Injia is a wild place for a god-fearing man

[Coneneo]

Why? because of the rather astounding number of ahem, "reincarnations" of gods who are popping up. And why exactly should you be afraid? Simply because you never know when the man sitting next to you in a bus will declare himself as a god and curse you root and branch.

First, about a few weeks back, news reports featured a certain Mr.Panda, ex-IGP, who is convinced he is the reincarnation of Radha, the consort of Lord Krishna, or as ISKCON likes to say, Lord Krsna. The Hindu reports:

Dressed in female attires and sporting a Mangtika (jewellery adorning the head of females), a nose ring, besides wearing the vermillion (Sindoor), Mr Panda spends most of his time dancing and singing bhajans supposed to have been sung by Radha for her beloved.

...

According to recent media reports, Mr Panda says that in 1991, he got the divine glimpse of Lord Krishna who told that the cop was in reality his beloved Radha. Since then Mr Panda has been rewriting rules by playing the romantic character of Radha, much to the dismay of his own Radha, (his wife Veena Panda).

But then, his wife got tough: Indian Express reports

The self-styled ??Doosri Radha??, Inspector-General of Police (Rules and Manuals) D K Panda, got a taste of some real-time policing today when his wife, Beena Panda, allegedly bent all rules and assaulted him.

Panda was trying to decamp from his home with all the household goods in a tractor when an angry Beena pulled him off the tractor, right onto the floor. When he managed to pull free, his nose-ring and earrings had been wrenched away, leaving him bleeding. The senior police officer reportedly suffered bruises on his hands and legs after the scuffle with his wife.

Last time I heard, He was leaving for Puri, and was seen singing hymns and dancing on the railway platform.

Meanwhile, here's another "god"; proof that reincarnations are no longer in-thing.

Link

PTI

Lucknow: Moving to a loftier plane than Inspector General (IG) of Police D K Panda who anointed himself Krishna's "Doosri Radha", a senior official here claims divine status and a direct telephone line to Lord Shiva.

Uttar Pradesh Road Transport Corporation general manager (technical) Gyanendra Pratap Singh has declared himself "God" and claimed that a year ago, "Bhagwan Shankar" blessed him with his 'darshans' and bestowed upon him divine powers.

Singh also claimed to have established "direct contact" with Lord Shiva with whom he "converses on the phone every day". As a result, his phone bill reads more than Rs 25,000, well beyond the entitled limit of Rs 2,500.

Singh claims to be "Bhagwan Gyanendra Pratap Singhji Maharaj" and has got posters of himself printed to endorse the claim. The photos, which show him attired in divine finery and with a halo, have also caught the attention of his seniors.

The transport department has set up a three-member inquiry committee to look into the complaints against him and strict action would be taken against him soon, UPSCTC managing director Umesh Sinha said.

?Singh?s huge telephone bill, misuse of office, official vehicle, dereliction of duty and financial irregularities form the basis of the ongoing inquiry and if proved guilty, he might be in for trouble", Sinha said.

The report is expected next week.

After the institution of the inquiry, one of the posters that used to adorn Singh?s office has gone missing and the staff say he has been attending office regularly.

Unlike Panda, Singh dresses normally while on duty. However, after the office hours, he wears long robes blessing followers at his house.

Like Panda, Singh has also been taken to the family court by his wife Seema who has demanded maintenance for herself and their two young children.

She has also accused him of mental and physical violence. His wife and office colleagues contest his claims of divinity, calling it a "mere drama to serve his ulterior motives".

And if that were not enough, heDeccan HeraldOriya boy turns Lord Shiva?s wifeiva?s wife

From S T Beuria DH News Service Bhubaneswar:

After D K Panda, the Uttar Pradesh senior IPS officer who triggered a hue and cry by calling himself ?Doosri Radha?, a teenager from Orissa?s Balasore district has become the talk of the town for claiming himself to be Goddess Parvati and ?marrying? Lord Shiva.

According to local newspapers, Bhawani Das, the son of hotelier Ashok Das, solemnised his marriage to Lord Shiva last Thursday with the full support and approval of his family.

According to reports, for the past one and a half years, Maa Bhagawati, another incarnation of Goddess Parvati, was entering Bhawani?s body at regular intervals and he had reportedly acquired a divine power to cure people of their ailments and predict their future.

A month ago, under the influence of the goddess, the boy expressed his desire to marry Lord Shiva who, according to him, was residing at the house of Gadhadhar Nayak ? a retired officer of a nationalised bank, at Arad Bazar area of the town.

Bhawani?s family and Mr Nayak arranged the boy?s marriage with Lord Shiva last Thursday. The marriage was solemnised as per Hindu rites and tradition. Bhawani ? dressed like a bride wearing a red saree, bangles, bindi et al ? waited at his father?s place while an idol of Lord Shiva was brought in a baarat from Mr Nayak?s house. The procession was as colourful as any other Hindu marriage with music band and fireworks accompanying it. About hundred people took part as baaratis and a majority of them were women.

After the ?bridegroom? (the idol of Lord Shiva) reached the bride?s place, a priest conducted the marriage, with Mr Nayak and Bhawani?s father Das playing the roles of kartas from the groom and bride?s sides respectively. The priest put sindoor on Bhawani?s forehead on behalf of the lord.

Talking to reporters after the marriage, Bhawani said he always felt like a woman and wanted to marry Lord Shiva. ?The lord had directed me in my dreams to marry Him,? the boy has been quoted as saying.

Actually, after seeing all this, the case of Uma Bharti seems less weirder. Supporters of the "firebrand Hindu nun" (sicupporters of the "firebrand Hindu nun" (sic), who is also a politician, have publishedHanuman Chalisarti chalisa" on the lines of the Hanuman Chalisa. According to 40-verse work, she is an incarnation of Lord Durga. A devotee only has to recite it to get - I have forgotten what it is exactly, but you get the idea - something on salvation or something. NDTV says it more probably a Risa nomination.

Ruryard Kipling was correct. India is a wild land for a god-fearing man.

Edited November 28, 2005 by Coneneo