Brahma Kumaris - Early History

Early History

The origin of BKWSU can be traced to the group "Om Mandli", founded by Lekhraj Kripalani (1884–1969) in Hyderabad, Sindh in the 1930s. Lekhraj Kripalani, known as "Dada Lekhraj" and later as "Brahma Baba" to his followers, was a Diamond merchant and follower of the Vaishnavite Vallabhacharya Sect. Kripalani was reported to have learnt a spiritual practise from a Bengali saddhu at the cost of 10,000 rupees and retired from his business with assets of 1,000,000 Indian rupees to turn to start his own satsang. Their original spiritual knowledge was obtained though "divine revelations" and "divine visions" by sisters who channeled messages about the concepts of soul, God, world history, karma philosophy and spiritual liberation. Lekhraj started holding satsangs which attracted many people and the group became known as Om Mandli. In the beginning of the movement, members considered God to be omnipresent, and their founder Kripalani to be god Brahma, the author of the Bhagavad Gita beliefs which did not change until at least the 1950s.

In 1937, he named some of his followers to a managing committee, then reportedly transferred his fortune to the committee. Several women joined Om Mandali, and contributed their wealth to the association as well.

Some members of the local Sindhi people reacted unfavorably to the movement because of immoral and intimate behaviour between the founder and the young women who attended his ashram, and his encouragement that they leave their husbands and families and become his gopis. In addition, the Om Mandali was accused of and encouraging minors to leave or disobey their families. Kripalani claimed that he was the Hindu god Krishna reincarnated. The group was accused of being a cult and putting individuals into a trance by way of hypnotic or occult influences. It was reported that under the guise of high sounding philosophy, a systematic ridicule of Hinduism, worship and prayer was going on and priest and preachers of other religions were stigmatised as hypocritical charlatans and that followers were being duped into the belief that salvation could only be attained through him and the Mandli and within one week.

Some Hindu members of the Sindh Assembly threatened to resign unless the Om Mandali was outlawed. So, the Sindh Government used the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1908 to declare the Om Mandali an unlawful association. Under further pressure from the Hindu leaders in the Assembly, the Government also ordered the Om Mandali to close and vacate its premises.

In April 1950, after the partition of India, the Brahma Kumaris moved to Mount Abu in India, saying that they had been instructed by God to do so. After Kripalani's death in 1969, his followers expanded the movement to other countries.