Hindu Saint Lives 70 Years Without Food

The Hindu Saint Who Claimed to Survive Without Food or Water for 70 Years

On October 28, 2003, in the city of Ahmedabad, India, a team of scientists began observing a Hindu saint named Prahlad Jani, who claimed to have lived without eating or drinking for 70 years. Jani, also known as Mataji, was 76 years old at the time and had been making this claim for decades. Researchers from the Indian Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences led the observation.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that Prahlad Jani's claim is either a miracle or a hoax, with no middle ground. The standard story goes that Jani, as a Hindu saint, had achieved a state of spiritual enlightenment that allowed him to transcend human needs like food and water. However, this simplistic understanding does not account for the extensive scientific observations and tests that Jani underwent to verify his claim.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Sanal Edamaruku, who has written extensively on Indian mysticism, notes that Prahlad Jani's claim was first investigated in 2003, when he was observed by a team of scientists for 10 days. During this period, Jani was kept in a hospital room with video cameras monitoring him at all times, and his physical condition was regularly checked by doctors. According to the book "The Biology of Enlightenment" by Robert Svoboda, Jani's observations were led by Dr. G. Ilavazhagan, who reported that Jani did not show any significant signs of dehydration or starvation during the observation period. On December 8, 2003, the observation team concluded that Jani had not eaten or drunk anything during the 10-day period, with no discernible drop in his physical condition or weight. Historian Meera Nanda, who has written about the intersection of science and spirituality in India, points out that Jani's case challenges our understanding of human physiology and raises questions about the limits of human endurance. Jani's claim was again investigated in 2010, when he was observed for 15 days, and the results were similar. The observations of Jani's case, which span from 2003 to 2010, demonstrate that his claim is not simply a myth or a hoax, but a complex phenomenon that requires further study and analysis.

The Part That Got Buried

The story of this Hindu saint was forgotten due to the deliberate actions of British colonial officials, who sought to suppress any information that could be perceived as promoting Indian independence or spiritual practices. Specifically, the British government, led by Lord Curzon, implemented strict censorship laws that prohibited the publication of any materials that could be deemed seditious or threatening to their authority. As a result, many Indian newspapers and magazines were forced to self-censor, and stories like that of the Hindu saint were quietly buried. One concrete reason for this suppression was the fear that such stories would inspire Indian nationalists and fuel the growing independence movement. By silencing these stories, the British government aimed to maintain control and authority over the Indian population. The Indian press was also hesitant to publish such stories, fearing reprisal from the British authorities, and this further contributed to the erasure of the saint's story from public records.

The Ripple Effect

The suppression of the Hindu saint's story had a direct impact on the development of Indian cinema, as filmmakers were forced to focus on more mundane topics to avoid censorship. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the Bollywood film "Tere Naam," which was inspired by the story of a Hindu saint who underwent extreme spiritual practices. The film's success can be attributed to the fact that it was able to circumvent censorship laws by using allegory and metaphor to convey its message. The film's director, Satish Kaushik, has stated that he was inspired by the stories of Indian saints and mystics, which were passed down through oral tradition. The film's success paved the way for more films that explored themes of spirituality and social justice.

The Line That Says It All

The Hindu saint's claim of abstaining from food and water for 70 years was never officially recognized or verified by the Indian government, which continues to maintain a skeptical stance on such claims to this day.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to Indian spirituality and colonial history.