Who is Nithyananda and what is Kailaasa? All you need to know

On November 20 this year, the Gujarat Police declared that rape-accused self styled godman Nithyananda fled the country without holding a valid passport. They took two of his disciples into custody for illegally holding children captive in their ashram in Ahmedabad and found Nithyananda nowhere in sight. Sources close to him revealed that the spiritual guru had fled the country to an undisclosed location near Ecuador. The leader has now revealed that he has bought a private island near Ecuador and is going to set up his own 'nation' called 'Kailaasa' that will be complete with its own currency and passport. The announcement sent Twitterati into a frenzy with trolls and jokes on the god-man who is notorious for his statements that go against the laws of physics.

Even as the announcement surfaced, one question remains - who is Nithyananda and what is his story? This is what you should know about the bizarre leader:

• Nithyanda, born A. Rajasekaran is from Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. He is a self-styled Hindu Swami who founded a trust named Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, which has temples, gurukulas under the trust. Nithyananda has broadcast a range of nonsensical pseudoscientific claims in his spiritual discourses. He faced backlash for the same. He has been also facing prosecution on charges of rape and child abuse.

• In 2010, a sex tape of Nithyananda and two others including actress Ranjitha, one of his followers was leaked in the media. Both parties claimed that the tape is fabricated, but investigations proved otherwise.

• He has publicly stated that he delayed the Sun from rising for 40 minutes, has the ability to make cows speak in Tamil and Sanskrit, and has explained Einstein's theories.

• He claims to have discovered over 400 esoteric powers that can be harnessed by humans and says his disciples have benefited from it. He has also made tall claims that he would be able to open the third eye of anyone before 2021 for free.

• Nithyananda has been accused of raping a disciple over a five-year period, during her stay in the ashram. In June 2018, a Karnataka trial court received charges against Nithyananda. He faces trial under Sections 376 (rape), 377 (unnatural sex), 420 (cheating), 114 (criminal abetment), 201 (disappearance of evidence, giving false information), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and other charges under the Indian Penal Code. Along with Nithyananda, several ashram associates are facing charges related to the case. All of the accused pleaded not guilty.

Even as India's Gujarat Police is looking for self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda, in an alleged case of kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children to make them collect donations from followers to run his ashram in Ahmedabad, Kailaasa.org suggests that he has founded his own country, with its own flag, constitution and emblem. It is not clear where the 'Kailaasa' nation is geographically located. The website explains: "Kailaasa is a nation without borders created by dispossessed Hindus from around the world who lost the right to practice Hinduism authentically in their own countries."

Reports suggest that it is on a private island that he allegedly bought from Ecuador and is near Trinidad and Tobago. "Though the Kailaasa movement is founded in the United States, and spearheaded by members of the Hindu Adi Shaivite minority community, it is created for, and offers a safe haven to all the world's practicing, aspiring or persecuted Hindus, irrespective of race, gender, sect, caste, or creed, where they can peacefully live and express their spirituality, arts, and culture free from denigration, interference and violence," the official website read.