People in the News
Boy Guru takes a bride
Combined News Services

Guru Maharaj Ji, the 16-year-old "perfect master” who claims six million followers, has married his 24-year-old secretary - after receiving special permission from a juvenile court judge in Denver.

The wedding ceremony was held at sunset Monday at Vockland Community Church at Lookout Mountain west of Denver. Barry Ollman, a spokesman for the short, cherubic guru, said about 50 persons attended the non-denominational wedding Monday night.

Maharaj Ji is spiritual deader of the Divine Light Mission. He says his purpose is to bring world peace by imparting "the knowledge," which his followers say cannot be adequately described in words.

The guru wore a dark tuxedo to the wedding. The bride, Marolyn Lois Johnson, wore a white and red gown.

Maharaj Ji, who has recently begun sporting a sparse mustache, met his blonde bride about a year ago. Ollman said her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Johnson, traveled to the ceremony from their home in San Diego.

Ollman described the bride as "a very beautiful, humble, person." Other devotees said she played the role of a stewardess in a film made for the mission entitled "Who is Guru Maharaj Ji?".

"It's all happened so fast”, Ollman said. "We're all spinning."

The wedding was followed by an elaborate reception at the guru's $80,000 house in a fashionable Denver neighborhood Monday night.

A huge cabin cruiser mounted on a trailer and decorated with yellow ribbons - a gift to the guru - remained on the lawn Tuesday afternoon. A silver Maserati sports car was parked in the driveway and "Just Married" was written in whitewash on the rear windows.

Maharaj Ji needed a court order from Juvenile Court Judge Morris Cole to obtain a marriage license because Colorado law requires men to be 18 to be married without parental permission.

The guru's father is dead and his mother lives in India.