The tale of Odisha’s own Radhe Maa: Premamayi Krishna Mata

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Sep 3:

After a series of expose on the dark empires of Babas in the state, the tale of Odisha’s own god-woman Krishna Mata has come to the fore.

Quite like the sensational Radhe Maa who dominated national news headlines recently, this controversial Guru Chandrika Premamayi Devi Krishna alias Sarojini Jena also began her journey as a tailor and climbed up the ladders to become what she is now.

The Mata, however, is nowhere to be seen after the public uproar following the serial arrest of many of these self-proclaimed godmen in the state.

Her Ashram named ‘Brahmakshetra Sri Achyuta Dham’ near Chauliaganj Deer Park in Cuttack that was built on a 23-decimal encroached government land is half empty these days. Some young girl inamtes of the ashram, who claimed themselves to be Matas, have stopped frequenting this place in the last few days.

Same is the case with the devotees who thronged the Ashram on their two and four wheelers. The Ashram now wears a deserted look with barely a couple of men seen guarding it. The gates have been locked from inside.

After we started our investigation into the real identity of the Mata, we found that the lady, who originally hails from Kendrapara area, came to Cuttack around 1985-86 in search of work. She initially stayed at the house of Late Padmanabh Behera’s Mangala Sahi house where she learnt tailoring.

Sarojini started getting more and more orders from OMP employees as Padmanabh’s wife Hiramani also used to do tailoring works for these employees. Six or seven years into tailoring, she opened her own shop at Buxi Bazaar Mani Sahu square with the help of an established businessman.

Later, the businessman employed her in his shop. Soon, the businessman’s son also got involved with her and insisted on marrying her. But the businessman did not agree to his son’s proposal and got Sarojini married to another man working in his shop named Tabat. He even gifted the couple a car!

The newly wed couple moved to a rented house in Petin Sahi for a while before another man named Sanjay Das (Pupa) entered the life of Sarojini.

After hopping around from one area to another with the help of his new man Pupa, Sarojini slowly started transforming herself into a godwoman and started introducing herself as Premamayi Krishna Mata. Her first ashram came up near Shivaji Nagar area of Tulsipur Shelter square which she built with the help of Pupa.

Quite like her, her Ashram also started moving from place to place for a while. After the Shivaji Nagar ashram, she moved in to a rented place in Tulsipur Matha Sahi and finally to her permanent Ashram near deer park that was built on government land.

All possible luxuries and amenities, including air-conditioned rooms and a park, were later added to the ashram.

Not everything, however, went smooth for the controversial Mata. There is a long history of violence associated with the Ashram.  On many occasions, scuffle broke out and men went on a rampage for issues pertaining to the ashram. While Sanjay Das, who helped her turn into a godwoman and is now a powerful BJD leader, was once shot at, her earlier husband Tabat has vanished from Cuttack completely.

Much about the tainted godwoman, however, still remains unknown and can be revealed only through a proper police investigation.