DECODING THE GURU

As a student of sociology, brought up in Gujarati culture I always wondered about existence and influence of gurus, pir and babas. Some iconic personalities raised to level of divinity and worshiped as god is still an avenue of my quest. People like Ramdev Pir, Jalaram Bapa, Sai Baba, Sitaram Bapa, Bhathiji Maharaj, Swaminarayan, etc. appeared during colonial times and are today praised as god. Till date, people like Pandurang Athaval, Swami Chinmayanand, Dada Bhagwan, Shiv Baba, Stya Shree Sai Baba, Sadguru, Shree Shree Ravi Sankar, Osho, etc. are popular across country as a god’s men who are leading various sectarian cults based on Hindu doctrines.

Recent outrage followed by arrest of Guru Ram Rahim Inshan and outrage followed before few years after arrest of Asharam Bapu presents an interesting grounds for sociological interpretations of process of legitimizing such bigoted institutions. Fortunately, evidences recorded by my favourite mythologist Devdutt Pattnaik served as great help for my sociological analysis of rise of such sub-culture.

Conviction of Ram Rahim Inshan as rapist followed by violent outrage presents inequality of thoughts of upper class and subaltern communities. The rise of gurus/baba in western India is rooted in such inequalities created by class/castes and rural/urban boundaries. For instance, the Dera (encampment) culture emerged around 10^th Century is evident from stories of gurus like Gorakhnath.

The gurus used to setup Dera (camp) outside village where people can reach and seek spiritual or emotional guidance. The guidance was often combined with psychotherapy and magic. At superficial level, he speaks about meaning of life, about coping up with sufferings and give solace to miffed soul. He is believed as person who bring peace and fortune into lives of poor, grant children to childless and cure the sick through miracles. The stories of holy light emanating from his body, of walking on water, of flying through air, of communicating with god etc. influences people and he his observed as messenger, Pir, Sant, Baba, Prophet etc. by believers.

These gurus spoke in popular or simple which broke stranglehold of upper caste Brahmins who restricted knowledge of divinity through complex language like Sanskrit. These gurus where approachable and thus loved more than Kshatriyas or landlords. These gurus asked nothing in return and thus was more preferable over Bania or merchants who demanded payment for everything. Gurus like Guru Nanak appeared before 500 years ago very influentially rejected caste hierarchy.  

Hierarchies are deeply embodied Ancient and Medieval (and even modern) India. These Hierarchies became problematic in Post Vedic period and worsen after cultural contact with Greeks who introduced western idea of justice. Such ideas of Greeks were followed by catholic ideas of equality which is basically rooted in Arabic Tribal egalitarianism and prescribed in Abrahamic Traditions. It was obvious that to be treated equal, one has to member of tribe which chooses its directions under influence of tribal leader (believed as messenger of god) . Such ideas of equality in Christianity had shaken roots of Roman Empire while idea of Islamic equality shaken roots of the Persian Empire.  Guru Nanak ideas of equality of challenged Hindu caste hierarchy and religion of Sikhism came into existence which was combination of Hinduism( importance of documented knowledge, songs and music) and Islam ( importance of documented knowledge, saint leader and god with no personification).

Clever British colonial officers helped the process of institutionalization of Sikhism to ensure division among Hindu, Islam and Sikhism. But somehow old caste hierarchies entered Sikhism. With rising importance of land and trading, communities like Jats and Khatris established dominance. Neo communities like Dalit Sikhs consisting uneducated labourers, peasants, sanitary workers, etc. where pushed down in Sikh hierarchies and forcefully made aware about their subaltern status(aukaat) in new order. This established grounds for formation of new Deras which are focused on the poor, downtrodden and marginalised who are cheated with promise of equality.

The Deras started operating in ‘spiritual market’ which intended to create positive influence over subaltern communities like keeping them away from drugs, alcohol, following vegetarianism ( indicator of purity in India 😉 ) simple living, not to think hard work as sin, etc.  As they blindly believe and obey their Guru. Such positive practice gave subalterns a meaning of their lives and sense of belongingness which was/is further claimed as identity.  

This identity is based on allegiance with guru demonstrated through obedience. Absolute devotion therefore is observed to be translated as loyalty and thus, power is outsourced to the Guru. If Guru is able enough to handle such power of faith of followers, it can channelize positive change in society. But if such power is not handled or respected properly by the Guru, it can lead to deep dark social malaise like land grabbing or rape.

Inability or ability of Gurus to handle power entrusted by his followers gets reflected in changing meaning of transcendence. Some gurus assumes transcendence as ability to change laws of nature (water turning to wine, creating ashes from air, changing fortune of individual etc.) while some gurus assumes transcendence as ability to change laws of culture (challenging hierarchies, changing rigid norms, uplifting standard of living etc.). 

In either way of assuming transcendence, the Guru basically challenge fundamentals of civilization (Maya or worldly delusion) and gets entrapped within the same. Gradually, such men becomes history for communities which followed him. If he has chosen constructive path, he’ll be remembered for good or else he’ll be demonized by the society, paving way for another Guru.