Claim: Indian yogis built the Baalbek Temple in Lebanon.

Busted! Sadhguru’s website claims, without citing any sources, that Indian yogis built the Baalbek temple in Lebanon. While trade and culture exchanges between India and countries across the globe have taken place for millennia, there seems to be no available record to point towards Indian builders of the Baalbek temple in Lebanon.

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Figures like Sadhguru have also reportedly contributed to the spread of misinformation. Jagadish “Jaggi” Vasudev, better known as Sadhguru, is a self-styled spiritual leader and founder of the organisation Isha Foundation. In 2019, he was in the news for having called a Muslim student ‘Talibani’ when he was delivering a talk at the London School of Economics. While he later clarified that it was a joke, and that it was a term used in India to call someone being ‘overly-enthusiastic.’ Following this, he was also seen supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act brought forth by the BJP government in 2019 which has been termed by many as anti-constitutional and anti-Muslim. He has also often praised PM Modi, most recently being regarding the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh in January 2024. He also termed the Ram Temple’s inception as ‘a resurrection of a damaged national spirit’. News reports allege that he has over 300 spiritual centres located around the world. Interestingly, the headquarters of his foundation, which is a 50-acre property in Coimbatore has been accused of being built illegally according to a report by NewsLaundry.

His influence seems to be vast with over 12 million followers on Instagram presently, he has boasted of devotees such as Hollywood actors Will Smith and even Mathew McConaughey, according to a report by Vox News from 2022.

On Sadghuru’s website, an article on his website ‘Isha’ named Baalbek Temple – Lebanon’s Ancient Yogic Connection has claimed that the Baalbek monument in Lebanon and suggested that the temple was constructed by Indian yogis and labourers. The writer, who is described as a female ‘meditator’, describes her ‘realisation’ that the temple was built by Indian yogis during her visit.

Later, Sadhguru’s official Facebook page has also posted this claim, in 2017. The post reads, “In Lebanon, there is a temple in Baalbek which is over 4,000 years old. Children in Lebanon schools study that Indian labour, elephants, sculptors and yogis constructed this. It is a massive temple. Some of the foundation stones weigh three hundred tons. Sculptures of lotus flowers are hanging from the ceiling. Obviously, there are no lotuses in Lebanon; it was sculptured by Indians. Every Lebanese child knows this. Has any #Indian child heard about it?”

The author claims that the temple had lotus engravings, which he suggests are not found in the area, “Some curious facts about the Baalbek temple are that you will see stone lotuses carved on the temple’s ceilings. That is intriguing, because there are no lotuses in Lebanon. But when I later came to India, I saw that the lotus is the most common symbolism of spirituality here.”

The essay on the website then goes on to point towards the idea that Indian yogis may have built the temple.  Furthermore, she claims that the stones at the temple were very large (“eight hundred tonnes each”) and thus must have required elephants, which she suggests do not exist in West Asia, to transport such massive slabs of stone.

However, while the author does not seem to provide any details or dates of these events she suggests or “realises” and merely notes from her own observations during the visit and fails to cite any historian or scientist. Furthermore,  her observation that there were no elephants in West Asia seems to be misplaced, as it has been recorded by scientists that the region around Syria was noted to have elephants that went extinct around 8 century BCE.

Furthermore, according to the factual historical record outlined by UNESCO on its website, the Baalbek complex which is located at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range was a huge cultural institution during Roman times and served as a prominent sanctuary within the Roman world. UNESCO’s description of the site stated that it had Roman origins.

Temple of Jupiter (Baalbek) – Source: Britannica.com

 While, not much is known about the temple from before its Greek conquest in 323 BCE, it was reportedly a significant model of Imperial Roman architecture and has its own history as it was dedicated to the Roman Triad of Heliopolis which consisted of Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Furthermore, UNESCO’s documentation reveals that the Roman constructions were superimposed upon earlier ruins, which included remains of the Phoenician tradition. Sadhguru’s attempt to reshape history that is surrounding Baalbek contradicts established historical facts and risks distorting the significance of cultures and traditions from different parts of the world. The Temple was dedicated to three gods of Roman mythology – Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury, which were, as per UNESCO, a part of a Phoenesian cult. The Phoenicians were a Semitic group that were found in the region of Levant, near east of the Mediterranean Sea.

Hence, apart from this piece written by the author for the organisation’s website ‘Isha’  there is little mention of the Indian presence at the temple that was found while conducting this research. While cross cultural exchanges have taken place between India and the globe, from Greeks to the Chinese, it is difficult to ascertain and certify these by layperson observations by religious figures.

Claim: Australia’s original name was Astralaya.

Busted! Sri Sri Ravi Shankar  has been claiming that during the time of the Mahabharata, there was a Sanskrit origin for the name Australia, Astralaya – which means armoury. However, Australia’s name means southern land in Latin, due to its position vis a vis the rest of the world. There is no evidence that points towards Astralaya ever being the name according to official records.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation. He is from Papanasam, Tamil Nadu. In 2023-2024, his foundation, Art of Living, has signed several MOU’s with the government in relation to environmental concerns, farmers’ concerns, substance addiction. As per Financial Times, in 2024, Shankar was part of a team of leaders who led an anti-corruption campaign against the then prime minister Manmohan Singh of Congress. According to a 2016 article about him, The Quint reported that his AOL foundation is mired in several controversies, namely that the foundations buildings are built on encroached land in Karnataka. In 2010, he was also accused by an NRI of taking his 15 acres of land. Shankar is endorses by leaders globally, so much so that his foundation has even been praised by the US president Joe Biden. Shankar’s X page, where he regularly posts about his global engagements, has about 4.1 million followers at present.

 He has reportedly done so by linking it to the term “Astralaya” (Astra-Alaya) which supposedly translates to armoury. In an undated video posted on YouTube uploaded in 2021 by a page called NRI Affairs, the spiritual leader responds to a person’s question and tries to concoct the idea that Australia had ties to India Hindu heritage, saying, “Do you know the country, Australia? Where did its name come from? Australia (armoury) in Mahabharata became Australia.”

History provides a different narrative. The national library of Australia which holds historical records pertaining to the land and nation, informs us that the name “Australia” was actually coined by English explorer Matthew Flinders to describe the continent on a map. Prior to Flinders, the landmass was referred to as ‘Terra Australis Incognita,’ a term which means unknown Southern land in Latin. Here, the word Australis which means Southern.

Prior to the name Australia, the land was named ‘New Holland’ by the incoming Dutch immigrants to the land in the 17th century. However, both these names are admittedly named by white Anglo-Saxon colonialism that dominated and plundered the habitats of indigenous people in Australia. The advent of European colonialism did not just result in cultural changes and domination of the whites but also led to a decline in the population of the indigenous inhabitants of the land. When the Europeans arrived Australia was declared as ‘terra nuilis’, a land that belonged to no one or wasteland. This shows how little value the Europeans gave to the indigenous as they sought to colonise and inhabit the land.

However, before the Europeans arrived, the territory now called Australia was known by several different names among its Indigenous peoples, reflecting the multitude of languages and cultures across different regions, according to the National Library of Australia. Each of these names had spiritual significance to the land. The act of Indian spiritual leaders to make such claims seems to be another, deliberate or otherwise, means of erasure of aboriginal history, culture, presence.

While there is an undoubtedly western, Anglo-Saxon domination behind this interpretation, and indigenous aboriginal insights need to be factored in, Indian market gurus take on the term is certainly fallacious.

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The post Busted: Exploring the origins of Australia as ‘Astralaya’ and the potential Indian Yogi influence on Baalbek Temple in Lebanon appeared first on SabrangIndia.

One of the factors behind the Congress win is because it boldly challenged Hindutva bigotry during election promising that it would ban organisations like Bajrang Dal (RSS storm-troopers) and discard anti-minority laws passed by the Bommai government including pro-Hindutva changes in the school text books. Congress victory was, among other issues, ensured due to unwavering stand against Hindutva communal polarizing campaign by the Congress top campaigners, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Siddarmaiah and DK Shivakumar.

Sadly, UT Khader Fareed, Speaker of Karnataka Assembly, who won on a Congress ticket, is showing no inclination to defend this gain, on the contrary using his office to legitimize the Hindutva ideology. He has invited a die-hard Hindutva Guru, Art of Living’s founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, as a prominent resource person to train the first time MLAs, numbering 70, in meditation and yoga therapy apart from classes on the technicalities of law making.

[https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/karnataka-speaker-draws-left-cong-heat-invites-religious-leaders-new-mlas-camp-8685827/]

It would be interesting to query who advised him to invite this Hindutva Baba who is not content with having one SRI with his name but two? It is indeed shocking that the Speaker is not aware of the anti-humanity background of this Baba. He has been a prominent speaker at almost all RSS events. He is a die-hard believer in Casteism.

Double SRI is an old patron of Hindutva organizations like Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) an affiliate of Sanatan Sanstha. These organizations are being investigated for assassinations of MM Kalburgi (a renowned thinker and critic of Brahmanism, assassinated on August 30, 2017), Gauri Lankesh (a renowned Lingayat author, journalist and activist, assassinated on September 5, 2017), Govind Pansare (a noted Communist leader, historian, assassinated on February 20, 2015) and Narender Dabholkar (Great Rationalist and thinker, assassinated on August 20, 2013). The first two belonged to Speaker’s own State.

How close and old is the relationship of this double SRI with these organisations which are being investigated for Hindutva terrorism can be known by the following statement of Mumbai region Convener of HJS Shivaji Vatkar and Ramesh Shinde, spokesperson of HJS for Maharashtra stated after meeting double Sri on the 20th November (2006) in Mumbai:

“The founder of the ‘Art of Living’ Pujya Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Swamiji) has given his blessings to the activities of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS)…He conveyed His blessings. Swamiji further said that He knew about the HJS’ activities and appreciated the same. He also said that, the HJS should continue to create awareness among the masses…Shri. Shinde also informed Swamiji about the campaigns undertaken by the HJS against the ‘Anti-Superstition Act’ and the ‘Temple Takeover Act’ with a view to make the society aware of anti-Hindu activities being undertaken by the Maharashtra Government. On this occasion, Swamiji was also shown sattvik pictures of deities drawn by seekers of the Sanatan Sanstha.”

[‘Pujya Sri Sri Ravishankar blesses the HJS’, November 22, 2006,

https://www.hindujagruti.org/news/1233.html]

It is to be noted that apart from (according to Karnataka and Maharashtra police investigations), being involved in assassinations of ‘anti-Hindu’ intellectuals HJS and Sanatan Sanstha have been involved in aggressive campaigns for converting democratic-secular India into Hindu rashtra. The theme of the yearly conferences is fixed; ‘All India Hindu Convention for Establishment of Hindu Nation’. In 2013, the 2^nd such conference began with a felicitation message from Modi as chief minister of Gujarat. Double Sri could not come to grace the conference but bestowed his blessings by offering a yellow shawl to Shivaji Vatkar to be presented in the said conference.

It was at this conference that a senior RSS cadre, K.V. Sitaramiah, in his address declared that Gandhi was ‘terrible, wicked and most sinful’. Rejoicing the killing of M.K. Gandhi, he went on to declare:

“As Bhagwan Shri Krishna said in the Gita, Paritranaya Sadhunam Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam/ Dharamasansthapnaya Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge (For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age) On 30th January 1948 evening, Shriram came in the form of Nathuram Godse and ended the life of Gandhi.”

Double Sri’s modus operandi, operations, gimmicks and close connections with RSS have been recorded by a renowned South Asia expert and journalist, Edward Luce, in his amazing book, In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India, Doubleday, New York, 2007.
Narrating details of a meeting with him at his palatial ashram at Bengaluru Luce stated:

“I had come to visit Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (not to be confused with Ravi Shankar, the classical sitar player), who is perhaps the most prominent of a new breed of highly successful Hindu evangelists, at his Art of Living Foundation near Bangalore in south India. It was evening and hundreds of devotees had already congregated for evening prayers. From close up, the meditation hall was even more striking. Rising to five stories, it had been built entirely from marble. The hall was shaped like a lotus. There were 1,008 marble petals covering the exterior of the building symbolizing the diversity of human consciousness. It was only a few years old. The funding for this extravagant construction had come from corporate donations-much of it from the software companies in nearby Bangalore-and revenues the foundation earns from its hugely popular course in breathing techniques and meditation. ‘Come inside,’ said the polite young lady assigned to show me around. ‘You are just in time to watch the guruji take his evening questions.’”

“The interior was even more striking, fashioned like a Roman amphitheatre. We sat on polished white marble steps looking down at the stage in the centre. I felt like I had stepped inside a large wedding cake…Alone on the stage, on what looked to be a large throne, sat a man in flowing white robes with an equally flowing white robes with an equally flowing beard and silky locks of hair falling luxuriantly around his shoulders. It looked as if Jesus were shooting a shampoo advertisement. This was Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.”

Referring to Question-Answer session Luce wrote:
“There was some chanting and clashing of cymbals. Then the prayers ended and a hush descended over the hall. It was time for guruji to take questions. I, expecting people to ask about higher consciousness or metaphysics. But the questions consisted mostly of mundane queries about how to deal with recalcitrant teenagers, whether staying late in the office was a good thing, and how to choose a marriage partner. The guruji spoke in a quiet but sonorous voice. But his answers were more like those of an advice columnist than a prophet…Someone asked about whether it was always wrong to pay bribes. ‘You shouldn’t be too idealistic all the time,’ said the guruji. ‘Sometimes you have to make little, little compromises.’ Again the audience erupted in laughter. I was beginning to wonder about the Art of Living’s breathing techniques.

According to Luce double SRI was a fervent supporter of building of a Ram Temple after demolishing Babri Mosque at Ayodhya:

“What is less widely known is the guruji’s close attachment to the RSS. He has shared platforms with VHP leaders at public meetings. I asked him whether the Ram Temple should be built in Ayodhya. ‘Suppose,’ he said, ‘that it was the birthplace of Jesus or Mohammed. What would you have done? Would you have tolerated another structure on that site? Let us build a temple to Ram and let the Muslims make this gesture as an act of goodwill and then the temple will also belong to Allah and to all Muslims.’ To Allah? I asked. ‘Yes, as you must have seen, we accept all paths to God. Sometimes we wish other religions would do the same.’ The guruji’s words reminded me of Advani’s desire to see more ‘Hindu Muslims and more ‘Hindu Christians’.”

Luce underlining the deep partnership between double SRI and RSS shared an anecdote:

“A few weeks later received a telephone call from Ram Madhav, the national spokesman of the RSS. ‘I am calling about Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,’ said Madhav. ‘I was talking to him the other day and he said he was disappointed with your article in the Financial Times. You only quoted his views on politics and the Shankaracharya. He said he was hoping you would quote his views on tolerance and spiritualism.’ It is true my article had lacked space to quote the guruji’s opinions on other matters. But I was surprised the guruji should have chosen the RSS—of all organizations—to convey his complaint.”

It is high time Congress leaders like Karnataka Speaker Khader Fareed who are part of Hindutva sleeping cells in Congress are divested of all responsibilities. The democratic-secular India is indebted to Karnataka for being a barricade against the free run of the Hindutva bandwagon, let no Fifth Columnist be allowed to demolish it.

(Shamsul Islam is an academic and former professor of Hindi at Delhi Univeristy; the link to Shamsul Islam’s books in English, Hindi & Urdu is https://tinyurl.com/shams-books)

The post Why is Karnataka assembly speaker UT Khader Fareed inviting Hindutva Guru Sri Sri Ravishankar to address MLAs? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Just a few days ago, I saw an interesting news item on my mobile phone. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) top leader Mohan Bhagawat and his friends: Jaggi Vasudev, and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will address the nation to create hope in times of Corona dance of death. One does not know what networks they will use to do that? According to the news item, they will create an opinion of ‘positivity’ in an atmosphere of ‘negativity’. Obviously, the negativity refers to opposition to the RSS/BJP central Government all over the world and India. 

The news of these three great saintly men creating hope is being propagated by the RSS cadres. I wish they would have included all the Shankaracharyas of different pittas in the country. Of course, another Yogi–Adithyanath, who also heads a pitta, apart from the Uttar Pradesh Government where mass cremations are happening like a Kumbh, should have been part of the team.

The Prime Minister himself, who now looks like a saint not a ruler, will anyway address the nation from time to time. 

However, the declared team consists of a Saraswat Brahmin from Maharashtra, a Tamil Brahmin who mostly lives abroad and educated in English medium at St. Joseph college of Bengaluru. The third is a Dwija educated at Mysore university-that too in English literature with a chequered life and final guruhood of international institutional base. The Indian diaspora and native upper middle-class swings and waves as they speak but the vast masses of food producers do not know what their guruship is. It is this productive nation that needs hope. For the whole nation should get hope from the central Government not from saints and sanyasis. 

The RSS wants to use Ravi Shankar and Vasudev to add Hindu international networking. But the question is why this team did not find a Hindu Guru born in Shudra farmer family and a Dalit family. Is it because they are less Hindu, as they belong to the fourth varna and also no varna (Dalits are known as avarnas)? In the teaching of these three socio-spiritual leaders is there a single sentence that: ‘All Hindus Are Created Equal by Hindu God’. Is there a caste-free God they visualised for protection of all Hindus, leave alone Muslims, Christians and Sikhs of India?

Even assuming that they do not want to save the atheists and seculars, worldwide who were said to have worked for the advanced medical science, how many rural hospitals these gurus established in our poverty-stricken rural India? Ravi Shankar has a network in Geneva where there is a lot of oxygen to breathe in open air as well as in hospitals. But none in the Dandakaranya tribal belt where malnutrition is making their breathing more difficult than in any other part of the world. Why not that be his international base?  

Jaggi Vasudev has networks across the United States including the wealthiest California state, but none in the Koraput tribal belt of Orissa. They learnt English in a manner that every English-speaking Asian, American, European, Australian would understand. But they never learnt a single tribal language of India. Their divinity flows in sweet English to promote ‘Hindu, Hindi, Hindustani’ and the RSS loves this nationalism.    

Whom are they teaching their methods of pranayama (Isha foundation specialization)? Ravi Shankar is supposed to be an expert on rhythmic breathing. India is now dying without pranavayu, and no breathing–leave alone rhythmic. What scientific advancement they achieved and handed over to the nation? How many good hospitals that RSS and these foundations established to save the poor from lack of pranavayu in the villages and tribal areas? 

Even before this deadly disease attacked Indian people in villages and urban slums were dying for want of enough oxygen in the atmosphere. What did they do? Why do they go to teach the Americans and Europeans who have everything–enough pranavayu, prana padarthas to eat along with plenty of cars and planes to travel? Why Hindu God is sending these gurus there not to tribal areas or even to African countries where there is nothing to eat and hardly any energy to breathe? They go to the US and Europe to acquire dollars, Euros and Pounds. How is that nationalism loved by the RSS?      

In 1900, Ida Scudder reached the Vellore region to give life to lifeless and started a medical centre, which later became a trend setting hospital. What kind of guruship she initiated and what kind of guruship these Indian Dwijas established? The RSS leaders attack the Christian missionaries on an everyday basis. Did they establish a single hospital in the country that could match the Christian Medical College Hospital in their long life of 95 years? Did they ever look at what that hospital has done to the nation in subsequent years? That was the first hospital that started open heart surgeries in the 1960s itself, when no other hospital in India knew that science. Did any Hindu Pitta, or Foundation or organisation including the RSS did such constructive humanitarian work? Why accuse such Christians as anti-national? 

The RSS and the gurus like Jaggi Vasudev, Ravi Shankar, who work around them as great Hindu nationalists must know the caste culture is causing more harm than corona to the spiritual will of the nation. Why are they so silent about it? In Uttar Pradesh where a Yogi rules, dead bodies are being discriminated against. Which culture is responsible for that? Where is a call from these gurus to not to do that?    

Most organised religions in the world with strong notion monolith of faith are Hinduism and Islam, though they differ in caste cultural practices. In Hinduism these saints are in control and in Islam the Mullahs are in control. Why could vaccine science not develop in countries of those nations where they play a dominant role? Why does the secular world produce more vaccines and life-saving drugs? Why India of these pranavayu giving gurus begging for oxygen from secular nations? Why did the ‘Art of Living Foundation’, which is said to be a great teacher of breathing exercise, establish a vaccine producing industry and also an oxygen production centre? Do these gugus want to tell us those who breathed according to their methods are not attacked by Corona? We assume that Mohan Bhagwat follows them with a discipline of RSS but was attacked by Corona and treated in a modern medical system developed in Europe and America, not in the Art of Living breathing.   

What kind of nationalism in Ravi Shankar and Vasudev the RSS found who established the Art of Living and art of pranayama in America and Europe but not in Indian Tribal Areas? Should Hindu nationalism be taught from California and Geneva to the farmers who are producing food for all Indian to survive and the safai sainiks who are cleaning the roads in the times of this deadly disease? 

The RSS leaders must know that the nation is watching them when they are in the driving seat of the national power. There is enough intellectual base among the productive masses that can see through these English-speaking gurus, what they speak and do in their typical saintly attire here, and what they speak and do in America and Europe? The farmers, workers, shepherds, artisans and so on are already on ‘hope production’ jobs. They do not have to listen to these gurus to protect themselves from Corona. They are on the job of killing coronavirus in the fields by producing protein and raw material for medicines.

*Views expressed are the author’s own.

(Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd is a political theorist and social activist. His latest book is The Shudras–Vision for a New Parth co-edited with Karthik Raja Karuppusamy)

Other articles by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd:

Disease distancing, not social distancing during Covid-19

Babu and Bhasha: The Game may end with this

Remembering Usaa: The greatest revolutionary barber after Upali

The post A team that never was a hope provider for the poor appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The considerable setback to the BJP in the recently concluded bye-elections in Bengal has set off a heated discussion within the party whether it needs to rethink its strategy on the National Register of Citizens (NRC). A section of the leadership has unequivocally blamed the party’s overemphasis on its implementation for the loss, but others, including state president Dilip Ghosh, are of the opinion that the blame should not be put on it.

“How can the NRC be a factor for defeat in the Kharagpur Sadar Assembly constituency,” asked Mr. Ghosh, also an MP from the region.  “As Kharagpur has a cosmopolitan population of Hindi speaking and also Telugu people settled there for decades, how can the NRC be a factor,” he asked. Mr. Ghosh said it was a little premature to blame the NRC and the party would analyse the reasons for its defeat. He said the Trinamool had done no miracle in the six months leading the the election and the reason people voted against the BJP needed to be analysed.

However not all agree.  TheBJP’s Kaliaganj candidate, Kamal Chandra Sarkar, told presspersons that the NRC was the sole reason if he lost the election. This was before the results were announced.“We could not explain it to the people who are in fear,” said Mr. Sarkar, who lost by 2,414 votes. The BJP had secured 56,000 more votes than the Trinamool in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the seat.

Another person who agreed with this assessment was union minister of state and BJP MP from Asansol Babul Supriyo. “It is very easy to instil fear among the people and the clever politician which Mamata Banerjee is, she used the (NRC) issue very skilfully to instil fear,” Mr. Supriyo said.

Related:
Did NRC turn BJP’s electoral dreams to dust in Bengal?
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The post Bengal BJP leaders, bitter over recent bye-elections debacle, seek blessings of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle

A few days back while talking to a news channel he had shared the dark prophecy that India could become Syria if the mandir issue was not resolved soon.

“If the court rules against a temple, there will be bloodshed. Do you think the Hindu majority will allow it? They will garner resentment towards the Muslim community”.

As expected he was slammed for his ‘provocative remarks’ and looking at the fact that this statement which had the potential to further aggravate ‘disaffection between communities’ a few police complaints were also filed in different parts of the country.

What was disturbing to note, that neither the uproar nor the police complaints, had any sobering effect on this self-proclaimed ‘mediator’ in the Ayodhya dispute. He also stuck to the controversial statement he made a few days later in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh while talking to reporters. Reiterating his earlier statement he tried to justify it as part of his freedom of expression like other people. None of the reporters present dared ask him whether transgressing constitutional boundaries or set legal statutes could come under this claim or not.

Coming to such statements there is no ambiguity as far as the law is concerned.

Under the Indian Law, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion is a recognized criminal offence. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) prescribes criminal prosecution for “wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot” (section 153); “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion” (section 153A); “imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration” (section 153B); “uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person” (section 298); “statements conducing to public mischief” (section 505 (1), b and c); and “statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes (section505 (2). Section 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, in addition, allows an Executive Magistrate to initiate action against a person violating section 153A or 153B of the IPC.”

The “Guidelines to promote communal harmony” issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in October 1997 also point at the precise responsibility of the state machinery to deal with potentially inflammatory statements in the context of communal tension. Guideline 15 states that “effective will need to be displayed by the district authorities in the management of such situations so that ugly incidents do not occur. Provisions in section 153A, 153B, 295 to 298 and 505 of IPC and any other Law should be freely used to deal with individuals promoting communal enmity”. Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which India ratified in 1979, affirms that “Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law”.

A close reading of the spiritual guru’s statement would reveal that if the legal eagles decide, he will have to face tremendous hassles in wriggling himself out from the situation. A Congress Party activist had even said “[t]hat if FIR is not filed against Sri Sri’s controversial remark then he will move to Court and take legal action against him.”

Examples galore where people with sympathies towards right-wing causes go on making such statements without fear of any repercussion. What happens to people in all such cases is normally decided by your proximity to the powers that be.

Not some time ago, H Raja a veteran leader of BJP from Tamil Nadu had shared a warning on Facebook when Lenin’s statue was demolished by a rampaging mob associated with Hindutva Supremacist forces in Tripura

“Who is Lenin? What is his connection to India? What is the connection of communists to India? Lenin’s statue was destroyed in Tripura. Today Lenin’s statue, tomorrow Tamil Nadu’s EVR Ramaswami’s statue. “

Despite the fact that it had the potential to create disturbances all over the state there was no action against him. There were demands to arrest him and slapping Goondas Act against him from opposition parties. The controversial ex MLA distanced himself from the Facebook post and said that the page was maintained by various administrators. () The matter ended there.

While H Raja did not have to face any ‘music’ over an offensive post after a ‘clarification’, a teenage boy Zakir Tyagi from Muzaffarnagar was arrested for a satirical Facebook comment on a statement the chief minister Adityanath had made soon after he was elected last year. He ended up spending several weeks in jail after being accused of various crimes including sedition. His statement read like this

“Yogiji has said in Gorakhpur that goondas and badmashes must leave UP. Who am I to point out sahib Yogi Adityanathji, that there are 28 cases against you of which 22 involve serious charges”.

There are number of similar cases where one can be intimidated , harassed, tortured, jailed with frivolous cases being filed against her/him if you are nobody and dare to share say some morphed image of a ‘Great Leader’on social media or make some comment which appears ‘offensive’ to the hurt sentiment brigade.

And while one still awaits the official reaction towards the ‘provocative’ statement by Sri Sri Ravishankar, it is incumbent upon us to discern the various arguments which flow from it. But before coming to that, it would be opportune to look at the latest developments in the case and some background.
We know very well that Ayodhya, which has been a long time symbol of our composite heritage, was besmirched 25 years ago when a five-hundred-year-old mosque was demolished by vandals belonging to the communal fascist formations. As of now, the Supreme Court is seized of the case where it has decided that it will hear it as a ‘land dispute’ and the next hearing would be held on March 14.

One can recapitulate that the intervention of the Supreme Court had taken place after it had stayed a judgement of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court which had effectively turned the suit of the ownership of land into a property dispute between three parties and emphasised people’s beliefs and sentiments as opposed to actual facts to be clinching factors in deciding a case.

The high court judgement had received widespread condemnation from civil society as well because it was clear that it was not delivered on sound legal principles and was driven by the point of settling the long-simmering dispute between the two communities at any cost. It was called a ‘Panchayati’ judgement where the word of the arbitrator/mediator was supposed to be the final word. The verdict had rather vindicated the long-standing demand by the Hindutva Supremacist forces that matters of faith were above any law and jurisprudence. It had caused tremendous jubilation in their camp then and with near victory in sight, they had even started raising other contentious issues between the two communities and had even demanded that Muslims should similarly rescind their claims on Mathura and Varanasi and thousands of other similar cases.

A careful reading of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s interview makes it clear that he was trying to reinvigorate the crux of the Allahabad judgement which had upheld majoritarian claims and disregarded justice.

The dispute, he said, could be simply resolved if Muslims “give up” their claims on Ayodhya. “Muslims should give up their claim on Ayodhya as a goodwill gesture… Ayodhya is not [a] place of faith for Muslims.”

By claiming that if the Supreme Court fails to uphold Hindutva demand then Hindus would erupt in violence, not only the spiritual guru was challenging the rule of law but also questioning constitutional principles before which there is no discrimination on the basis of caste, gender, community, race etc. It was also an ‘indirect appeal’ to all those people/formations who are sympathetic to the Hindutva cause that they remain ready for a new bout of frenzy.

People who are normally taken in by this soft-spoken Sadhu whose global spirituality programme which goes by the name of Art of Living (AOL) – which is a rage among the generation next – would feel surprised if they listen to his advocacy of such causes where he appears less like a spiritual man but more a politician owning allegiance with to the Hindutva Brigade.

As an aside, it can be noted that The Art of Living has established its network in 140 countries around the world and claims 20 million members. Many leading corporations like Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Cisco Systems hire AOL teachers to conduct seminars for their employees. Of course, behind the carefully cultivated image of playfulness, love and joy, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar cannot hide what Meera Nanda calls his ‘Hindu nationalist passion’ It has been an open secret that on matters of Ram Mandir and minorities he has always shown where his sympathies lie.

The British magazine The Economist had described his politics quite accurately:

‘Art of Living is open to people of all faiths. But, in fact, discussing the Ram temple, its guru starts to sound less like a spiritual leader and more like a politician, talking of the long history of “appeasement of the minority community”, and of the unfairness of a system that subsidises Muslims to go on the Haj to Mecca’. (Page 100, The God Market, Meera Nanda, Random House.)

Art of Living’s occasional metamorphosis into Art of Coercion is a logical conclusion of this vision.

Amen!

Subhash Gatade is the author of Pahad Se Uncha Aadmi (2010) Godse’s Children: Hindutva Terror in India,(2011) and The Saffron Condition: The Politics of Repression and Exclusion in Neoliberal India(2011). He is also the Convener of New Socialist Initiative (NSI) Email : subhash.gatade@gmail.com

Originally published https://newsclick.in/art-coercion

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According to media reports, senior Congress leader Tom Vadakkan told journalists that if such efforts were made by Sri Sri, it was appreciable, “While this matter subjudice, the court did say that this matter can be settled outside the court and if efforts have been made by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to solve the problem, it is welcome decision. The point is, it must be discussed properly with the stakeholders and no pressure must be brought on anybody. If done amicably it is good for country.”[i]

It is sad that a hardcore Hindutva baba, Sri Sri Ravishankar is being presented as ‘mediator’ in the Ayodhya mosque demolition issue There are three critical issues to be kept in mind while accepting Sri Sri as a ‘mediator’.

Firstly, the demolition of mosque on December 6, 1992 was not the result of a conflict between Hindus and Muslims. It was an engendered conflict –that took many lives — between Hindutva organizations and the democratic-secular Indian polity. The mosque was demolished despite orders of Supreme Court, assurances by the RSS/BJP leaders to the Indian Parliament and then prime minister, Narsimha Rao. Both the IndianParliament and the prime minister then promised to rebuild the mosque at its original site.

Secondly, what is the inordinate hurry when country is awaiting judgments from the Supreme Court and lower courts in criminal as well as deewani  (ownership question) aspects of the case?

Thirdly, this baba is not a neutral ‘mediator’. He is an old RSS (which was responsible for demolition of mosque at Ayodhya on December 6, 2017) cadre who has been attending all major programmes of RSS. Earlier RSS and his supporters advanced the name of Dalai Lama, also a great pal of the RSS, but his name was withdrawn for his open hobnobbing with the RSS.

Sri Sri’s modus operandi, operations, gimmicks and close connections with RSS have been recorded by a renowned South Asia expert and journalist in his book, In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India, Doubleday, New York, 2007.
 

According to him:
 
“I was still several miles from the ashram. But I could already make out its imposing meditation hall illuminated in shimmering blue and white light. I had come to visit Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (not to be confused with Ravi Shankar, the classical sitar player), who is perhaps the most prominent of a new breed of highly successful Hindu evangelists, at his Art of Living Foundation near Bangalore in south India. It was evening and hundreds of devotees had already congregated for evening prayers. From close up, the meditation hall was even more striking. Rising to five stories, it had been built entirely from marble. The hall was shaped like a lotus. There were 1,008 marble petals covering the exterior of the building symbolizing the diversity of human consciousness. It was only a few years old. The funding for this extravagant construction had come from corporate donations-much of it from the software companies in nearby Bangalore-and revenues the foundation earns from its hugely popular course in breathing techniques and meditation. ‘Come inside,’ said the polite young lady assigned to show me around. ‘You are just in time to watch the guruji take his evening questions.’”
 
“The interior was even more striking, fashioned like a Roman amphitheatre. We sat on polished white marble steps looking down at the stage in the centre. I felt like I had stepped inside a large wedding cake. Above us the walls and ceilings were covered with pink lotuses. On the pillars that supported the dome around the central stage were the symbols of the world’s main religions: the Islamic Crescent, the star of David, and the Cross of Jesus. In the centre, much larger than the other representations, was a depiction of Laxmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. Alone on the stage, on what looked to be a large throne, sat a man in flowing white robes with an equally flowing white robes with an equally flowing beard and silky locks of hair falling luxuriantly around his shoulders. It looked as if Jesus were shooting a shampoo advertisement. This was Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
 
“There was some chanting and clashing of cymbals. Then the prayers ended and a hush descended over the hall. It was time for guruji to take questions. I, expecting people to ask about higher consciousness or metaphysics. But the questions consisted mostly of mundane queries about how to deal with recalcitrant teenagers, whether staying late in the office was a good thing, and how to choose a marriage partner. The guruji spoke in a quiet but sonorous voice. But his answers were more like those of an advice columnist than a prophet. Someone asked how she could truly know she was a good person. ‘You do not need to be sweetie-sweetie, goodie-goodie all the time,’ said guruji. The audience broke into delighted laughter. Puzzled, I looked around to see hundreds of shining eyes and overjoyed expressions. The next question, which came by e-mail and was read by one of guruji’s followers ended with: ‘I love you so much guruji.’ Someone asked about whether it was always wrong to pay bribes. ‘You shouldn’t be too idealistic all the time,’ said the guruji. ‘Sometimes you have to make little, little compromises.’ Again the audience erupted in laughter. I was beginning to wonder about the Art of Living’s breathing techniques. 
 
After the Q&A session had ended, I was told it was now time for my “audience” with Sri Sri Ravishankar. It took a while for the interview to begin because throngs of people had surrounded the guruji seeking his blessing. Half of them were westerners. ‘Can I have your blessing, guruji,’ shouted a blond woman as the guruji was finally entering the interview room. He turned slowly and placed his hands on the woman. Her face was a study in beatific joy. Then he entered the room. After we had settled down, I asked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar what he thought about the arrest of the Shankaracharya of Kanchi. ‘It was shock to me,’ he said. ‘It was also shock to hear about all the financial inefficiency in the mutt (temple). But I am not surprised at the lack of public reaction. The Hindus are a very docile people. We are a non-violent people. But maybe it has also to do with the fact that the institution never reaches out to people. Other sections of society don’t feel any attachment to his temple.”
 
“In contrast to Shankaracharya’s temple in Kanchi, which is dirty, the Art of Living Foundation was spotlessly clean. Its meeting rooms looked like executive boardrooms. There were liquid crystal displays. People from all walks of life and religion are welcome at the Art of Living Foundation. All sorts of credit cards are also accepted. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has a reputation for being a mystic and liberal.
 
“What is less widely known is the guruji’s close attachment to the RSS. He has shared platforms with VHP leaders at public meetings. I asked him whether the Ram Temple should be built in Ayodhya. ‘Suppose,’ he said, ‘that it was the birthplace of Jesus or Mohammed. What would you have done? Would you have tolerated another structure on that site? Let us build a temple to Ram and let the Muslims make this gesture as an act of goodwill and then the temple will also belong to Allah and to all Muslims.’ To Allah? I asked. ‘Yes, as you must have seen, we accept all paths to God. Sometimes we wish other religions would do the same.’
 
The guruji’s words reminded me of Advani’s desire to see more “Hindu Muslims” and more “Hindu Christians.” They also reminded me of an interview I had had with Narendra Modi in Gujarat. Modi had said: ‘We have nothing against people who are not Hindus what we cannot accept is when people say; we are whiter than white. Our religion as better than yours.’ As we saw, Modi demonstrated his opinion of such people in more robust ways. I wondered whether the guruji really believed in all this. He seemed courteous and gentle—although I suspected he might also be suffering from a mild dose of narcissism. ‘Why do people want to convert people to other religions?’ the guruji asked. ‘It is great pity. We should protect the cultural diversity of the planet and not try to change it.’ I pointed out that the Art of Living Foundation was thriving in places such as California, London, and the Netherlands. ‘Yes, but we are not a religion. We do not try to convert anyone. There are many paths to God.’
 
A few weeks later received a telephone call from Ram Madhav, the national spokesman of the RSS. ‘I am calling about Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,’ said Madhav. ‘I was talking to him the other day and he said he was disappointed with your article in the Financial Times. You only quoted his views on politics and the Shankaracharya. He said he was hoping you would quote his views on tolerance and spiritualism.’ It is true my article had lacked space to quote the guruji’s opinions on other matters. But I was surprised the guruji should have chosen the RSS—of all organizations—to convey his complaint.'”[ii][Bold text for emphasis]
 
Support by the Congress of this baba’s name as ‘mediator’ proves one fact once again that the former has not learnt any lessons from its past blunders in this case when it allowed the opening of the gates of mosque, pooja and shila poojan at the site, actually allowing a conflict to first fester and then explode in humungous proportions.
 
This latest move by the Congress, shocking and short sighted, to support a ‘mediator’ who has in the past declared support for one powerful side in the dispute (he has openly stated that eh stands for building a temple over the site of the demolished mosque)is suicidal for both secular, democratic India and the Congress.

[i]http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/cong-lauds-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-s-act-as-mediator-in-ayodhya-dispute/488632.html

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The country's top environment court, the National Green Tribunal came down forcefully today on spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, stating,  "You have no sense of responsibility. Do you think you have the liberty to say whatever you want?"

Last year, in January 2016, Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation fined Rs 120 crore for damaging Yamuna floodplains. A panel appointed by the National Green Tribunal found that the organisation had harmed the ecology around the banks of the river while making preparations for the World Culture Festival.

 
In a hearing yesterday, Sri Sri had callously said that if any damage has been caused to the environment by the huge three-day cultural festival he held on the banks of the River Yamuna in Delhi last year, it is the government and the court who should take the blame, because they allowed the event.
"If, at all, any fine has to be levied, it should be levied on the Central and state governments and the NGT itself, for giving the permission. If the Yamuna was so fragile and pure, they should have stopped the World Culture Festival," the 60-year-old, who has lakhs of followers around the world, said in a Facebook post.
 
A team of experts has testified to the National Green Tribunal that the event, which included a 7-acre stage for musicians and dancers and sprawled across 1,000 acres, had "completely destroyed" the riverbed. They said reversing the damage will take at least 10 years and about 42 crores. In January 2016, Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation fined Rs 120 crore for damaging Yamuna floodplains. A panel appointed by the National Green Tribunal found that the organisation had harmed the ecology around the banks of the river while making preparations for the World Culture Festival.

 
Sri Sri and the Art of Living Foundation, which was founded by him, have denied all allegations of damaging the fragile ecosystem of the Yamuna.
 
Environmentalists last year asked for the "World Culture Festival" to be disallowed, but the National Green Tribunal said it was too late to call off the event and fined the organization five crores. Sri Sri at the time said he should be given an award for hosting a spectacular event that drew people from across the globe to the banks of one of the world's most polluted rivers.

Showing India and the world that he cared little for the mass destruction being caused to the Yamuna, the event had opened with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on stage next to Sri Sri. Modi, in one aspect of his public marketing image likes to show at least that he is committed to the movement against climate change !!

In March last year a further controversy was generated around the issue when a Gujarat based activist, Roshan Shah alleged that “Facebook Violating Article 19, "Filtering" Content Critical of Sri Sri's AOL”. This was on March 12, 2016. Roshan Shah, an  Ahmedabad-based activist had, in a communication with the Director General of Police, Gujarat and the ACP, Cyber Crime Cell asked for registration of a first information report against Facebook for “intercepting messages” and “filtering content.” .The complaint related to the controversy afoot over days in March last year relating to the World Culture Festival where Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who runs the Art of Living Foundation receiving a Rs. 2.5 cr as a government grant, using Indian army for the construction of a bridge, and chopping off trees.

Scroll.in had in an investigative report shown how “India’s spiritual gurus are the newbie gods of consumer goods” (April 2016)
 

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It was not unexpected that this would happen once the Modi government assumed power in May 2014. The chief prosecutor Rohini Salian  in the Malegaon case (investigated first by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS, then the CBI and finally the NIA) case had warned that this was coming in the first half of 2015 itself. Julio Ribeiro, perhaps the most decorated cop in independent India and an expert on terrorism, had, in a signed piece on June 27, 2015, warned that "going slow on ‘Hindu terror’ is dangerous. [i] It’s also an insult to the memory of Hemant Karkare". In his article Julio Ribeiro  went on to share the crucial facts about the case:

"A day before he was shot dead by Pakistani terrorists who had clandestinely sailed from Karachi to Mumbai, Hemant Karkare, an outstanding IPS officer of impeccable integrity as well as high intelligence and abilities, had come to meet me. He was disturbed by the reactions of some BJP leaders, particularly L.K. Advani, to the turn his investigations had taken in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
 

"The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which he headed at that time, had initially suspected jihadi fanatics. Such thoughts would come naturally to any policeman those days as Muslim groupings like Simi had been responsible for several terrorist acts across the country. But, the ATS had suddenly, unexpectedly and, I must add, fortuitously come across incontrovertible evidence, which included taped conversations, to prove that the Malegaon blasts, as well as the Ajmer, Hyderabad and Samjhauta Express blasts that killed nearly a hundred people, were conceived, planned and executed by a group of fanatical Hindus bent on revenge.

"It is the duty of law enforcers to seek the real offenders and ensure that they are dealt with by the law of the land. Politics, religion, caste, community have no role to play in the pursuit of truth and justice. It is true that such lofty ideals are often forgotten but fortunately there are still police officers who act according to their conscience and the Constitution. Hemant Karkare was one such officer.

"I went through some of the evidence he had gathered. I was staggered. I could understand the anger that prompted the perpetrators to embark on their misconceived journey. But a police officer has to do his duty, which is to stick to the truth and the letter of the law. I advised Karkare to abide by his 'dharma'. I offered to speak to Advani if required. I was sure that Advani would appreciate the fact that Karkare was doing what any true gentleman and patriot would be expected to do.

"Unfortunately, Ajmal Kasab and his brainwashed companions snuffed out the life of a good man. Karkare was not around to pursue the case but his successors carried on the investigations and filed the charge sheet against the real culprits in court."

While discussing the fears of Rohini Salian stating that NIA may renegade on the persecution of the Hindutva terrorists Ribeiro had commented:

"Rohini Salian is a legend in the world of public prosecutors. Every policeman knows her name. So do the lawyers and judges of the city of Mumbai. She is single-minded in her commitment to her duties and, above all, everyone knows that she cannot be bought.

"Salian’s lament on being asked to go soft on Hindu extremists accused of terrorist acts frightens us to believe that the country is steadily being led on to the path trodden by our surly neighbour on our western border. The masterminds of the 26/11 attacks are treated like heroes in Pakistan."

What he feared in June 2015 that "if hidden hands nudge the judicial system to free murderers of the saffron variety" has now taken concrete shape with the charge sheet of NIA reportedly submitted before the court on May 13, 2016. According to a press report, "In a turnaround on Friday (May 13, 2016), the National Investigation Agency dropped all charges against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and five others in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, while charges under the stringent MCOCA law have been given up against all the other 10 accused, including Lt. Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit".[ii]

In fact, the cowardly killing of Hemant Karkre on November 27, 2008 in Mumbai by the Islam-o-fascists, much to the glee of Hindutva terrorists, actually derailed the whole process of bringing to justice the perpetrators. The prosecuting agencies, even during UPA II’s rule –after Hemant Karkare's untimely removal from the scene – did not follow important leads.

The chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Mohan Bhagwat had publicly confessed while addressing a meeting of the RSS at Surat (Gujarat) on January 10, 2011 that "of the majority of the people whom the government has accused (in various blast cases), a few had left voluntarily and a few were told by the Sangh that this extremism will not work here so you go away."[iii]

Mohan Bhagwat had, thus quite candidly disclosed then, that ,of the 'majority of the people' who were accused and who were from the RSS a 'few had left voluntarily' and others were told by the RSS to 'go away'. Bhagwat should have been called for investigation(s) by the agencies to share the names of these persons allegedly accused of perpetrating acts of terror. It appears that this was never done. Since, according to the oral and written assurances given by the NIA, the search for the "real perpetrators" is still on, Bhagwat should be asked under oath to disclose the list of those who had left and who were asked to go away. In fact, Bhagwat should be made a  party to the case as a crucial witness.

The current charge sheet also makes a startling revelation. According to a report in a prominent English daily of India[iv], "The key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Lt. Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit, had organised a training camp under the guise of an ‘Art of Living’ event, the charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency said. The NIA has recorded the statement of the owner of a hotel in Panchmarhi in this regard. The owner, who was a prosecution witness, said that in September 2005, Purohit met him in the hotel and asked him to arrange a camp for 40-50 people related to ‘Art of Living’ (AoL) at Panchmarhi. "

If the NIA is at all serious about further investigations into the leads contained even its diluted charge sheet, it must question senior functionaries of the AOL (the outfit is headed by Sri Sri Ravishankar) and explore wither the possible nexus in its entirety or those responsible for mis-using the banner. Of course, the questioning/examining of RSS chief, Mohan Bagwat must also be accorded top priority.

The key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Lt. Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit, had organised a training camp under the guise of an ‘Art of Living’ event, the charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency said. The NIA has recorded the statement of the owner of a hotel in Panchmarhi in this regard. The owner, who was a prosecution witness, said that in September 2005, Purohit met him in the hotel and asked him to arrange a camp for 40-50 people related to ‘Art of Living’ (AoL) at Panchmarhi.

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India’s consumer goods market is in for some divine intervention as spiritual gurus make a beeline to the profits counter.

Image credit:  IANS, Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP, Punit Paranjpe/AFP

After the spectacular success of Patanjali Ayurveda – yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s firm – others are now either entering the sector or aggressively expanding existing businesses.

In February this year, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh – the flamboyant leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, a sect in northern India – launched about 150 products, marketed as swadeshi (indigenous) and organic. These products, including rice, pickle, and bottled water, among others, will be sold by MSG All Trading International, a firm owned by the sect.

Another firm, Sri Sri Ayurveda, owned by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation, has recently increased marketing and promotion of its products. Launched in 2003, it now plans to expand its reach. SSA wants to increase the number of its franchise stores from the current 600 to 2,700 by 2017, a March 2015 report by broking firm Edelweiss said.

There is more.

The Bochanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha and Puducherry’s Sri Aurobindo Ashram, too, have entered the FMCG space, the Edelweiss report added. BAPS runs the Swaminarayan temples in India, the US and UK, besides the Akshardham temples in Gujarat and New Delhi.

While most of these organisations have always experimented with Ayurveda – one of the world’s oldest medicinal systems – selling and promoting products on a small scale, they have now begun to think of its retail viability, thanks to Patanjali’s winning streak.

Ramdev’s firm is now a tough competitor to some of the country’s oldest consumer goods players, including Dabur and Emami. It has already eaten into Colgate-Palmolive’s market share in the toothpaste category.

“Post the spectacular initial success of Patanjali, we expect other spiritual gurus also to go the ‘Patanjali way’ in the FMCG space. In particular, we are seeing renewed aggression – mass media, events, more products – from SSA,” the Edelweiss report authored by analysts Abneesh Roy, Pooja Lath, and Tanmay Sharma said.

Here’s how Patanjali’s revenue and profits have grown:

Data: BSE | Patanjali's revenue according to media reports

Data: Registrar of Companies

Massive opportunity

India’s Ayurvedic products market is set to grow at 15% between 2016 and 2020, according to Nomura, the Japanese brokerage. That gives the new entrants a huge opportunity.

These spiritual gurus already have a huge follower base. SSA can capitalise the over 350 million AOL adherents, including influential politicians, businessmen and actors. Earlier this month, Future Group founder Kishore Biyani said during AOL’s World Cultural Festival that he is open to selling SSA products though his retail outlets.

According to Edelweiss, “SSA is riding on brand equity” of its founder Shankar and AOL. Right now, the company sells personal care products, dietary supplements, and food products.

A questionnaire sent by Quartz to SSA remains unanswered.

Delhi-based MSG is affiliated to Dera Sacha Sauda, which has over 50 million global followers, its website says. In a video, the sect’s chief Singh said that his firm’s products will be organic and all the processes will be transparent.

The company will sell its products through teleshopping, online platforms, and mobile apps. CP Arora, an MSG director, told the Press Trust of India that there is already demand from the US, Canada, England, Germany, and Australia.
However, these companies haven’t had a smooth ride. Patanjali products have run into trouble over safety concerns. In December, its desi ghee (clarified butter) was tested for fungus, days after its instant noodle brand was under the scanner for not having the requisite food safety approvals.

Competition heats up

So, should Patanjali, the current star, worry about the sudden influx of me-toos? Not really, according to Deepak Singhal, Patanjali’s chief strategy officer.

“There is no competition as such. These new entrants have a long way to go before they can match Patanjali,” Singhal told Quartz. If anything, he said, they could help spread awareness of natural and Ayurvedic products.

“We have the advantage of originality, they (new firms) are trying to take a piece of the pie,” he said.

Let the divine games begin.

Courtesy: Scroll.in

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