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How Nithyananda's Fake Hindu Nation Attempted To Seize Indigenous Land In Bolivia

The image raised suspicions about the government's ties to Kailasa, though officials claimed the photo was taken at a public event with no diplomatic significance.

fugitive Indian guru Nithyananda Edited by
How Nithyananda's Fake Hindu Nation Attempted To Seize Indigenous Land In Bolivia

"Magical Realism": How Nithyananda's Fake Hindu Nation Attempted To Seize Indigenous Land In Bolivia (Image:X/ HN_Global_Press)

A self-proclaimed Hindu nation, created by fugitive Indian guru Nithyananda, has attempted to take control of Indigenous lands in Bolivia, raising alarms over a series of questionable contracts signed with Indigenous groups in the Amazon region.

Despite not being recognised by any country or international body like the United Nations, Nithyananda’s Hindu nation, “United States of Kailasa” has been actively trying to establish sovereignty over large swathes of land across Latin America.

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The controversial saga began in late 2024 when representatives from Kailasa approached several Indigenous groups in Bolivia.

The Baure and Cayubaba Indigenous communities, among others, were offered substantial sums in exchange for long-term leases of their ancestral land.

The contracts, signed between September and November 2024, included terms that granted Kailasa control over vast tracts of land in the Bolivian Amazon.

The Baure Indigenous group agreed to lease 60,000 hectares for $108,000 annually, while the Cayubaba group leased 31,000 hectares for $55,800 a year.

The agreements stipulated that Kailasa would have “full sovereignty and autonomy” over the land, including control of airspace and natural resources, both above and below the ground.

The Indigenous groups were also bound to defend Kailasa in any legal proceedings, support its recognition as a sovereign state, and back its admission into international organisations like the UN.

These terms raised immediate concerns among experts and advocates for Indigenous rights. Silvana Vicenti, the journalist who first exposed the deal, called the contracts “irrational” and likened them to a form of “magical realism.”

Jhovana Morales, a lawyer from Fundación Tierra, an NGO focused on Indigenous land issues, criticised the contracts as a “total scam,” pointing out that they violated Bolivian laws, particularly the provision in the civil code that limits lease agreements to a maximum of 10 years.

The question of how Kailasa representatives managed to approach these remote Indigenous groups, negotiate such agreements, and what role the Bolivian government played in allowing this to happen remains unclear.

The government has yet to provide satisfactory answers, but it has issued a statement denying any diplomatic relations with Kailasa.

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On March 24, 2025, Bolivia’s government expelled 20 foreign nationals linked to Kailasa, who had entered the country under the guise of tourism but were found to be trying to secure land in Indigenous territories.

A controversial photo surfaced recently showing Bolivian President Luis Arce smiling as he receives a book titled United States of Kailasa from a woman wearing a saffron-colored sari.

The image raised suspicions about the government’s ties to Kailasa, though officials claimed the photo was taken at a public event with no diplomatic significance.

In response to increasing scrutiny, Kailasa and Nithyananda have denied any wrongdoing. Nithyananda, who has been in hiding since fleeing India amid allegations of child abduction and rape, addressed his followers via a live social media broadcast, claiming that his mission is one of environmental protection and humanitarian aid for Indigenous communities. He refuted claims made by “anti-Hindu media outlets” that have cast doubt on his intentions.

However, not all Indigenous groups have been fooled. The Multi-ethnic Indigenous Territory II organisation, which includes the Ese Ejja people, released a statement claiming that Kailasa had manipulated certain representatives into signing contracts by offering promises of easy money.

The group vehemently rejected Kailasa’s attempts to claim their land, asserting that their territory is not for sale or lease and that it is the heritage of generations of Indigenous people who have fought to protect it.

This latest attempt by Nithyananda’s group to establish control over Indigenous lands in Bolivia has sparked outrage among Bolivian citizens, indigenous communities, and human rights activists.

Many are calling for an investigation into how Kailasa managed to gain access to these vulnerable communities and whether the Bolivian government has been complicit in allowing such transactions to take place.

(With inputs from The Guardian)

Topics
Baure Indigenous people Bolivia Fake Hindu nation fugitive Indian guru Nithyananda Indigenous land kailasa Nithyananda United States of Kailasa

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