Sahaj Marg(tm) and the Successors of Chari

Taken and translated from an article: Les Successeurs de Chari, by Alexis on his blog in Europe, "La Fabuleuse Épopée du Sahaj Marg,


The successors of Chari

On April 29, 2005, Rajagopalachari wrote a first letter of appointment of his successor, Ajay Kumar Bhatter, a young businessman from West Bengal and member of the Executive Committee of the president since 2003, chosen by Babuji and confirmed by the hierarchy of Sahaj Marg, the signing ratified by sixteen personalities. And he (Chari) publicly announced this appointment the next day, on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the Mission and the day of the 106th anniversary of the birth of Babuji, in a speech entitled "Securing the Future of the Mission", then he (Chari) was 78 years old. AK Bhatter was chosen by Babuji, he was trained for this for years and will be even throughout the life of Rajagopalachari (Chari). He (AK Bhatter) then succeeded him (as President-in-waiting, until Chari passes on) as the spiritual representative of Babuji and president of the Mission throughout the world. But AK Bhatter throws in the towel five years later, worn out by the co-management with Chari, and maneuvers and manipulations of all kinds. Chari announced his (AK Bhatter) resignation May 2, 2010.

Six years after naming his first official successor, Rajagopalachari therefore appointed a second successor July 26, 2011. He designates Desaibhai Kamlesh Patel, a pharmacist from Brooklyn of Indian origin, in a document co-authored by US Bajpai, Sanjay Bhatia and AK Bhatter. The official announcement only takes place two months later, October 3, 2011. But as the first appointment, it was (allegedly) approved by Babuji from the beyond, in a message peddled by the (anonymous French lady) medium, and meant for Chari.

Born in Gujarat (a state in western India, bordering Pakistan), Kamlesh emigrated to America where he lives for more than 20 years to become a pharmacist in Brooklyn (he would be in his fifties). Following his appointment by Chari, he moved to Garden of Hearts (Chennai), facing the Babuji Memorial Ashram. This is a "head of the show", abhyasi of the first hour, preceptor for nearly as long, who has gone through all the positions of responsibility (area-in-charge, region-in-charge, etc..), to the positions of Director of the American foundation, Sahaj Marg Spirituality Foundation-SMSF, and the great mediator of the new World Service Team of SRCM (California-1997).

This person of Indian origin lives on Staten Island, in upstate New York, USA. An Indo-American to head the SRCM (California-1997) is new. If he truly succeeds Chari - in contrast to Ajay - will he chose the United States or will he settle permanently in India?


Legitimacy is acquired, it can not be decreed

These two appointments targeted a double objective: to stop the succession disputes and to reassure abhyasis about their future. But let us not kid ourselves, these official announcements have never managed to completely turn off the hostilities between the various claimants to the succession, they just put them on hold, if not stifle them. Already, the abhyasis do not all succumb to the charisma of the designated successors. This is not without grimacing and gnashing of teeth. But one must accept the will of the guru, and then make do with it ...

Chari only appointed his successors to better calm the multiple contenders to his succession, but they are only puppets. Their legitimacy will turn off by itself after the death of Rajagopalachari. Legitimacy is acquired, it can not be decreed. The stakes are considerably higher than at the death of Babuji.

In the succession race, his son PR Krishna, the wealthy heir and great financier of the Shri Ram Chandra Mission, which manages the land and the property of the Mission, as his grand-son Barghav and his granddaughter Madhuri are well placed. Santosh Khanjee, the "grey eminence" who knows all the secrets and takes an iron fist throughout the organization and the foundation, has his chances. But his henchmen often at the forefront of the force used in the ashrams (take-over) and all dirty tricks, like Uma Shankar Bajpai and Arokiasamy P Durai (retired police), are agitated also.

Not to mention the medium of Babuji (Catherine Lauret?), who predicted that Ajay Kumar Bhatter would not succeed Chari, just six months before his resignation. For a stage entrance, it was perfectly orchestrated, a total success. But beware, her prestige could be short lived. She is a woman and Chari has always said that a woman could not become guru.

As for outsiders, the grandchildren of Lalaji and Babuji, Navneet and Dinesh, see this as an opportunity that had escaped them, to take over the reins. But the recent media exposure of the son of Dr. Varadachari, KC Narayana, suggests that he intends pull his piece from the game. And although Kasturi still remains out of the power games, it may not be the same for her supporters. And what about Srinivasa Rao, the head of the Shri Ram Chandraji Maharaj Seva Trust of Cuddapah?

And in 2011, another grand-son of Babuji, Sharad Chandra, creates the Society for Babuji's Mission, because he considers that the SRCM(California - 1997) has become too imortant and has overshadowed the spiritual aspects of Sahaj Marg ...

Moreover Rajagopalachari himself was concerned and revealed this in January 2009. He stated that a cancer was eating away at the inside of Sahaj Marg and that his organization was threatened with disintegration. He has nightmares where he sees the Shri Ram Chandra Mission disintegrate into "... 240 small missions".


See also (soon):

Links:

- Chari and Sahaj Marg(tm), or the Western Industrialization of Spirituality

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