One post by Western celebrity, American Singer SZA, about her pleasant experience at a yoga program organized by the Isha Foundation, and all hell broke loose. I’m referring to the recent social media post by American singer SZA after she attended a silence retreat at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore.
Leftists and liberals, masquerading as secularists, were quick to attack Sadhguru—some even labelling him the ‘soft power of Hindutva.’ Here is one such post by someone going by the name ‘DefsNotAmar,’ recycling the same lies that have been repeated over the last 10–20 years. The post has since gone viral, receiving 1 million views on X.
Is Sadhguru a “soft power for Hindutva”?
Let’s be clear: Sadhguru has never associated himself with any religion. The sacred energy spaces at the Isha Yoga Center are open to people of all faiths. And before you accuse me of misrepresentation, here is an image of the Sarva Dharma Sthambha (multi-religious pillar), which bears the symbols of major world religions.
Sadhguru has repeatedly stated that the Yogic spiritual path he advocates has nothing to do with any belief system. The Yogic path is about seeking to experience dimensions of existence that are not yet within our experience. This path strictly advises seekers against blindly believing anything. It is unsurprising that Abrahamic fundamentalists, along with the leftists and liberals who speak for them, take issue with this. All they have learned is to believe in a god who keeps track of their sins and virtues—one who ultimately decides who should be sent to heaven or hell based on such deeds. Such fanciful stories might appeal to those with limited spiritual aspirations, but for someone rational and logical, these theories are laughable, to say the least.
Hindu Dharma grants individuals the freedom to choose their path. It accommodates those who worship a god with form, without form, or even those who choose to remain atheists. Therefore, it is not surprising that Hindus, who understand the concept of Karma rather than a vindictive all-powerful god, have no issue with the assertion that Yoga is independent of religion.
Lastly, Sadhguru has never claimed to be a Hindu Guru. Labelling him a “soft power for Hindutva” is, therefore, preposterous.
The post then goes on to criticize Sadhguru for “celebrating the inauguration of the Ram Mandir.” Hindus across generations have strived to rebuild the Ram Mandir, which originally stood at the birthplace of the Hindu deity Sri Ram. This temple was razed by the Islamic invader Babur in 1528, who then constructed a mosque over its ruins.
It was the Supreme Court of India that ultimately ruled in favour of rebuilding the Mandir in 2019, after a closely contested legal battle between Hindus and Muslims. Let me remind you that Hindus, who constitute around 80% of the population, patiently waited for over 20 years to fight this battle in court. And yes, once the temple was constructed, every person who at least culturally identifies as Hindu or values the ancient traditions of this land celebrated the occasion. It is estimated that over 1,800 Mandirs were destroyed, with mosques built over their remains. I still believe this is a very conservative estimate.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was introduced by the central government to fast-track citizenship for persecuted minorities in Bharat’s immediate neighbourhood. There are historical and cultural reasons behind this—facts that armchair activists like the aforementioned user either aren’t aware of or conveniently overlook because they don’t serve their interests.
Still, wondering whether minorities are persecuted in Bharat’s neighbourhoods? Just look at what has been happening to Hindus in Bangladesh over the last three months.
Would you still label the Citizenship Amendment Act as “Islamophobic”? If you do, you are clearly among those who support such persecution and seek to establish an Islamic nation in Bharat.
The post then claims that Sadhguru advocated for the revocation of Kashmir’s Article 370. Every Bharatiya who loves this nation rejoiced when Kashmir was formally integrated into Bharat by revoking Article 370. The historic blunder committed by Bharat’s first Prime Minister was finally corrected after 75 years. This article was responsible for much of the mayhem in the Valley, including the forced exodus of Kashmiri Hindu Pandits in 1990.
Anyone who opposes the revocation of Article 370 should be seen as working against Bharat. In any case, the abrogation of Article 370 was scrutinized by the Supreme Court, which ultimately upheld it. Anyone who still has a problem with this must learn to deal with it. Period!
The post then criticizes Sadhguru’s support for the Farm Laws. These laws would have been hugely beneficial to farmers across the country. However, a few wealthy farmers from one or two Indian states opposed them for their vested interests, sparking what became known as the ‘Kisan Andolan.’ Ultimately, the central government decided to roll back the reforms.
Many people have the wrong idea that spirituality is all about withdrawing from the physical world to lead a life of renunciation. On the contrary, Hindu spiritual seekers understand that they have a great responsibility toward the world around them. Sadhguru, the most popular spiritual guru of our times, is therefore quite vocal about social and political issues. Some people are uncomfortable with this.
The post ends with the usual false claim that Isha is “decimating the environment.” This lie has been repeated for over 20 years. On the contrary, Isha’s environmental initiatives—such as Project GreenHands, Cauvery Calling, Rally for Rivers, and the Save Soil movement—have had a significant positive impact on the environment.
As a result of these efforts, over 120 million trees have been planted. The information I have mentioned above is all publicly available. I am sure Western celebrities have done their research. They know who Sadhguru is. They know what the Isha Foundation does.
However, in this era of social media, it is incredibly easy for anyone to discredit decades of effort with a post that takes barely five minutes to write. Well, these are the times we live in!
(Featured Image Source: India Today)
