Young turn to spirituality with gusto

BANGALORE: In the marketplace of ideas, there are always perceptions and stereotypes that invariably get applied to each societal being. Take spirituality and religious `mumbo-jumbo', as some hep, young persons would call it. You'd think the meditating, chanting kinds would be the retired, older populace.
But, at the Global Congress of Spiritual Scientists at Pyramid Valley, organized in association with the Times Foundation, a noticeable size of participants was young, fashionable, the modern `hip and happening' crowd.
The first day of the event saw about 500 registrations. Some had travelled from across the world to be here. Two young Iranian men, in heavily accented English and animated speech, said they had found out about this event on the internet. Shiron G, a businessman, has been visiting Mumbai and Pune often on work. Somewhere along one such trip, spirituality struck him and this time, he and a friend combined business with a higher plane to attend this Congress. His friend regularly scoured the internet for `supernatural' events (as he called them) around the world and learnt about this meet.
A young girl, who preferred not to give her name, came from Pune and intends to stay for all four days of the Congress. Dressed in green harem pants and a stylish top, she's not quite what one would associate with sober spirituality. But this is not the first time she is attending to a spiritual call and, in fact, she is quite a regular at satsangs and meditation classes.
Some say it's the stress of modern life that leads young people to religious events. So despite their trendy sunglasses, fashionably Western clothes, piercings, they look quite at home, totally at ease with talk of inner consciousness and peace.
The Pyramid itself is an apt place for a surge of such energy, feel some. Green gardens and a cool lake are a perfect setting to those who want to dip their feet and exchange notes or merely contemplate. The surrounding terrain is not too stark, the breeze just fine to facilitate deeper thoughts.
There are, of course, several middle aged people, some older, many families and some kids accompanying their parents. The confines of the Pyramid breathe in a synergy of equanimity among everyone. Busting stereotypes, dozens of yuppies stroll about, discussing yagnas and upcoming retreats, sounding very much at home.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com