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1974–1980

In May 1974, a judge gave Rawat his consent to marry without parental permission. His marriage to Marolyn Johnson, a 24-year old follower from San Diego, California, was celebrated at a non-denominational church in Golden, Colorado. Rawat's mother, Mata Ji, had not been invited.

Rawat's marriage to a non-Indian finally severed his relationship with his mother. She retained control of the Indian DLM and appointed her eldest son, Satpal, as its leader. Mata Ji said she was removing Rawat as Perfect Master because of his "unspiritual" lifestyle and lack of respect for her wishes. Rawat retained the support of the Western disciples. Most of the mahatmas either returned to India or were dismissed. Rawat had become wealthy as a result of contributions from his Western devotees, and led the life of an American millionaire. He ran a household for his wife, his brother (Raja Ji) and his sister-in-law (Claudia), and financed travel for the close officials and mahatmas who accompanied him on his frequent trips around the globe to attend the Mission's festivals. By early 1974 the number of full-time DLM staff had increased from six to over one thousand.

In November 1974, seeking more privacy for himself, his wife and his entourage following security concerns, Rawat moved to a 4-acre (16,000 m) property in Malibu, California. Purchased by the DLM for $400,000, the property served as the DLM's West Coast headquarters. Controversy around a helipad on the property was resolved by installing emergency water storage for the Los Angeles County Fire Department and by limiting the number of permitted flights.

By 1976, most students viewed Rawat primarily as a spiritual teacher, guide and inspiration. In January 1976 Rawat encouraged them to leave the ashrams and discard Indian customs and terminology. Rawat said that the organization had come between his devotees and himself. He dismissed Bob Mishler, co-founder of DLM, as International President. According to one source, he "resented the advice given to him by his chief subordinate" and dismissed him "when a clash of wills occurred". Rawat decentralized some decision making to local premie communities, while he maintained his status as the ultimate authority over spiritual and secular matters. The staff at the Denver headquarters were reduced from 250 to 80. He described the managerial mentality that had grown in the Mission as "only cosmetic and totally unnecessary. It's like trying to take a cow and put lipstick on it. You can do it, but it's unnecessary in practical terms".

His appearance on 20 December 1976 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, wearing a traditional Krishna costume for the first time since 1975, signaled a resurgence of Indian influence and devotion. During 1977, many returned to ashram life, and there was a shift back from secular tendencies towards ritual and messianic beliefs. In 1977 Rawat became a US citizen.

In October 1978, the hillsides surrounding Rawat's Malibu estate were burned by a brushfire. His family and the DLM headquarters subsequently moved to Miami Beach, Florida. The family, which grew to four children, returned to Malibu in 1984.

In January 1979 the Los Angeles Times reported that Rawat was maintaining his Malibu following despite a rising mistrust of cults. Bob Mishler and Robert Hand, a former vice president of the movement, complained that money was increasingly diverted to Rawat's personal use, warning that a situation like the recent Jonestown incident could occur with the followers of Rawat. Mishler complained that the ideals of the group had become impossible to fulfill, but his charges found little support and did not affect the progress of the Mission.

12 October 1981. Prem Rawat speaking at the Royal Albert Hall, London

In 1980, Rawat removed all the "religious" aspects of the movement and declared he now wanted "no movement whatsoever". The Hindu references and religious parables that had been prominent in his teachings gave way to a focus on the meditation techniques. Once called "Perfect Master", Prem Rawat abandoned his "almost divine status as guru" but affirmed his status as a master. Scholars such as Kranenborg and Chryssides describe the departure from divine connotations.

1981–2000

In 1983 the Divine Light Mission was renamed Elan Vital and Rawat closed the last western ashrams, marking the end of his use of Indian methods for international objectives.

According to a 1983 article, Rawat continued to "energetically serve his followers", flying to speaking engagements in major cities around the world almost continually. In two years he spoke at over 100 programs in 37 international cities, including New York, London, Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Rome, Delhi, Sydney, Tokyo, Caracas and Los Angeles.

The number of Rawat's students grew in the 1980s and 1990s as Rawat toured extensively, speaking in over 40 countries, including Japan, Taiwan, the Ivory Coast, Slovenia and Venezuela. In 1990 there were said to be 1.2 million followers worldwide, with 50,000 in the United States. 1999 saw the commencement of regular satellite broadcasts to North America and other countries.

Elan Vital states that the only effective way of reaching out to the over 80 countries where his message is now promoted is by leased private jet, which Rawat self-pilots, flying around a quarter million miles a year.

2001 - present

In 2001, Rawat founded The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), a Public Charitable Organization for the production and distribution of materials promoting his message, and also for funding worldwide humanitarian efforts. TPRF has provided food, water and medical help to war-torn and impoverished areas.

Between January 2004 and June 2005, Rawat delivered 117 addresses in Asia, Europe, and North America focusing on a universal message of peace and self-fulfillment. His message is currently distributed in eighty-eight countries in print and on video, and his program "Words of Peace" is broadcast on TV channels such as Canal Infinito in South America, Channel 31 in Australia, and Dish Network in the USA.

30 June 2003. Prem Rawat addressing the first "Conference on Peace" at the University of Salamanca

In 2007 during a two-month tour of India, Sri Lanka and Nepal, Rawat spoke at 36 events, addressing over 800,000 people, and by live satellite broadcasts reached an additional 2.25 million.

A biography of Rawat, Peace is Possible, by Andrea Cagan, was published in 2006 with a foreword by Emilio Colombo, a former President of the European Parliament and former Prime Minister of Italy. In 2009, Rawat was made "Ambassador of Peace" for the Basilicata region of Italy. In 2010, he spoke at the "Words of Peace for Europe" conference in Brussels, at the invitation of European Parliament Vice-President Gianni Pittella. In 2011, he again spoke in Brussels at the conference, "Peace and Prosperity. Founding Values of the European Union."

  1. "Guru, 16, marries secretary" AP Tues. 21 May 1974 Greeley Tribune
  2. "The Guru's Wife Is Another Devotee", Robert P. Dalton, AP Staff Writer, Oakland Tribune. 23 May 1974.
  3. Downton (1979), p. 191.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hunt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Miller 1995, p. 474 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. Cite error: The named reference ReferenceB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. Cite error: The named reference Downton 1979, p. 192 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. "Guru Tries to Take Control of Mission" in The Ruston Daily Leader, 9 April 1975:
  9. "MOTHER OUSTS 'PLAYBOY' GURU" in Los Angeles Times. Wednesday 2 April 1975, PART II, p. 6A
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Downton was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. Price (1979), pp. 279–96
  12. Cite error: The named reference Messer, Jeanne 1976, pp. 52-72 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Maharaj Ji Buys $400,000 Home Base in Malibu Area", JOHN DART, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov 1974; p. B2
  14. ^ "Malibu Guru Maintains Following Despite Rising Mistrust of Cults" Mark Foster, Los Angeles Times 12 January 1979 p. 3
  15. Finke, Nikki. "MALIBU Metamorphosis: Is Hollywood's Haven Growing Into Just Another Miami Beach?" in Los Angeles Times. 3 September 1989. At L. A. Times Archives
  16. "1-Year Trial OKd for Sect's Helipad" in Los Angeles Times. 22 May 1981, p. F6. At L. A. Times Archives
  17. Pasternak, Judy. "Maharaji Denied in Bid to Triple Copter Use" in Los Angeles Times. 7 July 1985, p. 1. At L. A. Times Archives
  18. Downton (1979), p. 199
  19. ^ Downton (1979)
  20. Björkqvist, K (1990): World-rejection, world-affirmation, and goal displacement: some aspects of change in three new religions movements of Hindu origin. In N. Holm (ed.), Encounter with India: studies in neohinduism (pp. 79-99) - Turku, Finland. Åbo Akademi University Press - "In 1976, Maharaj Ji declared that he felt that the organization had come between his devotees and himself, and he disposed of the headquarters altogether."
  21. Cite error: The named reference Price, Maeve 1979 Page 279-296 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. Downton (1979), p. 196
  23. Downton (1979), pp. 210–211
  24. "Guru Maharaj Ji becomes a citizen of the U.S." Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, 19 October 1977, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
  25. ^ Galanter (1999), p. 22
  26. ^ Cite error: The named reference Melton1986 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  27. Brown, Chip, Parents Versus Cult: Frustration, Kidnapping, Tears; Who Became Kidnappers to Rescue Daughter From Her Guru, The Washington Post, 15 February 1982
  28. ^ Björkqvist, K (1990): World-rejection, world-affirmation, and goal displacement: some aspects of change in three new religions movements of Hindu origin. In N. Holm (ed.), Encounter with India: studies in neohinduism (pp. 79-99) - Turku, Finland. Åbo Akademi University Press
  29. Kranenborg (2002), p. 178
  30. ^ Chryssides (2001), pp. 210–211
  31. "Whatever Happened to Guru Maharaj Ji?". Hinduism Today. Himalayan Academy. October 1983. ISSN 0896-0801. Archived from the original on 7 August 2010.
  32. ^ Cite error: The named reference Geaves2006a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  33. Contact Info - Broadcasts
  34. "About Prem Rawat" at the website of The Prem Rawat Foundation
  35. "Charity report". BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Retrieved March 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  36. Conversation with Prem Rawat, Available online. (Retrieved January 2006)
  37. "Words of Peace" by Maharaji receives TV Award in Brazil" Press release.
  38. "Over 3 million people participate in events with Prem Rawat in India". The Prem Rawat Foundation. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  39. Andrea Cagan: Peace is Possible, The Life and Message of Prem Rawat. Mighty River Press, ISBN 0-9788694-9-4
  40. "WORDS OF PEACE FOR EUROPE: LA BASILICATA PROTAGONISTA NEL PROCESSO DI PACE". Agenzia Internazionale Stampa Estero. 2 July 2010.
  41. "Domani a Bruxelles la conferencia "Words of Peace for Europe". basilicatanet.eu. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  42. Province of Potenza Newsletter ]