From tea-vending to preaching: Here is the story of rape-accused 'godman' Daati Maharaj

As per reports, it was in 1996 that he met an astrologer in Rajasthan and that was the turning point of his life.

New Delhi: Shani Dham founder and popular religious leader Daati Maharaj, who is currently facing charges of sexually assaulting his female disciple, has had a pretty colourful life before. The self-styled Godman came to Delhi from Rajasthan after losing both his parents at the age of 7. Upon his arrival in Delhi, he tried his hands in many odd jobs. He worked at a tea vending shop before opening his own by the name of Madanlal Pandit Chaiwala in Fatehpur Beri. He finally got settled when he opened a tent house and started a catering business. The business took off and earned him a decent living. As per reports, it was in 1996 that he met an astrologer in Rajasthan and that was the turning point of his life. He learned Palmistry from the astrologer and became so good at it that he decided to let his catering business rest and became a full time astrologer. He returned to Fatehpur Beri and established his ‘astrology centre’. He even opened a Shani Temple and started his own Ashram and Trust. His followers increased day by day. It is said that his new ‘business’ soared high when one of his predictions came true. A certain person contesting for the upcoming Assembly Elections had come to him to know about his future prospect on whether he will win or not. Maharaj had predicted that he would win and much to his prediction, he did. During the Mahakumbh, in Haridwar, Panchayati Mahanirvad Akhada conferred him with the title of ‘Mahamandaleshwar’. He later renamed his Shani Temple as Shree Sidh Shakti Peeth Shanidham and named himself as ‘Shri Shri 1008 Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Daati Ji Maharaj’. By the end of the first decade of the century he had started appearing on televisions and gained huge popularity as a television personality. As a start, it is said, that he paid for his own shows but after gaining popularity, he was paid to appear on shows. He is known to boast of his political connections and even advertises it by hanging banners outside his ashrams.