Devraha Baba’s name suddenly became news at the time of ‘Praan Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. The reason: the Saint’s photograph and name were part of the formal invitation of the ceremony. 34 years before ‘Praan Pratishtha’, Baba granted this journalist an interview at his ashram in Vrindavan. In that interview, Baba categorically declared, “the Temple will surely be built without compromising peace.” That interview is available on YouTube. Interview with Manoj Raghuvanshi
Devraha Baba lived on a wooden ‘Machaan,’ and never wore any clothes, no matter how cold or hot.
Once, Yamuna was flooded, and the turbulent waters were striking hard at the bamboo poles on which the ‘Machaan’ was positioned. Shailaja Kant Mishra, the then Senior Superintendent of Police of Mathura, a devotee of Baba, rode up to the ‘Machaan’ in a motorboat. Out of concern for Baba, Mishra wanted to take Baba to a place of safety. Baba assured him that he was perfectly safe on the ‘Machaan.’ Baba was a seer, but Shailaja Kant Mishra was only a disciple. Somehow, Mishra could not persuade himself to leave Baba alone in that situation. But he could not persuade Baba, either, to leave the ‘Machaan.’
Since Shailaja Kant Mishra was not willing to leave, Baba permitted him to stay on the ‘Machaan,’ till the waters subsided. This was a unique privilege. Eventually, Mishra realized that the normal laws of physics had been overcome to ensure that the wooden poles holding up the ‘Machaan’ survived the ferocity of the flood.
After retirement, Mishra is now looking after Mathura Development Authority, and has carried out extensive developmental work, including a ‘ghaat’ in the name of Devraha Baba.
Devraha Baba’s age always remained a mystery. When Dr. Rajendra Prasad 14-year-oldr old boy, he had got the ‘Darshan’ of Baba. Many years later, India’s first President wrote that Devraha Baba was ‘vayo-vriddh’ (very old), when he first saw him. That puts Baba’s age at over 150 years by the time this journalist filmed him in January 1990.
Some of the most powerful people in the country used to pay obeisance to the Venerable Saint. They included Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Veer Bahadur Singh, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Balram Jakhar and Buta Singh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee attended Devraha Baba’s last rites on the 19th of June 1990, at Vrindavan.
Most people do not know that the ‘Vishwa Hindu Parishad’, led by Ashok Singhal, used to take its command from the ‘Ashtanga Yog Siddh’ Guru. In-fact the first bite that Baba gave this journalist on camera was: “Hindu Vishwa Parishad jo kaarya kar rahaa hai, hamaari aagya se kar rahaa hai” (‘Vishwa Hindu Parishad’ is obeying my command in the context of the Ayodhya movement). For some reason, Baba referred to the ‘Vishwa Hindu Parishad’ as “Hindu Vishwa Parishad.”
Devraha Baba’s detailed interview with this journalist, available in full on YouTube, can be accessed for his views on cow protection and that Bharat is already a “Hindu Rashtra.”
Baba’s dictums were simple. Chant the Name of Ram. Show empathy towards all living beings.
Towards the end of his interview, Baba declared: “Musalmaan bhi hamaari pyaari aatma hain” (Muslims are also my beloved souls).
