Who Is Dhirendra Shastri? The Bageshwar Baba At The Centre Of Bengal’s Durga Puja Row

Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, is at the centre of a controversy in West Bengal after urging Hindus in the state to avoid non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja. Speaking during his three-day Hanumant Katha programme in Howrah, Shastri appealed to people not to sell non-vegetarian food near Durga Puja pandals and described those who consume it during Navratri as “pakhandis” (hypocrites).

His remarks have drawn a sharp response from West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, who said no religious figure or political party could dictate what Bengalis should eat. Bhattacharya pointed to traditions including eating luchi on Ashtami and goat meat on Navami, saying food choices were a matter of personal freedom.

West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh also defended the state's food traditions, saying goat sacrifice and consumption of the meat as prasad had long been associated with Durga Puja and other forms of worship in Bengal.

So, who is Dhirendra Shastri, the religious preacher whose remarks have once again sparked a debate over faith, culture and personal choice?

Who Is Dhirendra Shastri?

Shastri is the head priest of Bageshwar Dham, a religious centre in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district. He rose to national prominence through his Divya Darbar programmes, where devotees approach him with personal problems and he claims to identify their troubles or provide spiritual remedies.

His public image is built around claims of supernatural or spiritual abilities, including reading devotees' problems without being told about them. His programmes, widely circulated online, have attracted large crowds and helped turn him into a prominent figure in India's contemporary Hindu religious space.

His growing popularity has also brought him closer to political figures. During his latest Bengal visit, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari shared the stage with him and invited him to establish a Bageshwar Dham centre in West Bengal.

What Happened During His Bengal Visit?

At the concluding session of his Howrah programme on September 6, Shastri urged Bengali Hindus to observe Navratri with devotion and called for non-vegetarian food to be kept away from Durga Puja venues.

The intervention was particularly sensitive because fish and meat have long been part of Bengali food culture, while animal sacrifice and consumption of meat as prasad have also existed within sections of Bengal's Shakta traditions.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad had earlier issued an advisory asking organisers to keep non-vegetarian food away from pandals, although it later clarified that it was not seeking a blanket ban or attempting to dictate what Bengalis could eat.

Bhattacharya subsequently distanced the BJP from any such prescription, saying Shastri was entitled to advocate vegetarianism but could not decide Bengali food habits.

How Did Shastri Become Controversial?

Shastri's rise accelerated in 2022-23, when his claims about spiritual powers and his Divya Darbars came under scrutiny.

In January 2023, Maharashtra rationalist activist Shyam Manav challenged Shastri's claims and alleged that his programmes promoted superstition. The controversy centred on whether activities shown at his Nagpur programmes violated Maharashtra's anti-superstition law.

Nagpur Police examined videos of the programme and subsequently said they found no statement or claim that amounted to an offence under the law, closing the complaint.

The episode nevertheless brought Shastri's methods and claims into national focus. His supporters have continued to regard the Divya Darbars as evidence of his spiritual abilities, while critics have questioned the basis of his claims.

What Has He Said About Hindu Rashtra?

Shastri has also become increasingly prominent for his political and religious statements.

In 2023, he repeatedly spoke in favour of the idea of India becoming a Hindu Rashtra. During his visit to Bihar that year, he said the “fire of Hindu Rashtra” would be ignited in the state, prompting criticism from then Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Shastri later reiterated his position on Hindu Rashtra, while also saying that he did not intend to enter electoral politics.

What Were His Other Controversies?

In March 2023, Udaipur Police registered an FIR against Shastri over remarks made at a religious gathering, alleging that they could promote enmity between communities. The case followed comments in which he called for green flags at Kumbhalgarh Fort to be replaced with saffron flags.

A month later, Shastri triggered another controversy with remarks about Shirdi Sai Baba, saying he regarded Sai Baba as a saint or fakir rather than God. The statement drew protests from Sai devotees and prompted Maharashtra BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to seek action against him.

These episodes, alongside his Hindu Rashtra advocacy and the scrutiny surrounding his claims of supernatural powers, have made Shastri a highly visible and polarising figure.