A Sindhi scholar addresses the Om Mandli 'Free Love' cult history in an introduction to 'Om Mandli: Source-Material on its Past', he also lists 'Cases Field Against Bhai Lekhraj, Om Radhe And Others Of Om Mandli'.
His background knowledge of Sindhi culture and history, and ability to identify numerous of the individuals involved, is extremely useful.
I wonder how it will take for
Whereas I think what the most important element the good Dr brings to the discussion are clarifications of the political and familial backgrounds, and illumination of just who various characters in the drama were, as an objective introduction from an uninvolved third party, I offer ...
Dr. Dur Muhammad Pathan is the founder of research-oriented institution, the GUL HAYAT INSTITUTE - a resource centre for PhD and MPhil students on Sindhi history and author of more than 25 books on the region's history, culture, literature & folklore. He has guided/supervised/examined numerous Ph.Ds studies in the subjects of the Social Sciences.
His background knowledge of Sindhi culture and history, and ability to identify numerous of the individuals involved, is extremely useful.
I wonder how it will take for
- a) the BKs to turn up ... and attempt to "correct" his view, and remove or destroy original documents that contradict their "official history", inviting him to retreats at their luxury retreat centres to impress and seduce him.
b) the PBKs to turn up ... and attempt to convert him, "advancing" his knowledge to an even more "correct" understanding, and
c) BK Tamasin Ramsay PhD, the Brahma Kumaris own resident revisionist academic ... to claim his work as her own and modify it to fit the current BK narrative.
During working on this topic, I found that two major groups are working and doing research work on the past, present and future of Om Mandli. One is trying to protect the system and another is having very serious doubts regarding Bhai Lekhraj, his philosophy and strategy of Om Mandli. Both groups are as at a tug of war. Very important information has been kept secret by one group and it is bent upon sharing the 'Supervised and selected history / information' and other is busy to unlock the hidden information and try to know and share Truth with people. Attachment is good, but partiality is bad. In this situation, first I decided to indicate major research mistakes being conducted by both groups. But I later on thought it as my undue involment in disputed matters ...
I have avoided 'subjectivity', however, some very vital questions have also raised so as to make both 'fighting groups' realized that yet the third party is not satisfied by some way of telling story of Om Mandli by them.
Whereas I think what the most important element the good Dr brings to the discussion are clarifications of the political and familial backgrounds, and illumination of just who various characters in the drama were, as an objective introduction from an uninvolved third party, I offer ...
In the last decade before partition, Om Mandli was established by a person known as Bhai Lekhraj and a lady Radhe was also master-mind of the adventure. It was an organization of socio-religious nature and though, religious-cum-spiritual-oriented education was being imparted, but pages of history proves that it was also a movement for advocating for free-sex approaches.
This Mandli was formed by wives of Sindhworkis so as get rid of worries created by isolation due to longest waiting for their husbands. Some of these ladies opted for religious activities, some of them started social work and few of them accepted ground realities and started meeting their social/sexual needs on their own with creating circles.
In India, Om Mandli has taken a different shape and is discharging its services in the field of Hindu Religion and Education and is headed by female leaders but, in Sindh it is headed by Bhai Lekhraj who became controversial and disputed for so many reasons. Such as the criteria of Hindu religion about becoming Jagat Guro. He was not of that rquired age at the time of his claim of Jagat Guro. It is said that some personal differences with Bhaiband community brought problems for him. Such as marrying of his daughter Palu with Mukhi Motiram Dhanrajmal outside his community.
But, this was not the serious and real cause of opposing him and his teaching/philosophy. The reason was different. His teaching followed by girls and grown up ladies, who in their respective positions in their families as daughters and wives took to abnormal courses of conduct: marraiageable daughters declining to get married and married wives refusing to live with their husbands. Even widows reacted in violation of their religious teachings. For example Rukmani Bai, daughter-in-Law of Bhai Hassomal Thakurdas refuse to live in her father-in-law's house but rented a house CLOSE TO OM NIVAS. Bhaibands were not only against Bhai Lekhraj, but every political party and every outstanding Sindhi Hindu took keen interest in agitation launched against Bhai Lekhraj and his Om Mandli.
Sadhu Vaswani a man of name and fame issued call. It reads: 'My appeal is to all my countrymen. The Om Mandli is a dean of darkness. Close it down without delay. Your children, my dear Sindhi countrymen are your richest treasure. Bring out all your children from the dark den of Om Mandli, and let all young widows come out of its poisonous atmosphere. What a shame that immoralities should go unchecked in this land of the Vedic Rishis'. This Call was carried by so many papers in Sindh. It is my hypothesis that Bhai Lekhraj intended to introduce free sex philosophy in Sindhi Hindus and faced very tough time from Hindus.
30. 3. 1939: On behalf of the 'Panchayat Committee', its chairman, Mangharam submitts written statement before the Tribunal appointed by Sindh Government to inquire into the affairs of the Om Mandli. It is very lengthy and detailed statement and ends with the following para:
"Bhai Lekhraj either through hypnotism or some other uncanny influence or wrong teaching bring about such a perverted state of mind among the inmates that girls bathe with or before him half-naked without feeling abashed. ... the women and he indulge in premiscuous kissing, hugging, dancing, and sleeping together and all this is offensive and immoral socially according to Hindu ideals ..." (Source: The Copy of the statement with Gul Hayat Institute).