Swami Nithyanand, Sex Scandal and sense (or lack of it).

Before you continue reading this post, let me warn you. This one is disturbing, if you are used to reading what I have been writing usually. Its not my domain or style. It might hurt sensibilities, if you are religious in a very Indian manner.

South Indian media is agog with a sting video of one Swami Nithyanand showing him in compromising position(s) with a southern actress (well lets leave her name from the post - because media at least is following this deserved caution). If you so wish here is the You tube link to watch.

It was amusing to say the least. No, not the parts in which the swami and the lady were enjoying each other's company but it was amusing to see the Swami living a middle class Indian lifestyle without its pressures or challenges that come with that life. It was rather ironical to note that he maintained that lifestyle on the hard earned (and I am not sure of that as well) money of his other middle class followers. These people work, out there in the sun and yet they do not enjoy the luxury of a sexy lady waiting for them at home to offer a soothing massage when they are back, tired from a day's toil.

A question erupted to me - what was this actress doing in her room offering "seva" (services) like a disciple (if you exclude offering kisses and hugs). Well she is an actress. Just type her name on you tube search field and the words "hot", "hottest", "sexy" are offered by the application itself. So you know without watching anyone of them - where she is positioned in the minds of her audience. Just watch the first few seconds of this video and you realise that apparantly she does not need to become the maid of a sadhu for worldly pleasures. Millions of people become devotees of Saints assuming that their proclaimed path of salvation or knowledge will bring them Nirvana or at least peace. But she seemed to know that our swami was just another weak kneed mortal (probably with lower character) in blood and flesh. What the heck then was her compulsion to be a maid to such a regressive character? It simply does not make sense.

We are told that the southern part of India is the more educated one. However, year after year we encounter such tales of articulate charmers, turning into popular and celebrated Sadhus, living luxurious lives leving a Moral tax that people are happy to pay in the name of God, after evading taxes that their Governments want them to pay. This despite the fact that the contribution of such sadhus to the GDP (or for that matter any index of human development) is probably negative. It is ironical and sad that the most educated parts of our country is a fertile ground for such chickenery.

Will we ever come out of this vicious cycle of being greedy and corrupt people, pressured by the material pursuits into careers and activities that compromises our values and hence create mental stress against which we try to find solace in serving such self proclaimed, self styled Sadhus and their cults only to be proven fools later. Its grotusque, frustrating and futile.

Or, am I asking for too much?