Youth and Truth Campus Gossip – Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru

The Mount Carmel College campus, at Palace Grounds Bangalore buzzed with activity, as students responsible for security went over last minute crowd management and ushering plans for the Youth and Truth event. The event planning and organization was totally on point - even the “security” girls were in uniform attire, adorned in neatly fitted black and red kurtas. 

A “Bloodbath” to Attend a Mystic’s Talk!

The event was slated to start by 9:30 am, however huge crowds of students of all disciplines jostled with each other, eagerly lining up outside the auditorium an hour before the program. 

In their own parlance, they said they were “psyched” to have the Mystic amidst them. They wanted to see him, take selfies with him, even get a glimpse of him, talk to him, hear him talk and of course, get clarity about their dilemmas. 

One of the faculty of the college remarked that she had seen the girls flock around celebrities that have visited the campus in the past, but this is the first time she witnessed a guru get that kind of mob attention!

On being asked about their expectations from the program, a variety of responses emerged like “he talks about real things and is not asking us to meditate for 100 hours” and “his responses address our conflicts and we get better direction.” Even faculty members were visibly enthused about having Sadhguru on campus speaking to the youth and bringing them a sense of clarity and balance.

There were some “fans” who were literally jumping in excitement to get in the hall, some who were trying to arrange a seat for themselves at any cost, and then there were those who were more proactive and were simply trying to sneak in to get a glimpse of this “cool guru”. We’ve heard of students wanting to sneak out and avoid lectures and talks, but quite the opposite was happening here!

Amidst these light-hearted moments there were yet others who expressed how Sadhguru’s wisdom had helped them navigate some of the most difficult life situations they had faced. 

Doors or Flood Gates?! Well, They Opened!

As the doors of the auditorium opened, students packed the 2500-seater to capacity, spilling into the aisles and crowding every empty inch as the volunteers struggled to control the crowds.

The program began with a melodious rendition from Sounds of Isha followed by a performance by Isha Samskriti. Sounds of Isha took to the stage again with Kabir’s songs, starting with “Allah ke Bandhe,” to which the hall erupted into cheers. The eager excitement in the audience was unmissable. 

Finally, Sadhguru took the stage amidst thunderous applause. He joked with the students in the balcony saying, “If there isn’t enough light, you have to light yourselves up,” and the whole auditorium roared and cheered to this.

Another vociferous round of cheering happened when Sadhguru admitted to the audience that he himself was a “Carmelite” having spent 2 years during his schooling days in Carmel schools – a year in Christ the King and another at Nirmala Convent.

It was a very interactive and lively session, with audience clapping wildly in agreement, at every response which resonated with them. The session started with questions from the moderators and eventually the floor was opened for the event attendees who didn’t seem to get enough of the mystic even after 3 hours.

A wide range of questions were posed to Sadhguru from decriminalizing Section 377, to intimacy in casual relationships, uncivilized behavior towards women, the education system with its standardized evaluation methods and the importance of psychology and therapy through pills for the clinically depressed.

Was There Glue on Their Seats?

As the event came to a close, the students and the faculty didn’t seem to be budging from their seats, hoping to get some more of Sadhguru’s wisdom. As Sadhguru made his way out of the auditorium, the security team had to form a human chain to stop the students from crowding around him.

When Sadhguru was getting up, a teacher who was about to deliver the vote of thanks, firmly but politely requested him to be seated again, to which Sadhguru jokingly remarked, “Yes ma’am. I know I’m back at school, so I have to…”

Last-Minute Catch-ups, Close-ups and Cheers!  

Before leaving the campus, Sadhguru spent some more time with the students who couldn’t make it inside the auditorium, by meeting them at the university amphitheater. Everyone crowded around him to get a glimpse, or get his blessings, or get a last-minute picture or even to get a better look at his shawl!

Anticipation Turned into Excitement

The students’ reactions post the event were a testament to how the youth were relating to Sadhguru. The students who shared the stage with him, moderating the event, could barely contain their excitement even after the session. They had been preparing for nearly a month in anticipation, gathering questions from their peers who were equally excited about Sadhguru’s visit to their campus. They found Sadhguru and his words inspiring, life changing and very real. 

After the session when we asked the student moderators about their experience, they had the following to share: “He is a chilled-out dude,” “he made us feel so comfortable,” “his jokes were really funny,” “he spoke to us as equals” and “he wasn’t dismissive of our views or questions.”

Youth and Truth, MCC - In the Media

The New Indian Express, Bengaluru edition, carried articles before and after the MCC event. 

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev to visit Mount Carmel

‘Reactionary feminism will not help’

Youth and Truth, MCC - Watch a Few Answers from Sadhguru

Editor's Note: Whether you're struggling with a controversial query, feeling puzzled about a taboo topic, or just burning with a question that no one else is willing to answer, now is your chance to ask! Ask Sadhguru your questions at UnplugWithSadhguru.org.