Satpal Maharaj
Encyclopedia
Satpal Maharaj is a member of the lower house of the Parliament of India (15th Lok Sabha) for the Indian National Congress
party.
He is also the guru of the Manav Utthan Seva Samiti, an off-shoot of the Divine Light Mission
.
, in the Haridwar
district, the eldest son of Hans Ji Maharaj
, leader of the Divine Light Mission
(DLM), and Hans Ji Maharaj's second wife, Rajeshwari Devi, also known as Mata Ji. Satpal Maharaj was educated at St. George's College, Mussoorie
.
On Hans Ji's death in 1966 Satpal's youngest brother, Prem Rawat
(called "Balyogeshwar" at the time), became the spiritual leader of the DLM at age eight. Satpal and Mata Ji acknowledged the young Prem Rawat as the "perfect master", but acted as regents on account of his age. The young Prem Rawat became known internationally as Guru Maharaj Ji, while Satpal was known as Bal Bhagwan Ji at this time.
, Satpal was a key organizer of the DLM's Millennium '73
festival held in Houston, Texas
, which was reported to be a dismal failure and precipitated changes in the mission. Following Prem's marriage to a westerner, Mata Ji removed him as DLM leader and made Satpal its head and Satguru
. Legal disputes between the brothers resulted in a settlement giving control over the movement in India to Satpal in 1975, later renamed Manav Utthan Seva Samiti (MUSS), while the Western movement remained under Prem's control.
The self-published history of the Manav Utthan Seva Samiti reports a smooth transition and succession to his father, and omits any mention of the scandal around the family feud that split the movement.
". The movement has supporters and property in foreign countries, but its main following is in India. It claims millions of members and has events that regularly draw 100,000 people or more to its ashram
s in Haridwar and New Delhi
. According to Lise McKean in the book Divine Enterprise: Gurus and the Hindu Nationalist Movement, in the Samiti cult of the holy family, Maharaj, his wife Amrita Rawat and their two sons, along with Satpal's brother and his wife and three daughters, are worshipped as divine beings, with individual members of the holy family held to represent diverse aspects of divinity. His sons and nieces attend some of India's most elite and expensive private schools. The social distance maintained between Maharaj and his family and his devotees contributes to the charisma of the holy family. During the tours that the holy family frequently undertakes, high ranking devotees seek private audiences with family members that are considered a special privilege. Other devotees seek their blessings and protection by meditating upon them.
The MUSS has an associated volunteer organisation, the Manav Sewa Dal, founded by Maharaj in 1976.
(INC) party. He was elected to parliament
from Garhwal
in 1996 for the 11th Lok Sabha
, serving two years. He served as Union Minister for Railroads in 1996 and for Finance in 1997. He was elected again in 2009 for the 15th Lok Sabha
In 2010, he was the head of the 20-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence.
His wife Amrita is also in politics, currently holding a seat for the INC on the Pauri Garhwal Legislative Assembly.
In 1988 the MUSS Premnagar ashram in Hardwar was given to the INC for a training camp for party workers that was attended by Rajiv Gandhi
.
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party.
He is also the guru of the Manav Utthan Seva Samiti, an off-shoot of the Divine Light Mission
Divine Light Mission
The Divine Light Mission was an organization founded in 1960 by guru Shri Hans Ji Maharaj for his following in northern India. During the 1970s, the DLM gained prominence in the West under the leadership of his fourth and youngest son, Guru Maharaj Ji...
.
Early life
Satpal Maharaj was born in KankhalKankhal
Kankhal is a small colony in Haridwar in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand state in India.Mentioned in the Vayu Purana and the Mahabharata as Kanakhala , Kankhal is one of 'Panch Tirth' within Haridwar, with other spots being Gangadwara , Kushwart , Bilwa Teerth and Neel Parvat...
, in the Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
district, the eldest son of Hans Ji Maharaj
Hans Ji Maharaj
Hans Ram Singh Rawat, known as Shri Hans Ji Maharaj was born in Gadh-ki-Sedhia, north-east of Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. His parents were Ranjit Singh Rawat and Kalindi Devi...
, leader of the Divine Light Mission
Divine Light Mission
The Divine Light Mission was an organization founded in 1960 by guru Shri Hans Ji Maharaj for his following in northern India. During the 1970s, the DLM gained prominence in the West under the leadership of his fourth and youngest son, Guru Maharaj Ji...
(DLM), and Hans Ji Maharaj's second wife, Rajeshwari Devi, also known as Mata Ji. Satpal Maharaj was educated at St. George's College, Mussoorie
St. George's College, Mussoorie
St. George's College , is a premier boarding school in Mussoorie, in the state of Uttarakhand, India, affiliated to the ICSE council. The school, an all-boys residential and non-residential institution, spreading over of land, was founded in 1853 by the Capuchin Fathers and entrusted to the...
.
On Hans Ji's death in 1966 Satpal's youngest brother, Prem Rawat
Prem Rawat
Prem Pal Singh Rawat , also known as Maharaji and formerly known as Guru Maharaj Ji and Balyogeshwar, teaches a meditation practice he calls Knowledge....
(called "Balyogeshwar" at the time), became the spiritual leader of the DLM at age eight. Satpal and Mata Ji acknowledged the young Prem Rawat as the "perfect master", but acted as regents on account of his age. The young Prem Rawat became known internationally as Guru Maharaj Ji, while Satpal was known as Bal Bhagwan Ji at this time.
Divine Light Mission
At age 22, together with American antiwar activist Rennie DavisRennie Davis
Rennard Cordon “Rennie” Davis is a former, prominent American anti-Vietnam War protest leader of the 1960s. He was one of the Chicago Seven....
, Satpal was a key organizer of the DLM's Millennium '73
Millennium '73
Millennium '73 was a three-day festival held on November 8–10, 1973 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, United States, by the Divine Light Mission . It featured Prem Rawat, then known as Guru Maharaj Ji, a 15-year-old guru and the leader of a fast-growing new religious movement...
festival held in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, which was reported to be a dismal failure and precipitated changes in the mission. Following Prem's marriage to a westerner, Mata Ji removed him as DLM leader and made Satpal its head and Satguru
Satguru
Satguru does not merely mean true guru. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on...
. Legal disputes between the brothers resulted in a settlement giving control over the movement in India to Satpal in 1975, later renamed Manav Utthan Seva Samiti (MUSS), while the Western movement remained under Prem's control.
The self-published history of the Manav Utthan Seva Samiti reports a smooth transition and succession to his father, and omits any mention of the scandal around the family feud that split the movement.
Manav Utthan Seva Samiti
Today, Maharaj is the head of the Manav Utthan Seva Samiti. He teaches the meditation techniques called "KnowledgeTechniques of Knowledge
Knowledge was a term used by Shri Hans Ji Maharaj to denote a formulation of four specific meditation techniques that were imparted in a process of initiation...
". The movement has supporters and property in foreign countries, but its main following is in India. It claims millions of members and has events that regularly draw 100,000 people or more to its ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
s in Haridwar and New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. According to Lise McKean in the book Divine Enterprise: Gurus and the Hindu Nationalist Movement, in the Samiti cult of the holy family, Maharaj, his wife Amrita Rawat and their two sons, along with Satpal's brother and his wife and three daughters, are worshipped as divine beings, with individual members of the holy family held to represent diverse aspects of divinity. His sons and nieces attend some of India's most elite and expensive private schools. The social distance maintained between Maharaj and his family and his devotees contributes to the charisma of the holy family. During the tours that the holy family frequently undertakes, high ranking devotees seek private audiences with family members that are considered a special privilege. Other devotees seek their blessings and protection by meditating upon them.
The MUSS has an associated volunteer organisation, the Manav Sewa Dal, founded by Maharaj in 1976.
Political career
Maharaj is a member of the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
(INC) party. He was elected to parliament
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
from Garhwal
Garhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
in 1996 for the 11th Lok Sabha
11th Lok Sabha
List of Members of the 11th Lok Sabha, elected during Indian general election, 1996 held during April-May 1996. The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India.-Important members:* Speaker:...
, serving two years. He served as Union Minister for Railroads in 1996 and for Finance in 1997. He was elected again in 2009 for the 15th Lok Sabha
15th Lok Sabha
Members of the 15th Lok Sabha were elected in 2009 during the General Elections in India.- Important members :* Speaker: Meira Kumar, Indian National Congress, Sasaram, Bihar...
In 2010, he was the head of the 20-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence.
His wife Amrita is also in politics, currently holding a seat for the INC on the Pauri Garhwal Legislative Assembly.
In 1988 the MUSS Premnagar ashram in Hardwar was given to the INC for a training camp for party workers that was attended by Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
.