Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan recently made his Bollywood debut with the Netflix film Maharaj.  The actor played the role of a Journalist named Karsandas Mulji, who exposed spiritual leader Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj’s sexual misconduct towards women in his newspaper. The rebel journalist voiced his opinion about Jadunathji’s misdeeds in his column in a Bombay-based Gujarati newspaper The Satya Prakash. The piece was named 'Hinduo No Asli Dharam Ane Atyar Na Pakhandi Mato (The true religion of the Hindus and the present hypocritical opinions)'. Jadunath was a prominent leader spiritual leader of the Vaishnav sect, Pushtimarg, who exploited female devotees in the name of ‘seva’. He was one of the most powerful religious leaders of the 1860s and had a massive following. For the unversed, Jaideep Ahlawat played the role of Jadunathji Maharaj in the film. 

About Karsandas Mulji 

Karsandas Mulji was a prominent social reformer and Journalist in the 19th century. He was mentored by renowned scholar-leader Dadabhai Naoroji. Before the Journalist started his own newspaper Gujarati newspaper The Satya Prakash, he used to work in the Anglo-Gujarati newspaper Rast Goftar. Karsandas was famous for advocating women’s rights and social reforms. He was also known for writing an essay on widow remarriage. After which his aunt threw him out of her house. For the unversed, he used to live with his elderly aunt, who took care of him after his mother passed away. Karsandas then got Claire (junior) Scholarship after passing an examination and securing employment at a charitable school founded by Sheth Gokaldas Tejpal. 



1862 Maharaj Libel Case

In 1855, Karsandas launched The Satya Prakash which exposed illegal acts of Vaishnav priests including exploitation of female devotees. In 1862, his article  'Hinduo No Asli Dharam Ane Atyar Na Pakhandi Mato (The true religion of the Hindus and the present hypocritical opinions)' questioned the values of spiritual leaders. In the same article, he accused Maharaj had sexual relations with women devotees and men were expected to show their devotion to the religious leader by offering their wives to have sex with Maharaj. Then Maharaj filed a famous libel case in the Bombay court which was called the “greatest trial of modern times since the trial of Warren Hastings”. Jadunathji filed a lawsuit worth Rs 50,000 against the Journalist and the paper’s publisher, Nanabhai Ranina.

The case began on 25th January 1862, which attracted a large number of people to the court. Thirty-one witnesses for the plaintiff and thirty-three witnesses for the defendants were presented before the court. The spiritual leader himself was brought to the court. Judge Arnould delivered his judgment on 22 April 1862 and said “It is not a question of theology that has been before us! It is a question of morality. The principle for which the defendant and his witnesses have been contending is simply this: That what is morally wrong cannot be theologically right.” He appreciated the Journalist for his fearless coverage against the evil practices done by the religious leader. The Bombay High Court rewarded Karsandas Rs 11,500, who had an expenditure of Rs 14,000 during the trial.

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