Sadhguru ’never encouraged being hermit’: Netizens divided over Madras HC’s ’tonsure their heads’ remark

Many social media user were left divided after the Madras High Court asked why Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is "encouraging the daughters of others to tonsure their heads and live the life of a hermit". While many slammed the Madras High Court for running a "systematic campaign against Sadhguru", a few others said, “Madras High Court asking Jaggi the right questions.”

"Dear @AmitShah & @narendramodi: seems like a systematic campaign against Sadhguru," a social media user posted on X while sharing the Madras High Court's recent comments against Sadhguru.

A user claimed that Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev never "encouraged being a hermit or socialite". He posted on X on Tuesday, “I’ve been following Sadhguru for 7 years, visited his ashram, and done his programs. Never has he encouraged being a hermit or socialite —it’s a personal choice. Even marriage rituals happen at his ashram. HC judges shouldn't make ignorant statements.”

Meanwhile, a woman supporting Sadhguru explained what "living the life of a hermit" means. She said, “People think that living the life of a hermit in these times is like picking an item of your choice off the shelf in a super market."

“A little more research would have told that Sadhguru encourages people to live life fully and respect the human body. Initiation into sanyasa happens only after a long process where people get several opportunities to decide whether they actually want to tread that path, or if it was a momentary fancy,” she added.

"Men and women who take sanyasa are adults, and so is Sadhguru's daughter, who chose the life that she thought was the best for her," the woman commented.

Another user slammed the high court's decision saying, “Not a Sadhguru follower. However feel this is over-reach. The quest for becoming a Sanyasi or a hermit is a personal one. Comparing his daughter who chose marriage vis-a-vis people who have chosen a different path is not a correct equivalence.”

"He doesn’t promote hermit lifestyle, it’s the wish of the people who join sanyas and it’s extremely difficult to follow this path under Sadhguru. I have seen and worked with numerous Sanyasis at his Ashram so I know it firsthand," said another X user.

What did Madras High Court say?

On Monday, the Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit details of all criminal cases registered against spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation.

The high court also expressed doubts about why the spiritual guru had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life but was encouraging other women to renounce their material life.

“We want to know why a person who had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life is encouraging the daughters of others to tonsure their heads and live the life of a hermitess. That is the doubt,” the Bench was quoted by Bar and Bench as saying.