I've often thought the same thing. Prem Rawat had nearly sixty years to hone his improv skills schtick and he's not that good at it given all his practice and experience.

And where are all those saffron-robed mahatmas? There may have been a few true believers, but for the most part they must've felt like circus monkeys or trained seals performing on que for a peanut or a little piece of fish... as if the entire entourage was a traveling circus. The bai's who hit me up for fine silk blouses, new Lark luggage and fancy shoes out of ashram funds. Those routine shopping sprees became an entitlement on nearly all mahatma/initiator tour stops. (Or the one who saw a sister's blow dryer and just took it saying "I need this." )

It reminds me of the look of utter contempt and disgust Charnanand gave me when I caught him alone in a public men's room right after he finished one of his bhajan sets. My overwhelming gut reaction was that he was contemptuous of what he had to do for room, board and free golf, and contemptuous of me for being a sucker who helped create the market for his act. It was as if he was in there trying to cleanse himself of something.

Your post caused me to imagine a smokey room full of those types back in India sitting around a hookah yucking it up as they made-up parables, one-liners and bhajan lyrics for their improv spiritual riffing road shows. "Good one! HA HA HA!" (Den of thieves comes to mind.) And to think I took pride in repeating them in my own repertoire; the one about this and the one about that.

I'm sure they all had their ways of decompressing after their performances... after immersing themselves in so much bullsh3t, and I'm sure it wasn't meditation. Just look at the barrels full of empty liquor bottles out behind Prem's residence out behind his backstage residence at Amaroo.

Lastly, I'm always mindful of how a premie would likely react to my words. I'm sure I don't need to cite examples. It just goes to show how wide the gap is. However cynical my words may sound, it pales in comparison to Prem Rawat's cynicism as it relates to the gap between is public image and his deplorable behavior behind the curtain.

Thanks Aunt Bea. You nailed it... again.