Suraj Pal Singh, who followers know as Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari, was born to a farmer in Bahadur Nagari village, Uttar Pradesh. He initially served as a head constable in the UP police’s Intelligence Unit for over 18 years. He claims experience with the Intelligence Bureau, though his followers mainly highlight his police work.
In 1999, Bhole Baba left the police force, adopted Narayan Saakar Hari, and began his spiritual journey by holding satsangs. He expressed a shift toward spirituality and world peace as his motivation. Known for living simply in a hut in his village, Narayan Hari travels extensively across Uttar Pradesh and enjoys significant followings in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Narayan Hari, who typically wears a white suit and tie or simple kurta pyjamas, stands out by claiming, unlike most self-styled godmen, he redistributes all money received at his Satsangs to his followers.
Controversies have occasionally surrounded him, such as a 2022 satsang in Farrukhabad during the rise of Covid’s Delta variant. Despite district limits of 50 attendees, the event attracted over 50,000 people, causing significant traffic issues. Given the large crowds at his events, he has formed a security team, “Narayani Sena,” comprising men and women guards who protect him en route to and from Satsang venues.
Recently, a tragic stampede at a Satsang in Hathras, organized by Narayan Saakar Hari, resulted in over 121 fatalities, raising serious questions about the planning and management of such large gatherings.
