Pavhari Baba

Pavhari Baba (1798-1898) was a Hindu ascetic and saint. He was born in Premapur, Jaunpur in a Brahmin family. In his childhood he went to Ghazipur to study under the tutelage of his uncle who was a follower of Ramanuja or Shri sect . After finishing his studies he travelled to many places. At Girnar in Kathiawar he was initiated into Yoga.He then came back to Ghazipur and built an underground hermitage in his house where he used to practise meditation and Yoga for days. He was noted for his humility, politeness and spirit of welfare. One night a thief entered his hermitage. When the thief ran away leaving the stolen things behind, as Pavhari Baba had woken up from sleep, he chased the thief and offered him the things he stole from his house. The incident had deep impact on the thief who later became a monk and a follower of Pavhari Baba.
In 1890 Swami Vivekananda went to Ghazipur and met him. According to Sister Nivedita, Baba died by burning in 1898, which is considered as self-immolation.