Indian yogi who claimed he lived without food or water dies of ‘old age’
- Prahlad Jani, said to be 90 years old, was pronounced dead on arrival after he was rushed to hospital, his neighbour said
- His tale of being blessed by a goddess, which enabled him to survive without sustenance for decades, gained him a small following
An Indian yogi whose claims he spent decades without food or water earned him a band of devotees and the scepticism of doctors died Tuesday, his neighbour said.
The long-haired and bearded Prahlad Jani – who dressed in red and wore a nose ring in the fashion of Hindu goddesses – hailed from Charada village in the western state of Gujarat, where he spent his life in a routine of yoga and mediation.
He was 90, based on his claim that he was born in August 1929.
“He died early Tuesday morning at his residence due to old age. He was rushed to hospital after midnight, but was declared dead on arrival by the doctors there,” Sheetal Chaudhary, who lived next door to Jani, told AFP.
Jani’s body was taken to Ambaji, a town renowned for its temples and where he had built a small ashram and was known as “Mataji” (goddess).
“The body will be kept at the ashram for the next two days for people to pay their last respects,” Chaudhary said, adding that Jani would be cremated on Thursday.