All quiet,it’s business as usual at Asaram’s Kalegaon ashram

The ashram encompasses a large metal shade that can accommodate around 25,000 people,besides two meditation rooms (moun mandir),where devotees spend several days in silence and are charged a nominal amounts for food. A separate room for Asaram is created at a distance. Asaram has visited the Alandi ashram around 25 times,the latest was in July. He had visited in January as well,when his comments on the Delhi gangrape had invite anger from several sections of society.

While satsang is held every Sunday,the routine activities of the committees involve running balsanskar centres (moral teachings) for schoolchildren. In Pune,there are 500 such schools where balsanskar centres are run. Around 2 lakh children appear for the exams held here. The syllabus is based on book,Divyaprerna,that preaches moral values,righteousness and truth. “We don’t teach spirituality to children. They get inclined to spirituality eventually as they practise our preaching. We have a book on de-addiction,but what works wonders is Asaram’s darshan,” the member said.

The committee member added that the prime source of income for the trust was donation. Sale of items like books and pooja material at the ashram has provided employment to many. In the city,according to the member,there are an estimated 5-5.5 lakh devotees of Asaram and the number has been on the rise.

Commenting on the controversies surrounding the spiritual guru,another devotee said,“Of late,there have been numerous accusations against Asaram. But,he has told us that such false charges give publicity to the cause. Every time there are such reports,the number of followers increases.”