct or indirect with OM MANDLI or OM NIVAS or its school.
    3. The Mandli shall be located in the original premises in Khatu Bund Lane and not in "OM NIVAS" which place is outside the town proper.
    4. No woman or girl shall be allowed to come to the Mandli except with the permission of their parents and guardians.
    5. "OM NIVAS" shall remain only as an infant boarding school adn Bhai Lekhraj;s residence shall be separated from it.
    6. Only religious and spiritual education shall be imparted in the Mandli and not the type of education calculated to loosen the social fabric of the bonds of family life and disrupt homes.
    But the OM MANDLI honoured the agreement more in its breach than its observance and not a single term was kept. In order to express its sorrow and regret, the Committee resorted to peaceful perusation in the front of the "OM NIVAS". With folded hands the Sakies were request not to set at naught the united voice of the whole community, but nothing availed. Once again, the Committee met the Mandli people at the Collector's Bungalow, but th talk of the Mandli representatives was so indifferent, irresponsible and definate that the Committee had to leave in utter despair.
The husbands, parents, guardians, Brothers and near relatives of Sakhies all had joined the Committee in remonstating with the Mandli people to desist from their ill-conscieved and obstitate opposition. But how can appeals based on reason succeed against hypnotic forces? The Sakhies made bold to say that Dada Lekhraj is Lord Krishna Incarnate, that they are Pandavas and their opponents Kauravas that Pandavas would ultimately triumpn, because they were spiritually evolved and their opponents spiritually lost. It is sad to note that even Bhai Lekhraj's wife, who is supposed to be steeped in deep spiritual exultation, used fould and abusiveie language against the Members of the Committee who sid not a word in return.

When people were convinced that prayers, persuations of the Committee had failed and that Bhai Lekhraj's hold over women was unabated, they made preparations for launching a city wide satyagraha independent of the Committee.

Apprehending a breach of peace, Government applied Section 107.C.P.C. against the promoters of the Mandli and some of the public. The matter is now ending before the Court.

Since last two years Bhai Lekhrak has opened a branch of OM Mandli in Karachi as well. About 3 weeks ago he migrated there with minors. It is said that their number is nearly 150. The parents have reported to the Police that their children and wards have been decoyed from their lawful custody and taken to Karachi; the matter is being investigated by the Police.

In the mentime a telegram dated 29th October 1938 was recevied from the OM Mandli saying "Bus Accident, all well, inform parents". But the facts as reported by various papers are different. The bus which was carrying some 30 women and girls and was being driven by Radhika, Bhai Lekhraj's daugher-in-law who had not yet learnt driving properly, met with an accident; injuring all or most of them. About 10 were admitted in the Civil Hospital suffering from severe injuries as indoor patients and one's arm had to be amputated. This is about the telegram from OM Mandli described as "ALL WELL". It is learnt that Radhika who drove the Bus has been challenged by the Police.

The parents of the decoyed girls who were already in distrubed and worried state of mind, waiting anxiously the action of the Police to get them back their minor children from Karachi. When they heard of this accident, they wree naturally alarmed and waited all the time before proper information could be got for them.

If by the English law, the parents and guardians cannot have any legal control over girls of 16 years old even the minor girls of less than 16 years are being decoyed. Thus all feel helpless.

It is evident from the above, what havoc Bhai Lekhraj and his Mandli has brought about in the Soceity; and the public ask how long will this state of things remain as it seem to do now? Is there no one who can successfully meet the situation created by him?

Further information will be placed before the public in due course.

Secretary,

    Bhaibund Committee

    1st November 38

    Printed by Mr C. K. Kodwani at the Kohinoor (Elc:) Printing Workds, Mula Babur Lane, Shahi Bazar, Hyderabad Sind

    &

    Published by:- Bhai Ladharam Durgdas Bharwani
    Secretary Om Mandli Bhaibund Committee
    Shahi Bazar Hyd, Sind.

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