In the Name of Faith

Faith is an interesting concept and especially in a multi-religious country like ours, it takes complex forms. At times it could take a form of an 112-statue in a not-so-eco-friendly location completely transforming a pristine ecological region into an area bustling with human (alien) species. The opening of the first Adiyogi statue today in the foothills of Western Ghats triggers several questions whose answers could only be found in human irrationality.

Spirituality before Environment?
The statue to be inaugurated as a part of Isha Yoga Centre’s brand building stunt will be attended by a guest none other than the Honorable Prime Minister of India. The Centre’s website states that they have a project to increase Tamil Nadu’s green cover by 33%. But they could better if the center did not exist in a sensitive ecosystem. It has been widely proclaimed that the center has followed all the regulations in acquiring land, conducting festivals, drawing groundwater etc. In a country drenched in crony-religious-capitalism, anything is possible. Inviting the Honorable Prime Minister of India is a wonderful way of exonerating oneself of all the suffering one has caused to the ecosystem in the region.


Photo Courtesy: Ashwin Chanderasekaran

I do not understand how spirituality is attained when you disturb and sap the life out of an area meant for wildlife. If one does not respect nature the ultimate force which determines human life constructing statues does not make sense.  This is a typical Indian irony. I remember reading in my school Tamil textbook, “People construct statues for their leaders yet bury their ideals”. What is the point of a statue for a yogi if you practice yoga?

It would be important to note that another so-called spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had his own share of controversy when he organized a world cultural festival earnestly to destroy the flood plain of Yamuna.

Packaging Spirituality

The rise of the so-called modern spiritual leaders has always perplexed me. One reason is certainly that I do not believe in the concept of God.  The second reason is that I believe spiritual leaders are supposed to behave in a different way than they actually do. My atheism does not prevent me from acknowledging the benefits of meditation and yoga as they are forms of attaining mental and physical stability and peace. But it is the ‘packaging’ problem which I am not able to digest.

 Packaging Faith

 Photo Courtesy: Samuel Hearn

A good teacher who is solely interested in spreading spirituality will not be interested in charging money except for asking alms to feed his stomach. The scenario in India is abhorrent not only because they accept money but also because they package spirituality as few thousand rupees for a fortnight.  Management students have a lot to learn from such so-called-yogis who had shown that people will buy anything if you market a product the right way.

Desire

Buddha propounded that desire is the root cause of all evil. The guides now say ‘desire everything’. Why wouldn’t the corporate and the government love them? They are stimulating demand and providing the necessary impetus for a slowing down economy. Maybe the spiritual leaders could be the answer to revamping the global recession.  The International Monetary Fund should take a leaf out of their textbook.


Possibly a better spiritual leader

Photo Courtesy: Arian Zwegers

The rise of leaders like this not just in Hindu faith but also in Christianity, Islam and others is due to the human desire to attain things through shortcuts. If the people have anyone to blame it is themselves. Seeing incidents like these evokes mixed feelings in me. While satirical notes ring melodiously there is a part which sings a melancholy for the destruction caused. Nevertheless, it is not the first incident and this won’t be the last. Wonder whether the Adiyogi is happy. 

Photo Courtesy:
(1)Ashwin Chandrasekaran
(2)Samuel Hearn
(3)Arian Zwegers

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Slim Fit-Infertility Conspiracy

Image
I do not wear Jeans pants. They are heavy, sweaty and uncomfortable. Living at 13.0827 degrees north of the Equator I do not see a sensible reason why they should be worn unless you want to fry your thighs. Well, that does not mean I am comfortable with a dhoti either. Though dhotis are the most suitable attire for tropical-humid-skin-burning-head-aching-sweat-dripping Chennai climate, I am comfortable with pants. I still remember writer Sujatha narrating the comfort of pants in his book Katradhum Petradhum – they are versatile when compared to dhotis from climbing stairs to catching buses on the run. Though you might contest the above statement that Chettans from Kerala comfortably do those stunts with their dhotis on, let me just say that I am not as talented as them. Further, adopting a new habit at the age of twenty-five seems very odd. Enough said, as a strong proponent of Tamil identity I diligently decided to purchase pants for this Pongal which is due in ten days. I ...
Read more

Short Story: A liveable Planet

The door was opened on the third knock. He entered as soon as possible and the door was shut behind. It was important that the air doesn’t get in. His dad was relieved to see him. He tried to smile, but he couldn’t. He has been finding it difficult to smile at the elders since his teenage, since the days he realized what the elders done to his world. Removing the mask from his face he stepped in into the house. He walked straight to the bedroom where his mother was lying, under medical support. She was asleep. He dropped the kit of medicines which he has brought for her on the table beside him. She has been under medical support for nearly six months now. Years of inhaling polluted air has terribly weakened her lungs. He realized that he was at least lucky enough to at least earn much to buy sophisticated masks which could reduce the effects of pollutants. His dad brought him a glass of recycled water. He took a sip. He knew that his mother can’t survive longer and his d...
Read more

Iron Man and Thanos: Two sides of the Same Coin

Image
"Well, Dmitri, every search for a hero must being with something every hero needs, a villain." - Dr. Nekhorvich from Mission Impossible II When I watched Avengers: Endgame I was prepared for an engaging movie primarily because of the directors - the Russo brothers. But I have got to admit that the movie was far more emotionally draining than I expected it to be. Founded with time travel and peppered with nostalgia, the movie was a three-hour rollercoaster. The movie gave a fitting end to one of the longest series in movie history, wrapping up 21 movies in style. It was a classic good and evil tussle which became larger than life because of the heroes who adorned the screen, or should I say the ultimate antagonist. The entire Marvel series was essentially a tussle between the tech-genius Tony Stark aka Iron Man and War Lord Thanos. The other characters, in my opinion, are mere distractions as the foundation of the conflict is between these two powerful men. The ulti...
Read more