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What is a guru? -

In Indian culture, a guru is an enlightened spiritual teacher who guides others on their spiritual journeys. They pass on ancient teachings, often taken from the Hindu religion. Some believe that they even transmit a kind of divine radiance that sustains their followers.

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The importance of devotion -

The practice of devotion to one’s guru plays an important role in Indian spiritual culture. It is known as bhakti, and helps aspirants to transcend their ego and come closer to enlightenment.

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The Godmen -

When a guru reaches a certain level of devotion, they are elevated to the status of "Godman," a unisex term that indicates that a guru is perceived as a demigod by their cult following. Some gurus, however, are self-proclaimed Godmen.

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Power and corruption -

Unfortunately, this level of reverence can be blinding, and placing so much trust in one person leaves devotees vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation. There have been countless stories of gurus who became corrupted by their power and used it for personal gain and indulgence in earthly vices. This is often what happens when a spiritual community crosses over into the realm of the cult.

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Losing their way -

Outside of the context in which the guru was originally conceived, it can become even more problematic. In the Western world where the temptations of excess and “immorality” are even more pervasive, some gurus lose sight of their foundational ethics.

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A calculated choice -

There are also those who start out with bad intentions, gravitating towards spiritual leadership with the express purpose of using their position to gain power over others.

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Asaram Bapu -

Asaram Bapu was an extremely famous guru who rose to prominence in India in the 1970s. He is believed to have founded more than 400 ashrams around India and internationally. He was praised as a Godman, until he was arrested for the sexual assault of a minor in 2013.

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Asaram Bapu -

The courts ruled that he was a “habitual offender” even though he was only convicted of the one assault, and he was sentenced to life in prison in 2023. Sadly, Asaram Bapu wasn't the only offender in those circles.

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Narayan Sai -

The sister of the girl who was allegedly assaulted by Asaram Bapu accused his son, Narayan Sai, of sexual assault. He was arrested in 2013, like his father, and sentenced to life in prison for almost the same crimes as his father.

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Chandraswami (1948-2017) -

Chandraswami was a controversial Tantrik (practitioner of Tantra) who faced many scandals during his lifetime. He was another self-proclaimed Godman believed to have exceptional astrological and tantric powers. He was a close friend of Narasimha Rao, India's prime minister between 1991 and 1996.

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Chandraswami (1948-2017) -

Chandraswami was accused of repeated financial irregularities through the '90s and 2000s, including defrauding an English businessman of US$100,000. In addition to his financial crimes, he was believed to have played a role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

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Bikram Choudhury -

Bikram Choudhury is perhaps one of the most famous yogis in the world, although his approach is less spiritual than some of the other gurus on this list. However, for those who followed his teachings, fitness became their religion. He is the creator of Bikram Yoga, a challenging form of hot yoga that became extremely popular in the US.

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Bikram Choudhury -

The 2019 Netflix documentary 'Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator' paints a picture of an abusive narcissist obsessed with profits and power, who sexually assaulted many of his students. He faced numerous lawsuits accusing him of sexual harassment, assault, racism, and homophobia between 2014 and 2017. He fled the US in 2016 without paying the damages to his victims, and hasn't returned. He continues to teach yoga in India and other countries.

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Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1918-2008) -

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was best known for creating and popularizing the practice of transcendental meditation, as well as leading an expansive international spiritual organization. His profile grew even more in the 1960s when The Beatles became interested in transcendental meditation and visited the famous yogi.

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Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1918-2008) -

However, their planned three-month visit was cut short after Maharishi was accused of sexual misconduct and assault. Actress Mia Farrow accompanied The Beatles on their trip and said that the guru suddenly groped her during a private meditation session. It came to light that this wasn't the first time the supposedly celibate spiritual leader was accused of making unwanted sexual advances on his followers. The Beatles stopped associating with him for a long time and wrote the song 'Sexy Sadie' about the incident. The song was originally called 'Maharishi.'

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Nithyananda -

Nithyananda is a powerful international guru who claims Godman status and is widely considered to be a cult leader. He also has a highly successful YouTube channel with millions of viewers. In 2010, he was embroiled in scandal when a video that appeared to show him engaged in sexual activities with an Indian actress (who was also a follower) was leaked to the press. He claimed that they were merely practicing the Shavasana yoga posture together. The same year, he was accused of repeated sexual abuse by a student.

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Nithyananda -

Allegations continued to plague Nithyananda, and he was finally charged with abduction and sexual abuse in 2019. He fled India and has been in hiding ever since, avoiding the charges. He was the subject of the 2022 documentary 'My Daughter Joined a Cult.'

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Sant Rampal -

Sant Rampal is one of the leaders of the Hindu religious domination known as Kabir Panth. His followers believe him to be a seer and a living saint. Rampal controversially rejected parts of an important Hindu text in 2006, which led to a violent clash between his followers and the followers of another religious sect, one of whom died in the confrontation. Rampal was charged with inciting the violent incident.

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Sant Rampal -

He was released from prison on bail after 21 months. Police ordered his arrest again in 2014 after he failed to show up for multiple court appearances. When authorities attempted to arrest him at his ashram, they were met with a violent defense by his followers. It turned into a week-long siege that killed six people and injured many more. Rampal and 26 of his followers were found guilty of murder along with several other crimes, and sentenced to life in prison.

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Osho (1931-1990) -

Rajneesh, later known as Osho, was the founder of the controversial Rajneesh spiritual movement in the 1970s. He rejected institutional religions and advocated for a more progressive attitude toward human sexuality.

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Osho (1931-1990) -

In 1981, Osho relocated from India to rural Oregon in the US. Here, he and his followers set up their own community called Rajneeshpuram. They clashed with the locals, and the leaders of Rajneeshpuram were accused of orchestrating a mass food-poisoning attack to sway local elections, as well as plotting to assassinate the United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. There were also allegations of sexual abuse within the cult, by Osho and others within the group. Many members of his inner circle were arrested, and Osho was deported in 1986. He died in India in 1990. The controversies surrounding his life and Rajneeshpuram are explored in the Netflix docuseries 'Wild Wild Country.'

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Sathya Sai Baba (1926-2011) -

Sathya Sai Baba was a guru who claimed to be the reincarnation of a spiritual master named Sai Baba of Shirdi, who is revered as a saint by both Hindus and Muslims. Sathya Sai Baba's followers believe that he performed numerous miracles, including healing and resurrection, and even that he was omnipotent and omniscient.

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Sathya Sai Baba (1926-2011) -

The so-called Godman was accused of faking miracles through sleight of hand, money laundering, fraud, and sexually abusing his followers. Multiple accusers spoke out and appeared in documentaries, confirming many of the rumors about Sathya Sai Baba's false miracles. He was never charged, and denied the allegations until his death in 2011.

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Ram Rahim -

Ram Rahim was arrested in 2017 for sexually assaulting two of his female followers, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In 2019, he received a further sentence of life in prison for the murder of a journalist. In 2021, he was found guilty of yet another crime: the murder of one of his employees back in 2002.

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Ram Rahim -

Prior to his downfall, Rahim was one of the most influential religious leaders in all of India. Nicknamed the "guru of bling" and "rockstar baba" for his outlandish style, Rahim also made and starred in multiple movies and performed at rock concerts. He had tens of millions of devoted followers, and many stood by his side even after his convictions. Following his first conviction in 2017, riots broke out in Northern India around the location of his ashram. Hundreds of supporters went on a rampage and were met with a forceful police response. More than 500 were arrested, at least 300 were injured, and 41 people were killed.

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Swami Satchidananda (1914-2002) -

Swami Satchidananda was an influential guru who founded his own brand of yoga and gained a significant following in the US. His headquarters, called Yogaville, were set up in Virginia. He had many celebrity followers, including the actor Billy Dee Williams (left) and artist Peter Max (right).

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Swami Satchidananda (1914-2002) -

Satchidananda was famously invited to give the opening address at Woodstock in 1969. In 1991, several former followers accused him of using his position of power to coerce them into sexual relationships and commit acts of sexual abuse. The movement against him was large and vocal. A support group called the Healing Through Truth Network was formed for dissenting former disciples. He denied the allegations until his death, and was never charged.

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Yogi Bhajan (1929-2004) -

Yogi Bhajan was an Indian-born American yoga guru, spiritual leader, and entrepreneur. He's credited with introducing his version of Kundalini yoga to the US throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He gained a dedicated following and opened more than 300 yoga centers in over 30 different countries.

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Yogi Bhajan (1929-2004) -

He passed away in 2004, but years later in 2019 scores of women started to come forward with stories of sexual abuse and coercion by the guru. An investigation found that the hundreds of posthumous allegations were most likely true.

Sources: (Psychology Today) (The Economic Times) (Mantra Yoga & Meditation School India) (The India Express)

See also: Jim Jones, Jonestown, and the largest cult tragedy in history

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