Puri temple corridor, Sadhguru’s save-soil bike tour
The other day on a television talk show, Congress and BJP spokespersons screamed foul, as usual, over the Jagannath Temple corridor which in fact is a dream-come true project that would be a ‘tourist’s delight’ once in place. It is not ‘for orthodox Hindus only’ as the displayed board says at the main entrance of the shrine. It will be free for all to walk leisurely around and enjoy the beauty of the heritage surrounding.
Getting to this stage was more than a Herculean task as displacing residents and commercial operators from their rightful holdings was nearly impossible. The Naveen Patnaik administration deserves a big score on this front. More interestingly, when, after cleansing the surrounding around the temple, the Chief Minister formally invited all political party bosses to a customary Pooja, State Congress boss Niranjan Patnaik grabbed the opportunity only to occupy a berth next to Naveen. Now, Congress guys are harping that the Odisha Government has flouted all norms in respect of the statutory heritage safety restrictions imposed by the Archaeological Survey of India and the National Monuments Authority. The BJP leaders go on saying that the pits dug for construction would pull down the majestic temple.
Despite the lawyer-cum-temple committee member explaining lucidly that no construction in the heritage zones could ever happen without formal approval or endorsement by the concerned authorities, the stubborn opponents go on haranguing with utter nonsense. That Naveen Patnaik’s objective of making Puri the face of Odisha and city number one in India would make every Odia proud has evidently failed to enter their heads. All the same, the eminent lawyer-committee member drove home all his points just too well silencing the BJP and Congress guys conclusively.
*The whole world knows by now that Sadhguru, born Jagadish Vasudev, is a magnificently persuasive talker. He responds truly well to most queries posed by both followers and detractors equally impressively. Robed rather peculiarly, he seems to have made great efforts to look older than his 64 years, perhaps to create an aura of unique, irrefutable wisdom picked with great care. He is recognised as one of the leading modern spiritual Indian gurus with stellar followers including Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Hannah Bronfman and Andrew Chapman, music mogul Jason Flom and fashion insider Kelly Cutrone and, above all, Will Smith, the latest Oscar winning chap who only a day before lost sense and slapped the comedian anchor Chris Rock at the grand Oscar awards event for making light humour over Smith’s wife’s baldness due to alopecia errata, a health condition that uproots hair on the scalp. Smith has been slammed by millions of fans for having been so violently reactive to light humour by a likeable humourist. The point being highlighted here is that the Sadhguru, adored by millions across the globe for showing light, is Will Smith’s most-revered guru and source of inspiration. The Isha Foundation, a non-profit outfit run by Sadhguru, physically spreads over 150 acres in a prime zone of Coimbatore with five-star staying facilities for millionaire followers crazy to attain some peace in their otherwise highly stressful lives. Sadhguru lately turned environmentalist inspiring people to protect the living planet by saving soil in the first place. The Isha Foundation receives huge grants from celebrities and dignitaries that he enamours easily with his persuasive communication. His ashram celebrates big religious festivals with such pomp and show as to put wealthy erstwhile royals and God-fearing billionaire business tycoons to shame. The Government of India bestowed on him Padma Vibhusan a couple of years ago.
On the fine morning of March 21, Sadhguru has embarked on a unique 100-day lone motorcycle tour across 27 nations with the sole aim of raising awareness around soil degradation that poses a threat to life on the planet. He will cover 30,000 km on his prized 28 lakh-rupee BMW K1600 GT motorcycle. His itinerary says he will engage in heavily media-covered special campaign times in Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague as followers there would carry his divine message forward to raise the number of people falling in love with nature. After a series of events in key cities, he plans to return to New Delhi in 75 days to commemorate India's 75th anniversary of independence. Interestingly, Sadhguru says he even sleeps on his prized motorcycle when tired and does not fall off the seat if asleep indicating his yogic prowess takes care of all these ordinary inconveniences.
People with extremely sane heads on shoulders are just keen to know if this kind of mad tour was really necessary at this time of a pandemic. Today with fantastic information technology available, should one go on a physical trip across the globe to inspire people to save soil? And is saving soil more important than issues around poverty, war, inequality among humans, indelible carbon footprints and bad international governance? And what about decades of selfless advocacy work by scores of scientifically wise activists who have dedicated whole lives to the cause of a cleaner safer environment. And lastly, there are some other quality thinkers and critics who say Sadhguru is playing ‘brand ambassador’ for a specific company.
India by all means takes pride in Sadhguru for the country has gained even more eminence than usual because of his spiritual contributions to mankind. All the same, there is suspicion some success has gone into his head. Maybe, he is just too right and his critics wholly wrong for not being able to fathom his greatness. But that his big celebrity disciple Will Smith has not picked the basic skills of keeping cool over a trivial matter has confused quite a few well-meaning and honest human creatures.
