Nithyananda
Hindu religious figure / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Nithyananda (born Arunachalam Rajasekaran;[lower-alpha 1] 1 January 1978), known among followers as Nithyananda Paramashivam or Paramahamsa Nithyananda, is an Indian Hindu guru and often called a "godman"[2] (a charismatic religious figure who claims to perform the miraculous). He is the founder of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, a trust that owns temples, gurukulas, and ashrams in many countries. A number of mainstream news outlets, inside and outside India,[3][2][4][5][6][7][8][9] and a TV documentary series on Disney+[10] have referred to the organisation as a cult, its leader as a conman,[11][4][12] and his micronation of Kailaasa a scam;[3][12] his organization has denied any wrongdoing.[12]
Nithyananda | |
---|---|
Personal | |
Born | Arunachalam Rajasekaran (1978-01-01) 1 January 1978 (age 46)[1] Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India |
Religion | Hinduism |
Organization | |
Founder of | Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam |
Philosophy | Advaita Vedanta |
Following charges of rape and abduction filed in Indian courts, Nithyananda fled India and has remained in hiding since 2019, and his whereabout are unknown as of 2023[update][13] He is the subject of a court-issued non-bailable warrant relating to the allegations.[14][15] Nithyanada also wanted since 2019 for unrelated fraud charges in France.[16]
In 2020, he announced the founding of his own self-proclaimed island nation called Kailaasa,[17][18] though some evidence suggests he had been promoting the idea for around 20 years.[3]