“A fool and his money are soon parted.”
Thomas Tusser (English Farmer and Writer 1524-1580)
Authorities in the desi-centric town of Leicester, England, are cracking down on tantriks, babas and their likes. [TOI] (Sidhu via email)
Authorities in the east Midlands town of Leicester, better known as ‘Little India’, have announced a campaign against such ‘babas’ and ‘tantriks’, most of whom have origins in the Indian sub-continent. Deputy mayor Manjula Sood said: “I have heard of people being asked for 500 pounds and more for prayers or talismans. They think a curse will be placed on them if they refuse. One recently came to Leicester and took a room at a hotel where she charged clients 500 pounds for 10-minute sessions.”
500 pounds for a 10 minute session with a tantrik? I’m in the wrong field!
Shamans, charlatans …. errr…. faith healers peddling their wares to make a quick buck in the name of unproven unscientific holistic cures is nothing new in the history of humanity. The sad part is the patronization they receive in this day and age. On a personal level, I find it hard to sympathize with these so-called victims, as they are not only promoting but also sustaining such pseudo-sciences, not to mention the undesirable and illegal elements that these practices spawn.
It is about time, authorities in western nations realize the social and physical dangers these elements pose to the minorities in these nations. Some organizations are hitting tantriks and babas where it hurts.
Resham Singh Sandhu, chairman of the Sikh Welfare and Cultural Society, said the Sikh community was lobbying with newspapers to stop publishing advertisements from such people.
I’ve not read any desi publications lately but used to be the case that such publications in the U.S. carried copious number of ads by American tantriks and babas. Does anyone know if they still do that? If so, can you, the readers, help us compile a list of these publications?
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