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and meditation centres help them enrich their life with inner is quite disconcerting. Yet, their followers do not tire of going steeped even more in ignorance. The Spiritual landscape in the
contentment and bliss. head over heels to please them. country thus saw a sudden surge in the number of religious
The Sandhya Aarti on the banks of the Ganges carried out Mere Sai - Shraddha aur Saburi, a Hindi serial being aired on teachers who were more than willing to guide him along in his
with all the religious fervour associated with it exemplifies the Sony Entertainment television every day from Monday to search for the elusive.
importance the country has given to religious tourism to Friday narrates the story of Sai Baba of Shirdi. Blatant commercialization of the process of expounding faith
promote these unique attributes of its spiritual heritage and The mendicant - Fakir, he is called by his detractors – is to the laymen soon had spiritualism being taken to entirely new
showcase it to the outside world. shown teaching the villagers the virtue of honest living. Ever heights by the self-anointed Godmen. It is now a flourishing
In a land where rishis and yogis have been inviting awe for available for his followers in their time of need, he comes industry!
centuries now, it is but natural that spiritualism too will attract across as a saintly figure who educates the villagers on the There has never been an iota of doubt over the divinity of
similar reactions. nuances of simple living. quite a few of these spiritual gurus. But at times it is ‘the state
However, though all religions emphasise spiritualism as “He taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, of being a God’ that has been taken to illogical ends by many of
being part of faith, it is said that one can be spiritual without charity, contentment, inner peace and devotion to God and these highly revered ‘masters’ which casts a shadow of doubt
being religious. Guru.” over their very personae.
With the ‘stress’ factor playing a major role in modern day A far cry from the ‘holy men’ of today who are conspicuous From an acharya to a Bhagwan ….. the journey isn’t all that
life, many people seek spirituality as a great way to seek by their opulence, Sai Baba’s life was a saga of frugalities. Not cumbersome for these claimants to omnipotence.
comfort and peace in their life. Ironically, instead of for him the glitter of gold and the clinking of silver pieces. It is nevertheless difficult to guess where and when the
Giving the right mix of religion and stress-busting ideas, the dispelling fears from Seemingly a simple beggar, dressed in torn clothes and reverence of their followers turns into worship, for eventually it
modern society is witnessing the ‘revival’ of spiritualism which having no need for any material item, Sai Baba took food from does. In all vanity the religious teachers start believing that they
is thriving on a grand commercial scale now and seems to be the minds of their people making rounds of the village of Shirdi with his begging are God incarnates with an earthly mission here in this mortal
attracting countless followers purely for the ‘divine’ aura that is admirers, the Godmen bowl. world. Over a period of time, it also becomes all the more
built around the ‘founders’. The statue of Sai Baba at his shrine at Shirdi is now however challenging to convince their followers otherwise.
Gods have given way to these spiritual leaders and such has through their devious crowned with a tiara of gold and bedecked with costly gems. It is averred that whenever the world is weighed down by the
been their charismatic presence in the country’s religious ways have literally The vulgarly rich representation of the great soul today is a deeds of the sinners, God incarnates himself in humanly form to
firmament that every second Indian in recent times is besotted travesty of what he really stood for. cleanse the world of such debauchery.
by some guru or the other - and swearing by them too! put the fear of God in But then that is how the bhakts these days want their deities Is it the charisma of these Godmen or the uncanny knack of
Delving into the lives of saints and ascetics, Indian history the minds of their to look like – not in rags, but in their lavished magnificence! tapping on to the religious uncertainties that confuses most
has been replete with stories of their unwavering devotion to As much as their awe-inspiring holy ‘feats’, the surge of people which attracts disciples in droves to these gurus!
God and divine ways. exposes belying their claims to holiness continues to haunt a followers. Is this the Yet seen from a broader perspective, Sai Baba’s teachings
country of imbeciles who seem to see divinity even in these served to throw a rigorous challenge to social norms prevalent Ironically, instead of dispelling fears from the minds of their
But it is the pioneering ways of some at bringing about accusations. way they intend then. admirers, the Godmen through their devious ways have literally
radical changes in the society and liberating the countrymen put the fear of God in the minds of their followers. Is this the
from the shackles of ignorance which stand out as epitomes of a The aristocratic demeanour and mannerisms that describes bringing men closer to Despite the impediments along the way, when a man way they intend bringing men closer to God!
selfless life led in the service of God. the current corps of spiritual leaders is a throwback to the rigid God! dedicates himself to the betterment of the society and brings According to the scriptures, a guru is an enlightened soul and
years of caste discrimination which dissuaded holy men then to
It has been such an approach towards life which has endeared mingle with the commoners. about a drastic change in thought perceptions of its members guides his disciple through wisdom and reason in his spiritual
through his singular efforts and in a selfless manner, he will
them to their followers. Exemplifying the concept of simple forever enshrine himself in the minds of the people. journey.
living and high thinking, they have been able to touch the lives The recent instance of a high-flying spiritual guru showing
of people and to some extent eradicate many of the social his disinclination to share food with leaders of other Though he has never pined for name and fame, Shirdi Sai But how appropriate is it to accord a celestial status to a mere
malaises that flourished in those eras. communities when they gathered on a common platform for a Baba’s miraculous achievements have given him a saintly status human who cannot do without the comforts of a materialistic
function is indicative of the intolerance for other faiths that
world, and yet preaches the virtues of sacrifices in one’s daily
Service to humanity is service to God! How sublime it continues to persist in the religious realms of the country even among his followers. life in pursuit of the divine to his devotees.
sounds! after years of efforts to abolish such prejudiced views on Conversely, even though temples dedicated to the great More than spirituality, what the society looks for from its
With the country having to thank the countless holy men who holders of other beliefs. prophet continue to mushroom all over the country, it is members is a strong commitment towards maintaining a good
however difficult to gauge the relevance attached to Sai baba’s
left an indelible mark on the society over the decades through Appealing to people to shun vile customs prevalent, what the teachings in the modern times. health and clean surroundings. Just as cleanliness is next to
their works and teachings, one would have thought that India is sages and seers of ancient India achieved through their sermons godliness, a healthy body and a healthy mind, they say, is the
rid of all the social evils that plagued it over the centuries. and other social commentaries then is being categorically The evils that he wanted to uproot from the society have abode of Gods.
However, as a land of mystics and mysticism, India continues denied all relevance by the plethora of spiritual teachers who returned with a vengeance that is shocking. Superstitions and But such topics hardly feature in the homilies of our Godmen
blind faith have made man more vulnerable to the guiles of
to maintain its position at the very top. adorn the religious scenario in the country today. tricksters. who prefer the mysteries of the religion to befuddle the layman
For seekers on the spiritual path who come from distant lands Besides the luxuries they claim as perks of an exalted status, With the Almighty and his mysterious ways continuing to with.
to learn the inner science of spirituality, the ashrams, the yoga the holier-than-thou attitude maintained by these spiritual gurus baffle him, man’s so-called journey to self-realization has been Why is this charade being eulogised!

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