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Sunday, November 13, 2011

The Jet Age Swami





The lounge was unusually crowded. There was still one more hour before the flight was to depart so I looked around for a seat and managed to find one in the corner. There was a gentleman bent over his laptop, busy preparing a report. Then there was a very slim girl wearing a skin hugging outfit outlining the contours of her firm figure. She was reading a Sidney Sheldon bestseller and sipping cappuccino. Another couple was engaged in a comfy conversation. I was soon rewarded in my indulgence of observing people rather than following the news playing on the TV. A Saffron robed Swami, very well built and with a flowing black beard, holding a blackberry in one hand, and a ring on every finger, entered. He was accompanied with an entourage of six people-two women very well dressed and three gentlemen in ties and one donning a spotless white kurta and a matching pajama. A man attired in black suit and a purple tie who was clean shaven and had a receding hairline sat on an adjacent sofa suddenly got up from his seat and walked up to the Swami bowed and greeted him. The Swami’s eyes shone in familiarity and waved a hand to bless his disciple. ‘Swamiji, let me introduce you to my wife and daughter’ he said, as he brought the Swami closer to the place where they both were sipping a cold drink. Upon seeing the Swami walk up to them they got up and greeted him with folded hands and head bowed in reverence. ’Jeete raho’(Bless You!) the Swami said, as he blessed them in turns. After brief introductions they all settled down in a semi circle and continued to talk. I moved a little closer to eavesdrop on the on going conversation. ‘Swamiji, this is my daughter, Neetu about whom I had mentioned to you last time and she is a Manglik( Born under unfavorable sun sign) . She will be twenty eight next month and our search for a bridegroom has not yielded any results, the man anxiously explained to the Swami’. The mobile of Swami rang and the conversation was interrupted for a while as he cut short the discussion. Swami opened his brief case which lay on his feet and pulled out a black thread with metallic bead (a Taveej). He handed it over to the girl and said ’Beti (Daughter)you should wear this and do not remove it’. He then looked at the man and his wife and continued ’your daughter will be married within next six months, so have faith in god’. The couple   gratefully looked at the swami and thanked him for his blessing. The announcement of my flight interrupted the session.  After a brief discussion both the swami and his disciple got up and walked towards a corner. I guess the disciple had gone to make an offering to the god man. As I stepped out of the room, I looked back and found the swami smiling at his disciple.

News was breaking on the TV that Swami Agnivesh would be joining the reality show ‘The Big Boss’ to rub shoulders with a bevy of beauties. Yes, he is the same guy who was hobnobbing with one Kapil Muni(sic!) and caught on the camera to defame the team Anna , crusading against corruption! I wondered how times have changed when Urvashi had come to interrupt the meditation of Swami Vishwamitra to the recent times where the Swami himself would be landing in the den with beauties!

My mind was racing at the thought of how all these Swami, of the modern era, have tarnished the image of yesteryear Swamis!  Agnivesh, Nityanand , Chandraswami and the list goes on. Hope we will learn to live without them some day in future!

23 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. This all sounded quite foreign to me and I had to google 'swami' for further knowledge lol!

    Very interesting read and the manner in which you penned it kept my attention throughout the story :) I don't think I'll forget about him having a Blackberry in one hand and all those fingers dressed with rings :))

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  3. Wonderfully descriptive piece of writing!

    Hopefully, there are still wise men living in simplicity...

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  4. I see from your words that a lot has changed in the past years. Hope that we can consider this evolution although sometimes i am not that sure

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  5. Very well articulated Rahul.ji. we can very well flourish without so many unwanted show stealers in our country.

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  6. Very well written post! You are right, we will have to learn to live without them in the future...
    Hope you have a fabulous week ahead:)

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  7. Yesteryear's swamis or the ones now .. I have no faith in any! How can a man sitting on a couch, chomping cigar and blowing multi colored smoke rings determine a human's fate? I find it foolhardy .. No offence to any who hold beliefs for or against!
    This was very well narrated though!

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  8. These people are no God, so they should stop pretending to be one and should stop robbing people off and filling them with useless stuff!
    And we must stop believing in them. It all makes no sense..

    Else maybe someday the definition of a Swami will officially change.

    Nice post :)

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  9. Yea.. every thing has changed. Swamis are joining Bigg Boss, was that for publicity? God knows.. People will never know the inside story. All these TRP(s) n the whole game. But one thing, every person that sits in saffron and chant hymns can't be labeled as "Swami". Being swami requires more.

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  10. @Lady Fiona- First apologies for not having translated the colloquial terms!I shall henceforth translate them, if used again!Am thankful to you for having read this and liked it despite a bit of struggle:) :)
    Have translated this now at some places...
    @LadyFi- Am sure you too must have found it hard to read! Thanks a lot for liking it!
    @ Francesa R- Things are still evolving and it will take time to change! Thank you!
    @ The BB- Chintan- Good to see you after a break! Am happy you enjoyed this one and certainly we should do away with these wolves in sheep's clothing!
    @ Arti- Thanks for your kind remarks! Hope you had an enjoyable weekend too..
    @ Crystal- Sure, these people have no place in today's world!
    @ PhilO- So true! Thanks for your agreement on this subject :)
    @ Shreya- These people are publicity hungry and go to any extent to gain some mileage!

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  11. I appreciate for your wonderful post. Very well written. Excellent.

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  12. Great to have found your blog- I have a shared interest in 'people watching' at airports- there are alot of truths which can be revealed when we take time to observe.

    great post- I noted you have another blog- which do you suggest I follow?

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  13. @Babli- Thanks for liking! I love your poetry!

    @Anjuli- Welcome to my blog! Thanks a lot for following too... You really made my day.I generally write more on this blog which you have followed:)
    It is so good to know that you too like people watching... a great hobby;)

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  14. Thanks for your comment. Well written post!

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  15. True, a few fake ones have shaken the faith in all Godmen.

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  16. wonderful post Sir... i agree with ur words...

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  17. Maybe Swami on the outside doesn't necessarily mean Swami on the inside to ...

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  18. There will soon be the times where there is a swamy for every street. I' amazed to see the classy people also following them apart from the villagers who are illeterates. Even after the Nityanand case, I'm amazed to see people still following and believing in swamis.

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  19. @ Sam- Welcome to my blog and thanks for your lovely comments!
    @ Alka- Yes, it is the fake ones we are mostly surrounded with now! Unfortunate reality!
    @Kalaiselvi- Thanks a lot for liking!
    @ Martina- So true! What they are inside is so different from what what they pretend to be outside!
    @ Evanir-Obrigado por suas observações gentil e bem-vindo ao meu blog! Foi tão bom ver você aqui. Continue visitando .. e os melhores desejos ..
    @ Pria- You hit the nail on the head. Strange that even educated people get swayed by these fake people..

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  20. Swamigiri is now a good career option. All you need is the gift of gab.

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  21. @ Purba- Ha Ha... well said. Yes it has now become more rewarding as TV channels are also willingly sponsoring!

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  22. People watching is my favorite pass time too, whether it the airport, railway station or bus, or wherever there are people and I have nothing else to do.
    It such pass times that has given me many ideas to write about.
    I enjoyed what you have written. Somehow these days I don't know why people go after Sadhus and swamis and Gurus.
    And these people are making money like anything.

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  23. Thanks Rama, for sharing the similar rewarding hobby ..:)True, it provides a lot of fodder to write.

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