The media seems on a roar with the current theme of their choice – the superstitions that have engulfed thousands of people all across the country, all these gyans and kripa methods that the Baba’s have started on and above all, the huge amount of profit that they end up making from these sittings with the thousands of idiots every month. I personally don’t take much of interest in such things, but the current scenario in the news channels kind-of forced me to produce a small write-up on this issue. Nirmal Baba is certainly not the only one who is making hay while the sun shines, there are many others but maybe the reason why the media cannot reach them is because they do not make 340 crores a year. Media publicity, Press Releases, Website marketing are some of the most common methods that they have applied to get some fame and name in modern day society. And yet again, just as I had mocked one month ago when I started this Blog, our “Modern Society” is now ripped off its aristocracies and it is exposed naked, all those thousands of people who make it to those Baba’s sittings all belong to this “Society” which is so aristocratic and posh!
Yet these are the people who belong to the most disgusting category among all. If you ask them for some charity, they shy away taking help of all sorts of shields available ranging from being “busy” to not having enough money available in their wallets! I dare say this in public, anyone who wants to challenge are most welcome. As if this was not enough, they are willing to spend 2000 rupees for each of them (including three year babies) to attend the Baba’s sittings. You cannot approach them for help unless you have deposited some heavy bunch in their bank accounts. Appointments for attending such sittings are to be done more than three months in advance. Amidst all this, the people have endless faith on their kripa’s. This is a most frightening aspect of the Indian people. I repeat (I’ve already said this thing before in one of my posts) God help this country where people believe more in something they can’t even perceive (let alone seeing) and less on themselves.
The most amusing aspect of this entire thing is the role of the media. The very channels which used to broadcast the Baba’s programs are the ones howling the most. What is it EXACTLY that they are against? Don’t say Superstitions, they remain silent at the more graver problems of the country like corruption. Why are they chasing down the Baba’s and their property dealers without any real cause? The only thing that I see is that the people who visit them are the only ones at fault. What is wrong with the Babas? They are making a living of their own. They make all those madulis, or lockets – whatever they call them, and thrive by making a living by selling them. Where do they get the motivation from? The people – of course! Whether they want to invest in shares, or open up a bank account, these people need the help and advice of some Nirmal Baba or the other. The reason I call this frightening is because these spineless tribes make up the bulk of the society. So the media is entirely on a wrong turn, instead of making a cartoon of the Baba’s let them concentrate in running programs of literacy – real literacy where people are taught the power of their own – the infinite powers of the most wonderful creation of God – Human beings!
Last week I happened to catch a glimpse of a channel (I assume CTVN) where some astrologer was demonstrating the powers of amulets, or rings with stones. A 23-year old student called up the astrologer and begun to inquire about his future! Is this the rule of the youth nowadays? Right from the likes of Vivekananda to the legendary Sukumar Roy, everyone has given awakening calls to the youth of the country to Arise and Awake and take the responsibility of developing this country on their own shoulders – and if this be the way we are delving towards, then I don’t think we have a pleasant time ahead! People will start to believe more on miracles and less on themselves – the very thought of this sends a shiver down our spine!
We still bask in the glory that we are advancing “Scientifically”. The thoughts of the old wisdom never die out – “Believe in what you see, not in what you hear”. Verify each and every idea or thought that you hear. Such things should not be limited to only scriptures or texts. I keep on saying there is simply nothing more scientific than the grand epic grantha’s of Mahabharata and Ramayana. May the youth be enlightened on time! And please, for the media, spare the baba’s, they are just making their living, stop the people, if you can, from paying visits and money to them – that’s the only solution.