Why Radhe maa got huge fame?

We talk about our poverty now and then all the time. but we still donate loads of money on baba's and maa's. Why do we do that? Radhe maa is one of the rich Godwoman who got fame due to this culture.Yes 'Radhe maa' who famous last year...Let's take a look at reasons of her 'famous identity'. 

Radhe maa-the first lady of godman’s land got fame in last year. She is self proclaimed godwoman who grabbed national attention with an array of controversies and became popular on social media as well. She was complaint under Dowery Prohibition Act.by a woman Nikki Gupta belongs to Gupta family. She complained  that Radhe Maa inciting her in-laws to demand more dowry and harass her if the demand is not met. Another actress Dolly Bindra filed a criminal case of threatening and sexual harassment against Radhe maa. In the month of August 2015 videos of Radhe maa's devotees carrying her around during satsangs went viral. Activist-lawyer Falguni Brahmbhatt lodged a police complaint against her for obscenity saying that Radhe maa  running a business disguised as religion, fraud and cheating.

Then Radhe maa was banned from the Nashik Kumbh Mela by Swaroopanand Saraswati of Dvaraka Pitha and Mahant Gyandas, the president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. Sanjeev Gupta (businessman whose bunglow is now ‘Radhe maa Bhavan’) denied allegations of obscene acts at her satsangs. Reality TV entertainer Rahul Mahajan also posted pictures of her dressed in a short dress(mini skirt), which is considered inappropriate for her position which lead to further controversy. Again, Gupta dismissed these that as morphed. In November 2015, Juna Akhada has ousted Radhe Maa and has stripped her of their title.When we look at her background, her real name is Sukhvinder kaur belongs to Gurudaspur district of Punjab. She used to stitch clothes to supplement her husband's small income.  After her husband left for Qatar in search of a better job, she was attracted towards spirituality.  Then she became disciple of Mahant Ram Deen Das. At that time she was age of 23.Ram Deen Das oversaw her deeksha (initiation ceremony) and gave her the title Radhe Maa.

After joining the Paramhans Dera, Radhe Maa began holding satsangs. Manmohan Gupta (chairman of MM Mithaiwala) became her close disciple when Radhe maa came to Mumbai. She moved into the Gupta family's house which became famous as ‘Radhe Maa Bhavan’. Self proclaimed godwoman ‘Radhe  maa’ is controversial figure belongs to middle class family now possessed trust through which she runs two ashrams where her gatherings are attended by several hundred people at a time. Apart from all her red and gold finery, she also owns several luxury cars. Radhe lives in first floor of large apartment in South Mumbai’s posh Borivali. There is permanent cave for her to reside there. It is a well-
decorated room, spattered with a strong theme of red. 
Radhe maa is prominently wearing red cloths in all satsang, jagran, mata ki chowky and many public meetings. She ware red bangels, all possible face loaded makeup with red lipstick and big bindi on forehead. Her grooming is bridal by attire with heavy gold-
diamond jwellery.  She uses the foot-long metal mini-trishul.

After controversy when people start criticizing her attire and jeweler. Sanjeev Gupta stated that these all gifts are given by her devotees, so she can’t deny. The gazed that produced she looks like north Indian bride. Also heavy red lipstick that she used every time seems to be inviting for sexual purpose which depicted her as ‘slut’ objectification of her body. Even if she looks like bride then why she is being called as maa or mother. Why is India obsessing over Mataji? It's, apparently, the child-like mood in her "devi incarnation" that's being misunderstood. Her followers treat her like a baby doll, lifting her up and rocking her in their arms like a child. Senior devotees routinely call her "Gudiya Devi Maa". In Bible, red is the colour of sin. The Upanishads say, red is for rajaas - worldliness, passion, desire, ambition and action. According to new-age spiritual gurus, red signifies materialism. We don't know what exactly Mataji thinks of red.(Datta D.,2015)  
‘Publicity is process of manufacturing glamour’ (Berger, 1972:131). In the verge of Publicity Is Radhe maa depicting her ‘redness’ ? The cloths, jewelry, big bindi, bangles that she wore is glamour that she achieved for publicity. Even after lots of controversies she didn’t speak about it except one explanation she gave about her that she is ‘pure and pious’. 

When we moving ahead of this controversy, it is necessary to look at Radhe maa’s this statement from feminist perspective. Why does she repeatedly said in her press conference that she is pure and pious. Juna akhara announced that Radhe Maa’s title would remain suspended until a five-member enquiry committee looked into all the charges. No woman has been able to make way to the top at Juna Akhara committee in the last 1200 years. Is that reason of her repeating and telling her purity as woman, as god woman? Radhe maa trying to being part of it from many years but the strong hold of this Akhara’ most powerful ascetic Hari Giri couldn’t make it possible. Adi Shankaracharya organized legions of militant ascetics under the akhara system in 8th century AD,there has not been a single female mahamandaleshwar (or chief guardian with godly status). 
There are some women akhara members, but that, too, is not common. Of the 14 akharas, the biggest by number is Juna akhara, based in Kankhal-Haridwar. It’s also the most revered: it has the maximum number of cave-dwelling, trident-wielding, stark naked Naga sadhus, who come out only during the Kumbh (Dutta D. 2015). Radhe maa is the first lady of godman’s land like Asaram Bapu, Sant rampal,  Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan, Nirmal Baba. Culture of no-acceptance of godwoman in the society is heavily rooted in this godman’s land. But Radhe maa could manage to break that barrier. she is naturally gifted with some of the things career women are asked to acquire in order to climb up the male-dominated corporate ladder: play to your strengths, get a mentor who will promote you, avoid being too easily offended and, of course, don’t be the ‘yes’ woman. 

Her controversial images of miniskirt got huge publicity in social and electronic media. These images have been debated for hours and hours with holding panel discussion on news channels. The issue is all religious gurus or religious talked about her representation in mini skirt. It is strange that what she wears, which should ideally be her choice entirely, has caught more attention than what she actually does. Why the clothing raised an issue of one’s identity. It is shared idea among us that if she is guru or doing something religious then she has to be in complete cloths with covering her body. There is patriarchal perspective on viewing women body in performing puja or portraying as god. Patriarchy is blamed for the victimization of women and the destruction of any female sense of selfhood and identity.
It’s important to look that what Radhe maa doing is subversive to society. She follows and publicize Ram-Sita marriage relationship. When we look at her family background her husband’s preference to work and not to family, closed ones. What Ram did in his life gave preference to family, morality, values and Sita who considered to be lovable, caring and humble  wife. This mythology is been circulated in Hindu dharma. So there is possibility that through her advice to devotees her grudge about husband might be coming out. Radhe Maa is a staunch critic of love marriages as she believes that one should only marry with the permission of parents. For young men and women she has this advice: “If you want a husband like Ram, then you must become Sita. And if you want a wife like Sita, you must act like Ram” (Rashid O 2015). 
The gaze that produced for Radhe maa is through corporate. Global Advertisements hold by Gupta family publicizing her each and event under there name. The allegations against doesn’t produce strong action,how the state has been suspected, time and again, of going easy on Sant Rampal, Asaram Bapu and Ram Rahim ji Insaan - despite crimes like murder, rape, cheating and land appropriation that they're accused of - because of their proximity to the powers that be. (Majumder 2015)
Radhe ma or such godwoman and godmen do their publicity through corporate backing for getting  more money. Money matters in common man’s life. So to earn more money common man can do anything and religion is something which is inherited in every human being. Hence for religion or in there name of God everthying can be devoted. Most of the bhakts want something in life, preferably without too much effort or pain: money, fame, job, security, health, marriage, sex, babies etc. These self-proclaimed 
messengers of god promise short-cuts and thus attract desirous devotees. Morals and family values seem to already be out of the window, the one constant religion that we seem to be blindly following and are ready to deceive and even kill each other for is money (Mohan 2015).
Radhe maa who assumed as a incarnation of Durga doesn’t speak a lot. It is better to stay silent and look like a fool than speak and remove all doubt. She doesn’t give preaching of Hinduism. Instead of religious discourse, she just gives blessings.  Colossal ambition, audacity of imagination, amazing ability to convince people, impressive wealth, a host of sponsors? She is likely to have much more hidden secrets, off-limits to the general public.(Datta D.,2015).

Radhe maa’s Followers and celebrity followers have feeling of gazing her with emotions of divine darshan and followers being gazed by Radhe maa as her great blessings. Here inter-visuality plays an important role to produce gaze. The gaze of devotees are through their drishti where Inter-visuality plays an important role. ‘Darshan means seeing where favor passed from one to other of each of the parties linked by the gaze. To see the deity, therefore, to have him or her see you was to make possible transfer of power not unlike the transfer of power not unlike the transfer of karma or merit’ (Doniger, 2009:231). This kind of bhakti imagined by worshipers for their respective deity.It is important to look at how Radhe maa’s publicity through technological advancement in contemporary era. 
Radhe maa’s official website opens with darshan of her. After asking google for radhe maa website it shows website as ‘Mamtamai Shree radhe maa’. The commodifaction, publicity of brand Radhe maa starts here. After clicking for website view black image comes in computer screen and after few second percentages started for loading website. 
After completion of 100 % website opens with close up images of Radhe maa on he screen. Images and media technologies enable political agents to negotiate and create ideas of community. Here we can see darshan iconography which is emphasis on the depiction of compassionate relationships between the televised Gods and their devotees by means of close-ups of faces and eyes (Brosius, 2003).In the middle centre of page donation work list comes with the photographs with some of celebrities arises on the screen as transition used here is from upside as showing fortune or blessings of Radhe maa on the social causes. In the centre heading of donation square slogan written ‘seva bhi bhakti ka ek rup hai’ Service is also one part of devotion. The gaze that produced through this is that devotion is essential but service can’t be neglected. It is also showcasing of service that she has done under her name in different fields like environment, children education, senior citizens, poor people. The website has put up donation images also. To attain publicity some celebrities have been invited for this donation program like Abhishek Bhattacharya and Mukesh Khanna where they have attributed as special guest, But in these images one image is of Political leader Mumbai’s congress spokesperson (Current) Sanjay Nirupam which is not attributed. Why Sanjay Nirupam was not special guest is a question or Radhe maa team doesn’t want to relate with politics but if that so then why they would call political personality. 

The another gaze that is produced is contribution of her as illustrative and constitutive in number of social fields. The transition of these ‘sevas’ from one image to other produced gaze of power relations that we have done ‘n’ number of benefits to the society. Further the column which speaks about radhe maa has given some websites speaks on her. But when you tried to open these websites two-three websites are irrelevant or not showing any content. Also one website speaks totally against her. Radhe maa’s trust trying to show their involvement with contemporary era through technology is imaginary. Because content against her is available on her official website. (look at these website links 
http://shriradhemaaa.blogspot.in/ 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shri-Radhe-Guru-Maaa/263077070394140
www.gurusfeet.com/guru/radha-ma
http://globaladvertisers.in)

Her website trying to catch up contemporary technology but it seems to be fails in achieving that goals. Our godmen and godwomen are one of us, not avatars of Durga or any deity; they are products of the Indian values and sanskars that shape all of us. We are children of legitimate fear, greed and superstition, the Indian traits that help Asaram and Radhe to become our illegitimate Bapu and Maa.While concluding this, as Karl Marx said, ‘Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and also the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of spiritless conditions. It is the opium of the people’.(Ritzer, 2011:71) Religion may be the opium of the masses, its harmful effects cannot be as easily defined. This is one reason it cannot easily be outlawed. What such cults do, therefore, in India and abroad, is provide fertile ground for criminality. We have a culture of making offerings in temples, and promising something in return for a divine favour.  spirituality isn’t about one man’s conversation with god anymore. It now comes with a business plan, marketing, syndication and publishing rights in modernity.‘Spirituality and guidance is an inherent part of the Indian psyche. It is a psyche rooted in the establishment of temple trusts by kings who used the temples to disseminate everything from religious teaching, debate, and art and culture to the feeding of the poor and the giving of grants. Not just in our voting patterns, spiritual succor, the turning to religious figures to alleviate much of everyday human suffering is an almost instinctive part of our mental make-up as a nation. "Belief" is secondary. The quality of belief is not in the guru, fake or not, it's in the Indian people’ (Jayaraman 2015).



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