NGO OR BABA, POLITICIAN YA PRIEST

One of my friends is a leading astrologer in south.  He used to tell me that the best profession to make money without investment is astrology and little bit of luck.  It requires a lot of study and hardwork that ultimately pays off when we gain confidence of the clients who grow in numbers, once our business is established.

Politics remains the no.1 business in India, but it is costly and restricted to some circle only.  Nowadays, only children of successful politicians become successful.  So, politicians have become like some sort of a high caste.  So, any smart citizen of India can take up astrology.  If you happen to satisfy fifty percent of your clients, you can always manage the other half citing their problems to their specific dosha and specifying some nivaran.  Right from matching horoscopes of brides and grooms to numerology, there will be no shortage of business.

Becoming a lawyer is another good one, but it requires lot of study, lot of hard work and lots of luck.  Otherwise, we may land up outside courts chasing clients like beggars.  But, if we are a Brahmin and ready to mug up Sanskrit rituals and Vedas, there is nothing better than becoming a priest.  Our family priest works for Bank of India.  He comes in a bike, rants out some manthrams and speeds off to some other house for quick fix poojas before resuming his daily duty.  Nowadays, like catering, everything has become like a contract and shortcut business.  There is no recession in some fields. 

Spiritualism is one of those.  You can become a Baba and give pravachans.  For that, we have to become a successful orator besides some knowledge on what we speak and the ability to harness every influential link into an opportunity.  My friend has been to a satsang of a popular Baba in Maharashtra.   He reported that the fleet of cars carrying him is fully air-conditioned and he even has a mobile restroom with all facilities.  Some Babas speak on nationalism also besides their spiritual discourses and drink branded mineral water.  Their lands grow bigger and bigger in size and spreads all over the country and overseas.  They seat VVIPs and rich men in front seats and the poor feel satisfied to sit in the last bench.  Then they will teach that this whole world is “Maya”, our actions arise out of our “Karma” and we must not live beyond our expectations.  By this way, their expectations get fulfilled.

There was a time when Adi Shankaracharya walked on barefoot from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, ascetics and sadhus did penance in the Himalayas, Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Mission imparted impeccable service to the society through their teachings and vision and restored the pride of our Hindu religion.  Nowadays, Babas roam in chartered flights and helicopters also and wield cellphones and latest gadgets.  It is a pretty cool profession to be a Baba.

There is one profession, which has been reaping rich dividends off late.  NGOs are the latest trend in our society.  One should start a welfare trust and get it registered with the Government by hook or crook.  Business houses doing all sorts of underhand activities and make profits liberally donate to such NGOs and claim tax deductions under Section 80G.  This restores their credibility.  The NGOs will take up some causes to fight for, whenever it suits them.  There is no dearth of causes in our country.  Business houses will fund these NGOs, as it is to their mutual advantage.  There are a lot of professional complaints in India, who take money to lodge complaints or petitions in courts.   It is a 24x7 activity for them.  Go to any Courts, and one can see many numbers of frivolous petitions being attended by the courts thus wasting the time for those with genuine causes.  People attach importance to the NGOs because they take up their causes but never address them meaningfully.

Who cares for genuine people?  People, who stand in line, will always end up standing in line while those who bend the rules reach faster to the starting point.  If you have money, you can also visit the LORD at Tirupati and sit for hours before HIM.  In many temples, we can see coconuts being offered for the Gods by devotees.  The same coconuts find their way to the shops, which get recycled again.  The nexus between some NGOs, businessmen and politicians, in such times is a wide extension of that.