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Prem Rawat

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Born in India, Prem Rawat (known also as Maharaji, an honorary title given to him in India) started speaking to audiences at the age of six. At the age of eight, he started presenting his message of peace throughout the Indian subcontinent. At thirteen, he was invited to speak in London and Los Angeles.

Since then, he has presented his message to more than 5.5 million people in over 250 cities and 50 countries around the world. This number is given by members of his organization. Ex-followers assert that this number is innacurate, as the tabulation method counts each audience as if it were all new people. For example, a four-day program with 2,000 people attending would be counted as 8,000 people. Basically, the same people are counted over and over again, to bring credibility to the guru.

The movement that he founded is called the Divine Light Mission. Later the Divine Light Mission and its ashrams were dismantled and Maharaji became the head of a movement called Elan Vital which ex-members consider just a name change. The followers of Maharaji were called Premies.

Margaret Singer, Ph.D., one of the most widely respected authorities on cults, includes Divine Light Mission in her list of cults.

Maharaji claims he teaches a way to go within oneself, which he calls "Knowledge". According to practitioners of this "Knowledge", it is the way to inner peace. It is believed to be the tool for enjoyment of the gift of life.

Ex-followers point out that these meditation techniques have been taught for hundreds of years in India, that they are nothing new or different. The techniques can be easily learned on the internet.

The dissemination of his message, which is made available in more than 88 countries and 70 languages, is entirely supported by voluntary contributions and the sale of related materials. He supports himself and his family through independent means. Ex-followers point out that most, if not all, of his money has come from his followers, through individual donations or businesses.

To many of his ex-followers, Maharaji is the head of a cult, who teaches platitudes and fluff, and lives off the gullibility and credulity of his followers.

Maharaji is now very wealthy. Apologists claim that his followers support him for giving them such a wonderful gift, and they are only providing him with the comfortable life-style that he deserves. Detractors say that he has milked his followers through manipulation, though opinion differs on whether he is an actual con-artist, deliberately deceiving people, or whether he himself believes that he is indeed the satguru of this age and that he is as deluded as his followers.

Eyewitnesses among his ex-followers have published accounts of his regular drinking to excess, keeping a mistress, and smoking cigarettes; and that he had knowledge of one of his senior disciples, Mahatma Jagdeo, actively engaging in pedophilia for years without taking any action. The only action that he took was to send the disciple back to India once the issue heated up. A court case has been settled for one woman who was abused.

There is also an account of his having accidentally run over and killed an Indian man and allowed a young follower to take the blame.

He travels around the world in a Gulfstream V jet (worth $45 million), leased for his exclusive use, owns 3 helicopters, and just sold his $7 million yacht. He has mansions in California, England, and India. This expensive method of travel is subsidized by non-profit organizations around the world, as a business expense.

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