1974

In 1974 stories and advertisements for began to increase rapidly.

 

This story revealed the darkness at the heart of Divine Light Mission, the flaw that allowed its idealism to be perverted.

bulletGet Your Red-Hot Panaceas! The New York Times, January 19, 1974
bullet Letters to the Editor: The Search for a Better Life The New York Times, February 4, 1974
bullet Notes On People The New York Times, February 4, 1974
bulletLetters to the Editor: Guru Maharaji enjoys a nonprofit tax exemption The New York Times, February 14, 1974
bullet Disciples expelled THE TIMES Saturday March 23 1974
bullet Five Sect Leaders in Chile Sent to Desert Prison Camp The New York Times, March 24 1974

Out in Winnipeg the local stolid, humble community were advertising regularly and they were holding back nothing.

bulletGuru Will Show You God - Face To Face WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, January 14, 1974
bulletGuru is Greater than God - Because he Reveals God WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, July 12, 1974

Charnanand was working Nevada rather more sedately, talking of the "everyday benefits" of meditation.

bulletMeditation to Be Topic NEVADA STATE JOURNAL Sunday, Dec. 22, 1974

The Wedding story flashed around the world. Quite possibly a new benchmark in unlikely husbands and trophy brides.

bullet 16-Year-Old Guru Maharaj Ji Weds His Blonde Secretary, 24 Los Angeles Times, Tuesday May 21 1974
bullet Perfect Master gets married to US woman THE TIMES Wednesday May 22 1974
bulletPeople in the News: Boy Guru takes a bride INDEPENDENT (AM) * PRESS-TELEGRAM (PM) Long Beach, Calif., Wed., May 22, 1974
bulletThe plumpish spiritual Leader has married his secretary The New York Times, May 22, 1974
bulletShe's Tried Everything Else And Now She's Mrs. Guru Thursday, May 23, 1974 FLORENCE MORNING NEWS

The Press seemed to enjoy publishing stories about Prem Rawat with a twist

bulletGuru Performs First Wedding CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL THURS., May 23, 1974
bulletJust-Married Guru Performs First Wedding Sheboygan Press, Thursday, May 23, 1974
bulletFollow INDEPENDENT (AM) PRESS-TELEGRAM (PM) Long Beach, Calif., Fri., May 10, 1974
bulletFollows guru's lead, weds secretary INDEPENDENT (AM) *** PRESS-TELEGRAM (PM) Long Beach, Calif., Fri., May 20, 1974
bulletGuru, aide both marry THE DAILY REVIEW, Haywood, Calif., Friday, May 24, 1974

But they didn't shy from serious investigative journalism either

bulletGURU'S HELPERS DEFEND PURCHASE OF BOAT, 56 CARS Los Angeles Times; Jun 24, 1974
bulletGuru's Mission is audited Oakland Tribune, Haywood, Calif., Tues, June 25, 1974

The truth can be found out there, sometimes even in a TV review column

bulletTV: Meditating on Young Guru and His Followers The New York Times, February 25, 1974
bulletBob Mackenzie... On Television: Blissed Out on Maharaj Oakland Tribune Fri., March 8, 1974

A court case reveals one of Divine Light mission's sordid financial secrets

bulletGift To Guru frozen by Canadian court action GREELEY (Colo.) TRIBUNE, Wed., Nov. 20, 1974

 

bulletMaharaj Ji Buys $400,000 Home Base in Malibu Area Los Angeles Times, Nov 27, 1974
bullet Notes On People New York Times, November 30, 1974