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In the following pages, through a series of articles from India and abroad, we explore the impact of Indian spirituality on the global stage in the time of refugee crisis, rising nationalism and xenophobia.
Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse’s lyrical novel Siddhartha tells the tale of a young man (Siddhartha), his companion (Govinda) and the emptiness that Siddhartha feels within himself. Siddhartha goes in search of the meaning of life, discovers physical pleasures through a courtesan (Kamala) and takes a new path shown by a ferryman (Vasudeva). Below, we present an imaginary conversation between a modern-day Siddhartha and a chic Govinda:
“Can you believe this traffic?”
“I know. We have been stuck, for like an hour. Just look at that cyclist gliding lazily through the red signal. So happy, so blissful. What wouldn’t I do to give all this up! No car, no home, no family, nothing. Wouldn’t you like that, Govinda?”
“What is wrong with you, Siddhartha? You have been depressed for a while now.”
“It is just Kamala, man. We have been fighting a lot lately. And Hermann, that tyrant who calls himself my father, is refusing to pay for my film school. So what if I dropped out after three years of college. I did find my true calling. I feel like a rare songbird being starved to death in a cage.”
“Mr Hesse is a scary man. And it is totally unfair that he asked you to take a student loan if you wanted to study cinematography. The parents nowadays.”
“I just want to leave it all and go off to the Himalayas. Find myself a guru and just leave it all be.”
“Siddhartha, dude. It is too far. The food is horrible. You will have to tonsure your hair and wear orange rags all day. No meat, no alcohol, no sex, no Facebook and no Twitter. You won’t survive a week.”
“What should I do Govinda?”
“Look west, man. They get all the good stuff and none of these stupid restrictions. Go to Europe, or to the US of A. Have you read this recent report by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance? There are 36 million yoga practitioners in the US of A alone. They have spent 16 billion dollars since 2012. Don’t ask me how I know these numbers. I just do. Rishikesh produces more gurus per capita than any other country in the world. Who knows? Perhaps someday you could become a guru yourself. I heard the chicks have a thing for ascetics.”
“Are you serious, Govinda? Don’t you watch the news? Neo-nationalism is rising everywhere. In your US of A, they can’t tell Indians from Arabs, and are assaulting and killing us. I have no intention to stay there for two months, just to get deported. Nor do I plan to get trapped in front of a neo-Nazi rally in Europe, with orange robes and long hair.”
Illustration: Bara Bhaskaran
“You have so many safe options. You think you will be stabbed in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard just because you wore orange robes? The sky—sorry, Antarctica—is your limit, man. These gurus are practically everywhere.”
“Again, no. What if these nutters send me off on a cuckoo peacekeeping mission to Iraq or Syria? Do I wish to become a celebrity? Yes. Do I wish to become one by getting my head cut off in a YouTube video? That is where I draw the line.”
“OK. So, we are close to Colaba, right? I know this yoga workshop that is about half a kilometre from here. You just have to attend half an hour a day. You can drink, smoke, eat whatever you want. I have the contact of this guy working there. His name is Vasudeva. A super chill dude. He swears he can teach you the secrets of the world. Want his cell?”
“Nah, it will be boring, and difficult. Will have to exercise and stuff. But you did give me a great idea. I will threaten my father with celibacy and get this piece of junk bumped up to an S-class. It is way too hot and I need better stereos and air conditioning. For now, let us find our nirvana in the honks, screeches and shouts of the urban jungle.”
