Baba’s village travels to Capital

“So what if we could not go there,as a mark of solidarity I am also observing a fast today,” said Danmaya,Ramdev’s sister-in law.

She brushes off questions regarding Ramdev’s financial status. “He may have a lot of money,but that is for nation building and to help the poor. We don’t ask him for a single paisa. We have four cows and some land,why should we depend on him ?”

At his brother’s house,the only in the village to have a DTH connection,a large portrait of Ramdev adorns one of the walls. Locating the house is not difficult,as people living as far as 50 km can provide the exact directions.

Ramdev’s ancestral house is locked,and his father lives in Patanjali ashram in Haridwar.

“All our relatives,including my grandparents are in Delhi. It is a big day for the family. Not everyone can go there. Even chacha’s (Ramdev) guruji is there,” said Deepika.

She describes how her mother was cured of asthma after following Ramdev’s yoga regimen. “He (Ramdev) studied only till Class VIII. He then left home to pursue yoga and is a famous man now,” said Danmaya.

Aarsh Gurukul Mahavidyalaya in Khanpur village,where Ramdev received his first formal training,bore a deserted look. Nearly everyone had left for Delhi.