Anand Giri is an Indian self-proclaimed spiritual leader and yoga expert, known for traveling around the world wearing saffron clothes and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle – quite different from the ascetic lives of his fellow saints. It is believed that most of Anand’s followers are in the list of followers of former national chief of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Mahant Narendra Giri. Anand was also the Mahant of the Bade Hanuman temple and monastery Baghambari Gaddi in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, until becoming the face of controversy in 2021. The Hindu religious leader has been arrested twice, and it is believed that due to his strong political connections, he managed to escape.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Anand Giri was born as Ashok Chotia in Sareri village of Brahmins in Asind tehsil of Bhilwara, Rajasthan. His actual age has not been confirmed. According to some sources, he was born in 1985 (age 36 years; as of 2021), while some other sources say that the yoga guru was born in 1983 (age 38 years; as of 2021). Anand Giri’s official website claims that he is a graduate of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and also has a PhD degree in Yoga Tantra.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 8″
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
family and caste
Anand Giri belongs to a lower-middle-class Brahmin farmer family.
parents and siblings
Anand’s father Rameshwar Lal Chotia is a farmer. His mother died in May 2021. According to Anand’s brother, he was extremely close to his mother and sat near his mother’s body for hours after her death. Anand is the youngest brother. He has three elder brothers, the eldest brother Bhanwar sells vegetables on a cart, while Anand’s other two brothers run a scrap business in Surat.
Anand Giri’s family
wife and children
Being a monk, Anand Giri is unmarried and has no children.
Religion
Anand Giri follows Hinduism and is a Hindu seer.
livelihood
Priesthood
Anand Giri’s family claims that when he was around 12 years old and studying in seventh grade, Anand (or Ashok at that time) ran away from his village and went to Haridwar around 1997 to join the priesthood. Later, top saint Narendra Giri, Mahant of Niranjani Akhara, took him as his disciple. In 2004, when Mahant Narendra Giri was transferred to Baghambari Math in Prayagraj, Anand Giri accompanied him to undergo training in spirituality. According to Anand, after leaving his ancestral home, he spent some years at Kedar and Tungnath, Rudranath and Kalpeshwar in the Himalayas. In 2007, Anand was formally inducted into Narendra Giri’s Shri Panchayati Akhara Niranjani. At the time, Anand’s family was unaware of his priesthood until they saw his sermon on a program broadcast on the TV channel Sanskar. Soon, Anand visited his family in the village in 2012 with Mahant Narendra Giri, who initiated Anand (Ashoka) in front of his family, and Ashoka formally took the name Anand Giri. The Mahant also honored him with the title of ‘Swami’.
life in the arena
Anand Giri was named ‘Mahant Swami’ of the All India Niranjani Akhara of Prayagraj, and also became the Mahant at the Bade Hanuman Temple, before he was expelled from his post in 2021 following a dispute with his guru Narendra Giri. I went.
attractive lifestyle
“Social Media Savvy” God is no ordinary watcher; He led a non-ascetic lifestyle which became the talk of the town after he came into limelight for being an accused in the suicide case of his guru Narendra Giri. In his pictures that went viral on social media, Anand was seen traveling around the world, riding luxury cars and bikes and enjoying a lavish lifestyle in luxury hotels and beaches. According to Anand’s yoga website, the saint has traveled to the US, UK, South East Asia, Europe, Kazakhstan and Turkey. As of September 2021, his Facebook page has over 86,000 followers, recognized for Anand’s regular live streams of interacting with his followers.
Anand Giri is driving a luxury bike
quarrel with your teacher
Anand Giri has had a nasty dispute with his guru and ABAP chief Mahant Narendra Giri – this dispute came to light in the media after Narendra Giri’s alleged suicide. The guru and the disciple first became embroiled in a land dispute in 2004–2005 when Anand accused Narendra Giri of selling the Baghambari Gaddi Math land – 8 bighas of land that was reportedly sold for Rs. 40 crores. The controversy flared up again in May 2021 when the land lease of Baghambari Math was cancelled. Reportedly, the land was for a proposed petrol pump, and it was given on lease in the name of Anand Giri; However, the Mahant canceled the lease saying that the petrol pump could not operate there. Anand Giri did not like this incident and he accused Mahant Narendra of selling the land. Moreover, after Anand was expelled from the Baghambari Math and Akhara following Narendra Giri’s complaint in May 2021, Anand hit back at him and made several allegations against him. The disciple released a video of himself accusing his guru of selling the properties of Baghambari Math and large-scale financial irregularities in the ashram. According to reports, Anand also wrote to PM Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath requesting a probe into the death of former Niranjani Akhara secretary Ashish Giri, whose body was found in an ashram of the Akhara in November 2019. Anand hinted at Narendra Giri’s connection with this case and also claimed that there was a threat to his life from Narendra Giri and his close associates. The dispute that lasted for 13 days ended after Anand sat at the feet of Narendra Giri and apologized to his guru. Reportedly, the Guru forgave his closest disciple and allowed him to enter the Akhara and the Math; However, it remained unconfirmed whether Anand had returned from his eviction or not.
controversies
Arrested on charges of sexual harassment
While on a six-week tour of Australia, Anand Giri was arrested in Sydney on 7 May 2019 for sexually assaulting two women on two separate occasions. Reportedly, both the women were of South Indian origin and already knew Anand. He was remanded in custody after his bail was rejected to appear at Parramatta Bail Court on 5 May 2019 and later appeared at Mount Druitt Local Court on 26 June 2019. ABAP president Narendra Giri officially released a statement that ‘his people’ had filed a bail application.
eviction
Anand Giri, who was then the Mahant at the Bade Hanuman Temple in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, was expelled from his post at the Baghambari Math and the Niranjani Akhara by Shri Panchayati Akhara Niranjani on May 14, 2021. The action was taken after his guru Narendra Giri lodged a formal complaint against Anand for maintaining relations with his family, which is against the norms set for the saints of the Akhara. The Mahant also accused Anand Giri of misusing the funds of the Bade Hanuman Temple for his family.
Narendra Giri arrested in suicide case
After the news of the mysterious suicide of his guru Narendra Giri came in the media, Swami Anand’s name came in the media as the main accused in this case. He was arrested on 20 September 2021 for allegedly instigating Mahant to commit suicide. Anand Giri became linked to the suicide case when Narendra Giri named Anand in a handwritten suicide note, stating that Anand had “blackmailed” him for a “morphed photograph of a girl”. Guru also accused Anand in a 1-minute long video recovered by the police, which the Mahant had recorded before his death. An FIR was registered against Anand the same day and he was arrested from Haridwar the next day. After the arrest, the 18-member SIT team investigating the suicide case interrogated Anand Giri for 12 hours. Reportedly, during interrogation, Anand strongly denied all the allegations against him and repeatedly claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him. On September 22, he was sent to Naini Central Jail for 14 days judicial custody.
Facts/General Knowledge
- After Anand Giri received the title of ‘Swami’ from Narendra Giri, he started referring to himself as Swami Anand Giri.
- On his official website, Anand claims to be well versed in Sanskrit grammar, Ayurveda and Vedic philosophy.
- When Anand was the Mahant at the Bade Hanuman Temple in Prayagraj, he was known as “Chhote Maharaj”; However, he lost this title after being expelled following a dispute with his guru.
- The spiritual guru has taught as a guest lecturer in many universities, and is also frequently invited to various schools and colleges for lectures. He also conducts yoga sessions for army personnel and executives of private sector companies.
Anand Giri in yoga posture
- Swamy also claims to lead the ‘Ganga Seva’ campaign under ‘Shri Ma Ganga Nirmal Sanrakshan Samiti’ which works to clean the Ganga and make it pollution free.
- At the 2013 Kumbh Mela, Anand Giri released his first book ‘Swarna Bhoomi Prayag’, in which he talked about the history of the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, its cultural significance and also its transformation.
- During the investigation of Narendra Giri suicide case, on 22 September 2021, audiotapes of the alleged conversation between Mahant Narendra Giri and Mahant Swami Om Bharti of Brahmachari Kuti were leaked in which both were talking about Anand Giri. In the tape, Narendra Giri was heard saying that he was apparently tired of Anand’s “politics”, while Om Bharti said that he tried to file a police complaint against Anand Giri, but was denied due to Anand’s strong political views. This could not happen due to influence. Swamy also revealed in the tape that in 2020, Anand allegedly used his power to own a celibate hut spread over 12 bighas in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Anand Giri arrested for inciting Narendra Giri to commit suicide
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn