Women refute father's claim that they were held hostage at Isha Foundation
Women refute father's claim that they were held hostage at Isha Foundation

Women refute father's claim that they were held hostage at Isha Foundation

They claim that it was their parents who introduced them to Isha Foundation

Denying their father’s allegations that Isha Foundation in Coimbatore had forced his daughters into monkhood, Maa Mathi and Maa Mayu, formerly known as Geetha and Latha, said on Tuesday that they were staying at Isha campus in Coimbatore on their own will.

In a video published by Karur Bhumi on Youtube on August 2, the duo in fact claimed that it was their parents who introduced them to Isha Yoga saying it is path to understand oneself.

On Monday, S. Kamaraj, the duo’s father alleged that his daughters were brainwashed by the yoga centre and that they were refusing to come home.

In the video Maa Mayu said, “We are convinced that this is what we want. Nobody has forced us to stay here ever. For over a year, before we moved to the yoga centre seven years ago, we had discussed with our parents about taking up monkhood.  Even in these seven years when doubts and questions arose, our parents would call in and speak to us. Whatever has happened in the last two weeks, we are not sure. But we suspect that the society or neighbours must have raised questions with our parents about us being monks. Or some people must have told our parents about their children who would do well in the corporate world. May be our parents don’t take pride in saying that their daughters have chosen the path to freedom as the society doesn’t understand this.”

Maa Mathi questions why Yoga led monkhood is looked at with a scorn when many religions promote asceticism. “Will people only celebrate or accept the likes of Swami Vivekananda or a dead ‘Sanyasi’? Crores of people come here every day and not everybody takes this up. While there is visible transformation in them, only a fraction has the urge to take up monkhood. At Isha they make sure we are best fit for this through various sessions and only then take us in,” she said.

In an August 1 letter to DSP Perur, Coimbatore district, Maa Mayu and Maa Mathi alleged that when they went to the DSP’s office to settle the issue with their parents, their father started shouting and abusing them. They also sought protection from their parents. 

“…He did not give us a chance to speak. He said he would defame Isha Foundation. He threatened that he would bring more people to protest and disturb peace and tranquility in the area. He threatened us that he would go to any extent to disturb our life…,” they wrote in the letter. 

Isha Foundation is a non-profit, spiritual organization founded in 1992 by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. It is based at the Isha YogaCenter near Coimbatore, India and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences at McMinnville, Tennessee in the United States.

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