Sura Baba had a fetish for nubile young women

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 1:

Sura Baba alias Surendranath Mishra, the self proclaimed godman and head of the Trahi Achyuta ashram at Jhiinti Sasan on the outskirts of Odisha capital now lodged in Jharpada jail after his arrest on Monday, had a fetish for nubile young women for his nocturnal escapades.

The self styled godman used to hit the bed early and wake at around 3 AM in the wee hours. The Baba would then engage in ‘Rahasa  leela’ (Odia dialect for Ras, the love sport of Radha and Krishna) with multiple nubile women on a palanka (bed) for around two hours.

Neither was anyone allowed to go near him nor was anyone allowed see him in the act. Young women used to be convinced by the Baba’s accomplices to offer her body to the Baba at her own will to seek the special blessings. They were being told that this was the most auspicious time (mahendra bela) for ‘Rahasa  leela’ .  Women used to be convinced that ‘you are gopis and the Baba is Lord Krishna, submit yourself you will get everything ’.

Everything used to be fine tuned. Young women selected for the ‘Ras Sewa’ used to stay at the ashram’s guesthouse situated at a distance of about 50 metres from the main temple before the appointed night of being among the privileged few to offer their services to the self proclaimed godman Sura Baba who considered himself to be Lord Krishna. These women used to be awaken up from their sleep at around 2 AM and asked to take bath in water mixed with haldi (turmeric) and chandan (sandalwood) paste. After this ‘holy and purifying’ bath they are given a single piece of cloth each just to wrap their bodies and walk barefoot to the room. Under the cover of darkness young women used to go to the ‘Rahasa  leela’ room. In order to avoid any eventuality on the way to the room, the leader of the ‘Rahasa leela’ team used to show the way using a torch. On reaching the room, women used to drop the single cloth on their bodies to the ground in a corner and then submit themselves to the Baba for the ‘Ras Sewa’. Then to the accompaniment of music and playing of musical instruments begins the exclusive ‘Ras Sewa’.

Leading Odia daily Sambad during the ransacking of the ashram on Sunday has come across few important documents pertaining to the rules and regulations of the ashram. According to these there used to be six Rahasa groups in the ashram. While there are five women Rahasa groups in the ashram, there is one Rahasa group of girls. Each group comprises of five to six women/girls of which one is a singer, a mridanga player, co-singers etc. Documents in possession of Sambad have mention of names of who is in which Rahasa group. To ensure that the godman is not deprived of Ras Sewa, groups are allotted specific days to render ‘Ras Sewa’ without fail.

It’s not that Sura Baba used to seek Ras Sewa services from nubile girls only; in the event of them not being available the Baba didn’t hesitate to take the services of some married women. However, the age of women/girls rendering Ras Sewa under no circumstances should exceed that of 35, which was the standing rule of the Baba. The person who used to arrange these nubile girls/women for the Baba is none other than Prafulla Pradhan, the husband of Jyotsnarani Pradhan, who has brought charges of sexual exploitation against the Baba. Selected associates of Prafulla kept an eye on young women and girls visiting the ashram and helped him in the job.

Excluding the Baba’s food and drink needs,with whom he will talk, where he will sleep, who will offer Ras Sewa everything is taken care by Prafulla his closest aide. Prafulla too has his share of pleasure from the Ras Sewa.  He targets young beautiful women and girls coming to the ashram.  On days when he doesn’t find young women or girls among the visitors to the ashram, Prafulla hunts for girls and women from among the families residing in the ashram’s colony. He according to his choice makes available the services of these women and girls to the Baba through Ras Sewa. However, the Baba has fancy for nubile girls. From minor girls to adults, the Baba needs them all. The Ras Sewa group with nubile girls gets the first chance to render service to the Baba, others get chance later.

Prafulla often on occasions satisfied his lust by enjoying the women first, by enticing them into his trap he used to tell his victims that one should satisfy Lord Shiva’s vahan -the bull first in order to reach Shiva. Several victims of Prafulla too have complained before the Baba, said an employee of the ashram.