Chennai: The Madras High Court has raised concerns over Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, questioning his encouragement of young women to renounce material life while arranging his own daughter’s marriage. The issue was highlighted during the hearing of a case filed by retired professor S. Kamaraj, who claimed that his two well-educated daughters had been “brainwashed” into permanently residing at the Isha Yoga Centre.
The daughters, aged 42 and 39, appeared in court and insisted they were staying at the center of their own free will, denying any coercion. However, their parents argued that their lives had been devastated by the daughters’ “abandonment” over the past decade.
In response, the Isha Foundation emphasized that participation is voluntary. “We respect personal choices. People come to Isha for various reasons, including marriage or a monastic lifestyle, but no one is forced,” a spokesperson said.
The court, however, called for further investigation, requesting a comprehensive list of cases involving the Isha Foundation. Judge Sivagnanam remarked, “We want to understand why someone who arranged his own daughter’s marriage is encouraging others’ daughters to shave their heads and live as ascetics.”
Madras High Court Questions Sadhguru Over Isha Foundation Practices, Calls for Investigation
