BK initiation of girls

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tpd

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BK initiation of girls

Post03 Nov 2010

22 girls were initiated into the BKWSU last Sunday, 31st october 2010, in Ahmedabad. They were given "Diksha". They left their families and joined the BK forever.

Since when BKs started this kind of stuff?

The whole news item was published in local news paper in Gujarati Language. I am posting a translation and attaching original caption with this.
On Sunday, 31st October 2010, 22 girls aged from 20 to 30 years old were ordained as Brahma Kumaris in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. They left their respective families and dedicated their life to God. This was a record of 21st century in Ahmedabad. Raj yogini Dadi Janki, administrative Head of the BKWSU who is of 94 years age, was present especially from Mount Abu to participate in this dedication to God ceremony.

Dadi jankiji said in her blessing speech that these 22 Sisters were not ordinary girls but are blessed with "drishti" by GOD, that's why these Sisters have decided to offer their whole life to God. When one girl marries and lives with in laws, she brings happiness and prosperity to one family, whereas these Sister will bring happiness and prosperity to many families in the world.

Thus acting in this selfless manner, they would do god's work. They will dedicate their lives to removing bad customs like fetish, superstitions, and thus work for their life to establish a value based society. At this ceremony, Gujarat Zone Director Sarladidi welcomed the Sisters to be ordained and their families. A grand procession was carried before the ceremony in the Maninagar area. In the evening, an opening ceremony was performed for global celebration of "Divya divine descent and the creation of Satyug".

Rajyogini Dadi Janki, main spokesperson for Brahma Kumari Brijmohan and State Minister for Law, Pradipsinh Jadeja, were present for the occasion.

bk mass bw.jpg
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ex-l

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Re: BK initiation of girls

Post05 Nov 2010

arjun wrote:I recently heard from an ex-PBK who is now a regular student at a BK center that when he wanted to surrender his daughter he was asked to pay Rs.1,00,000/-. Is this true in all parts of India?

A woman academic in Australia, Julia Howell, was the first to raise concern about the Brahma Kumari practise of making the parents of young girls have to pay for their daughters to surrender in English but an Indian human rights organization raised the issue of marrying young virgins off to their god spirit and accused Janki Kirpalani or running a medieval religion. I agree with that.

A BKWSU leader told Julia Howell that charging a dowry was "the only way they could stop poor parents dumping their (unwanted) daughters on them" and that they not only had to surrender their dowry but pay for the first 6 months or so of keep (food, lodgings, clothes etc). Many keep handing over cash and property for a lot longer, e.g. Western leader Jayanti Kripalani's Father Murli Kripalani.

Of course, for Indian women, I suspect that means there is NO WAY OUT even if at a latter point she finds out the truth about the organisation or wants a different life. We have also heard about the difficulty in ex-Brahma Kumaris finding marriage partners. There is no exit strategy for them. If the movement was responsible, it would keep the money in a trust and give it back to them when they become old enough, rather than spend it buying property and chasing VIPs. What will happen when these women retire?

100,000 Rupees is about $2250 USD. One or two years wages for an unskilled worker with the highest percentage of people earning $1.25 a day or 21.6 a day in urban areas.


Issues like this make me the most disgusted at Western BKs who do bugger all to help Indian BKs, think not for one second about the exploitation of Indian BKs, or about the inequities within the organization. It is a movement based on sucking resources, human and finances, away from family and society as a whole.

I have never heard of one single campaign to address inequities within the Brahma Kumari movement ... instead the rich white BKs just suck up the privileges, e.g. front row seats, extra attention and access to Seniors, and patronise the poor Indians as being so happy with their simple lives, or so spiritual.

What do you see when you look at the picture above? 20 wonderful, spiritual young ladies ... or 2,000,000 Rupees ($45,019 USD). Let me guess which one Janki "Money Bags" Kripalani sees. There is nothing within the teachers to suggest or instruct that such events should happen as they are doing. It is actually anti-Brahma Kumarism.

jann

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Re: BK initiation of girls

Post15 Nov 2010

Someone told me that
this has been going on for a long time in India. The Sisters surrender and go home only for important occasions. Dadi Prakash, Dadi Gulzar came in this tradition of surrendering themselves.

This surrendering to God process exists in most faiths and spiritual paths. People choose God as their everything. Christian nuns do it. Buddhist monks do it ...

But the good news is BKs NEVER ask those in the family to come join them even if they want to. Someone wanted to many years ago and was told by Dadi Janki to care for her family.

A lot of BKs who get mucked up in this system are those who are; 1) mentally not OK, 2) come from dysfunctional/not happy backgrounds, 3) have deep emotional issues to sort out.

In general BKs are understanding. It is possible some incompetent ones are placed in charge of centres or in centres and cause damage. I know a slightly mentally challenged Sister was placed in charge of a centre in an Asian country and then removed when they realised she was damaging students through her behaviour.
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ex-l

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Re: BK initiation of girls

Post15 Dec 2010

jann wrote:Someone told me that

But the good news is BKs NEVER ask those in the family to come join them even if they want to. Someone wanted to many years ago and was told by Dadi Janki to care for her family.

This is crap. The world is full of family members that are sweet-talked, cajoled, hen-pecked, taken and blackmailed to go to the BKWSU center in 10,000 different ways.

Mostly it is useless or even counter-productive and so perhaps the mature BKs have learned that. I doubt it is true at the bottom end.

Often it is the cause of the final break up or break down of relationships. A few husbands are pulled in by an "either/or" equation. Either they go or they lose their wife/family and, possibly, property.

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