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Where have all Brahmin godmen gone?
T S SREENIVASA RAGHAVAN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2005 11:45:08 PM ]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1227589,curpg-2,fright-0,right-0.cms
 

NEW DELHI: Prince Siddhartha who deserted his wife when she was not looking, 
made a confession years later. "I stealthily slipped out of the bedroom that 
night. I thought she was an obstacle in my spiritual pursuit. But looking back, 
I realise, it was a mistake. For a person who has his goals fixed, obstacles 
never happen."He was implying that for the bliss of salvation, one need not run 
away from the material world and its most slandered component ? the wife. 
 
Yet the charm of an ashram and the draw of a mutt has been compelling in this 
country. And for centuries, Brahmin orders have been the greatest beneficiaries 
of this nation's obsession with mediating mediums. But now, the financial and 
social clout of Brahmin spirituality has been dwarfed by the rise of Dravidians 
and other non-Brahmins. Hinduism is certainly not in the peril anymore of being 
considered a Brahmin idea but the cream caste's spiritual heads have lost so 
much mass support that the outcry after the arrest of Kanchi Acharya (often 
described as the spiritual head of the Hindus) was essentially a Brahmin anger. 
 
The mutts promoted by Mata Amritanandamayi, Kalki Bhagawan, Bangaru Adigal, 
Vethathiri Maharishi, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and others in a growing list, are 
enjoying unprecedented influence today. Meanwhile, the number of mutts promoted 
by Brahmins since the time of Adi Sankara is more or less the same. 
 
The recent rise in mutts promoted by non-Brahmins does not reflect any 
decimation in the innate spiritual tendencies of Brahmins. But, it does 
indicate there is something about the model of non-Brahmin mutts that makes 
them click. 
 
There are significant differences between, say, Kanchi and Puttaparthi. The 
most defining difference is the extent of social commitment and the associated 
visibility of non-Brahmin mutts, particularly Sai Baba?s and Mata 
Amritanandamayi?s. Sai Baba, while producing holy ashes and gold chains, also 
created unique drinking water projects, hospitals and educational institutions 
for the poor. 
 
Mata Amritanandamayi?s social contribution in Kerala and other parts of the 
country is enormous. Brahmin mutts have not built such enduring visible 
monuments for the poor but have poured plenty into dressing up or washing the 
gods. The Seer of Kanchi recently gifted a diamond studded crown to a temple. 
Grand, captivating events, but transient and forgettable unlike huge modern 
hospitals and colleges. 
 
There is also another crucial difference between the two orders of mutts. 
Non-Brahmin godpeople touch their devotees. While the seer of Kanchi keeps a 
safe distance from his folk, Mata Amritanandamayi has marathon hugging sessions 
so long that they could be construed as a miracle by a woman who insists that 
she performs no miracles. 
 
These differences between the mutts and the seers also imply that they have 
very disparate followings. Ninety per cent devotees of Kanchi Acharya are from 
the Brahmin community. It?s a similar ratio with non-Brahmin spiritual gurus 
too, who command an overwhelming majority of their devotees from other castes. 
While the schism is evident, there is a migration underway. A one-way 
migration. An increasing number of Brahmins are seeking the reassurances of 
non-Brahmin seers. It?s a consequence of an old Brahmin mentality to embrace a 
phenomenon once it establishes itself as a vital development worthy of their 
respect. However, it must be said that for many orthodox Brahmins, 'lesser 
form' spirituality is still a taboo. Many of them can?t even conceive a 
non-Brahmin becoming spiritual. It happened with Buddha too (nee Prince 
Siddharta), who was a kshathriya by birth. 
 
Once as he passed through a Brahmin-dominated village, he was subjected to 
their abuse. Despite the verbal attack, when Buddha didn?t respond, one Brahmin 
asked him, "Why are you not reacting?" Buddha replied, "Sometime ago, I was in 
another village. People greeted me with flowers and fruits. I accepted the 
flowers, but turned down the fruits. What do you think the villagers would?ve 
done with those fruits?" 
 
"They must have distributed them amongst themselves," came the Brahmin?s reply. 
"Do the same with your abuses," he said. 
 
This recorded dialogue, despite its humbler status as folklore than history, 
reflects a Brahmin?s displeasure at a kshatriya?s inner peace proposal that did 
not come with a new competing god. Even today, orthodox Brahmins claim to 
worship only higher forms of god. Lakshman Singh, an ardent follower of Bangaru 
Adigal the head of Melmaruvathur Mutt, says: "Non-Brahmin worship is different 
from Brahmin cult. Brahmins worship the higher form of Shiva and Parvati. 
Non-Brahmins worship them in the lower form of Muneeswaran and Kali. 



















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