One of the greatest and most poignant mysteries of life is how every
time man errs and darkness engulfs us, the Supreme, the Divine, or
whatever name we give It, sends down upon earth His instruments — the
avatars, shaktis, gurus, yogis, saints, vibhutis — to help humanity.
Most of these instruments are vilified in their own time, and
only when they die are they deified. In the old days, avatars and gurus
were physically tortured: Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross by
his own people. Nowadays, there is no need to crucify gurus physically;
they are just pilloried by the media. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, one of the
most selfless gurus today, whose pranayama techniques have
benefited millions, and whose volunteers work tirelessly all over the
world to alleviate pain, has been attacked again and again.
Recently,
Pierre Monegier, the Delhi-based correspondent of France 2, the French
national channel, approached the Art of Living Foundation with an
apparently innocuous request for an interview: ‘We are planning to do a
story on the importance of religion and spirituality in India.’ The
request was granted and Monegier and his reporter, Nida Hasan, were
allowed access to every corner of the Bangalore ashram, as well as an
interview with SSRS. This is what came out on July 4 in the prime time
news of France 2: Sri Sri was introduced by a voice over as the ‘head of
a vast flourishing business.’ The Bangalore ashram was described as
being ‘a gigantic resort with many hotels and restaurants (absolutely
false), and innumerable shops dedicated to Sri Sri Shankar.’
mportance was given to images showing devotees touching SSRS’s feet,
or asking him to hug them (with voice), and having tears in their eyes,
as Monegier knew it would shock French viewers not used to the Indian
ways of devotion. Then, Monegier stated: ‘Most disciples pour into the
organisation 10% of their income,’ which is a lie. Finally, of the
interview with SSRS, they chose only one quote, which could again shock
the French: ‘I am like any other doctor — a specialist who can bring
happiness to people… the ultimate goal of money is after all happiness’
and Monegier concluded: ‘Some of these auto-proclaimed popes of Hinduism
have a flavor of scandal to them.’
Now this is a serious matter:
what if an Indian journalist based in Paris asked for an interview with
the Cardinal of Paris, lying about his true intentions, and used the
opportunity to defame the Cardinal and French Catholicism in general?
His or her visa would not be renewed or could even be revoked at once.
Usually, it is very easy to denigrate gurus and Hindus — and probably
Monegier and Hasan banked on that. But this time, everybody has reacted:
the Art of Living is considering filing a defamation suit against
France 2 India; the French embassy in India and the Indian embassy in
Paris have been contacted and an Indian government official has said
that ‘he was appalled by the France 2 footage.’
The accusation of
Gurus being super-rich, running empires, having assets in tax-free
countries is nothing new. But what I have seen with my own eyes is that a
guru starts with a few disciples, and as the ashram grows, people have
to be fed, expenses met. Then he has satsangs, which have to be paid
for, departments have to be started to run housing for guests, kitchens,
administration… At some point donations are not enough and extra money
is sought through sales of DVDs, ayurvedic products, photos... France 2
focused on the shops of the Art of Living ashram in Bangalore, even
having a close-up of a cash register in an ayurvedic outlet and a
saleswoman with a bundle of rupees in her hands. From the beginning, Sri
Sri has tried to revive ayurveda in India, seeing how every third shop
here is an allopathic one and that this ancient, wise and unique medical
system was slowly dying.
Sri Sri started his own ayurvedic
factory under one of his most senior disciples and brought out some
pioneering products, which today are marketed under Sri Sri Ayurveda.
What’s wrong with that?
True, in the end, a movement like the Art
of Living has to be run like a multinational — yet every rupee is poured
back into seva projects or into ashrams that are always running into
losses.
France 2’s film is highly biased, and is a direct attack
on India’s ancient culture. That France is only the 11th biggest
investor in India, behind smaller countries like Belgium or Mauritius,
is undoubtedly due to the wrong image that is propagated by channels
like France 2. Will Pierre Monegier get away with what he has done?
Follow Francois Gautier
on Twitter @fgautier26
on Twitter @fgautier26
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