The below article entitled 'Godman? No, Just Human' by Vikram Muthanna raises some interesting points about Nithyananda’s current situation. I’ll post my own thoughts and updates as to the climate in Tiruvannamalai towards the ‘scandal’ over the next few days. But for now read on:
Godman? No, Just Human
"They called him ‘Swami’ Nithyananda, they laid their hearts at his feet as they performed ‘pada puja’. They laid out their life savings for a boon from him and in return he shattered their hopes and hearts. But Nithyananda’s sex scandal has also woken his devotees up from their Rip van Winkle slumber of blind faith and ignorance. The message is clear, Godmen are as human as the rest of us. Nithyananda who took his name a little too seriously, Nithya Ananda — “always happy,” is not the first nor will he be the last swami to succumb to mortal desires. As long as there is misery in the world, there will be godmen giving hope, even if it’s only placebo.
Nithyananda certainly seems to have made some people’s lives better. He smiled his ‘toothpaste smile’ all the time. But to be happy he needed more than just ‘pada pujas’ and money, it seems he also needed ‘intimate healing sessions’. Now the question is, did Nithyananda do something wrong by having sex? Legally, No. Two consenting adults had sex, it’s a non-issue. But the problem is that he said he was a Swami and a Brahmachari. Accordingly, he was treated like god by his devotees who now feel he defrauded them. To be sure, there are also other criminal charges of destroying evidence and the possession of illegal materials. But why is everyone so surprised? Nithyananda is a 33-year-old man and like all men his hormones would be ravenous for a little bit of sexual intimacy."
To read the rest of the article click here.
