Didi Maa Shares Her Philosophy of Caring for Women, the Young and Old
Didi Maa surrounded by the Jain family. From left, Nishant, Ravinder, Umehsh, Didi Maa, Rajni and Kamini
SUGAR LAND: It was the experience of a lifetime for their elderly mother – known to all as biji – that brought the entire Jain family together. While she was still in Chandigarh, India, 88 year-old Swaran Kanta Jain had seen the charismatic and articulate Didi Maa on television and was transfixed by her words. “Biji decided that she had to go and visit the Vatsalaya Gram and see for herself the work that goes on there,” recalled her youngest son, Umesh, who also goes by Mike.
Jain and his older brother Ravinder who both live in the Houston area, acquiesced to their mother’s desire, but decided to accompany her to the Vatsalaya, which is located in Vrindavan, far away from the family home in Chandigarh, Punjab. The brothers helped to make their mother comfortable in the home of an ardent Didi Maa supporter, Brahm Ratan Agarwal, a friend who lives in Orlando, Florida, but maintains a house inside the Vatsalaya. Mike’s wife Rajni has also been on the Board of the Vatsalaya for the past year.
Biji had originally planned to stay for two weeks, so Umesh lingered on with her while Ravinder returned after. “But then, she felt so comfortable that she decided to stay six months!” smiled Mike. “She had a maid with her 24/7 and the Vatsalaya had a clinic in case she needed any help.” In May this year, she returned back to live in the US with her son Mike.
Before her speech in Umesh Jain’s house, Didi Maa listened to her ardent supporter Brahm Ratan Agarwal (standing on right) describe his experience at the Vatsalaya Gram in Vrindavan
Didi Maa is a social worker, religious preacher and political activist who has risen to fame and prominence for her work in supporting Hindu causes. She was born in Doraha in District Ludhiana, Punjab and attained nirvana after becoming a disciple of Swami Paramanand Giri and followed him to his ashram in Haridwar and on national tours. She became a Sadhvi (ascetic) and rose in the ranks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
In 1993, Didi Maa wanted to establish an ashram near Vrindavan and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh but the proposal fell through. In 2002 she was able to secure 17 hectares of land on lease for 99 years for an annual fee of one Rupee and started the Vrindavan Ashram for women which also gives training in karate, horse-riding, using air guns and pistols in order to make them confident and self-reliant. She also runs ashrams for unwanted infants, ladies and widows in Indore, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.
Just coincidentally, Didi Maa was scheduled to go on a tour in the US to bring publicity to her work in India and also raise funds and it took her to Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Houston, Orlando , and New Jersey, returning to India by way of London. While in Houston, Didi Maa, along with her entourage of three musicians, two assistants and a young Indian woman named Amy from England who has given up everything to become her disciple, stayed at the house of Mike and Rajni Jain. It was there that she was able to address about 35 supporters after dinner on Thursday, July 20 and give her philosophy on life and caring for others.
According to Mike Jain, in Houston alone, over $100,000 were raised during the three days she was here, with a meeting the following day at another private residence and a public meeting at the Keshav Smruti near Star Pipes.