The Lady in Red

Unafraid and unbothered about the fate of other godmen, gurus and babas, Radhe Maa says she is content with her followers

- Shweta Desai

IT'S close to midnight on Saturday. A heavy gold door opens and leads into a private den on the fourth floor of the Singh House. The palatial, six-storey bungalow in the distant suburb of Borivali's Chikuwadi boasts of a surreal entrence decored with life-size statues of Greek soldiers and miniature idols of the goddess Durga, next to each other.

A lady in a fiery red-and-gold designer gown, with a scarf adorned with loose gold tassels draped over her shoulders, emerges from her meditative trance. Wearing red lipstick, a red teeka with a diamond bindi on the forehead, her face is powdered with pink blush; and her hair is partly gathered in a puff bun. Holding a dainty gold trishul in her right hand, the 59-year-old is seated as if in meditation at the edge of a gold and red sprawling bed.

Radhe Maa is ready for darshan.

A frenzy of excitement sweeps over the waiting visitors on the ground floor of the mansion. "Aap sab pe Dhe Maa (short for Radhe Maa) ki kripa hone wali hai (All of you will be blessed by Dhe Maa)," says Gaurav Kumar, her chief aide, who goes by the name of Talli Baba. "She is a goddess for us. When you witness her aura and glow, it makes you realise that she is not just a common human being, she is a divine power herself."

Radhe Maa's private quarters for resting and meditation, called the gufa or den, resemble an elaborate set from a Hindu mythological TV series. Entry is strictly restricted for outsiders. The room features large, ornamented gold panels on the walls, bed and chairs. The flooring, furniture upholstery, curtains and bedsheets are all red, matching her attire. The eye-popping red is everywhere. Visitors, on entering her sanctum, must wear a red headband inscribed with Jai Shri Radhe Maa in gold.