The past few years have been some of the most transformative years of my life. They pushed me inward. Life-changing events nudged me toward religion and spirituality, not as ritual, but as reflection. I prayed more, read more and questioned myself more. My inclination toward religious practice grew naturally, without force, without fear.

Faith felt pure. Quiet. Personal.

However now visiting famous religious places — especially major temples and spiritual gatherings — something unsettling revealed itself. The spirituality remained sacred, but the ecosystem around it felt deeply broken and inclined towards VIP.

The rise of VIP culture in places meant for surrender

Holy places are meant to dissolve ego. Yet today, many of them are governed by hierarchy, privilege, and access control that mirrors power structures of the outside world.

VIP culture has become so dominant that entire temple towns now operate to pacify a small, powerful group daily. Meanwhile, genuine devotees — ordinary people — face chaos, exhaustion, and humiliation.

• Standing in queues for 4–5 hours, sometimes longer
• No access to food, water, or washrooms
• No safeguards for senior citizens, pregnant women, or families with toddlers
• Barefoot walks on burning or freezing surfaces
• A glimpse of the deity lasting a few seconds at best

And yet, right beside this suffering, VIPs walk in unhindered. This chaos is not accidental, It is systemic.

When devotion turns into discrimination

What disturbed me most was not inconvenience. Faith has always involved sacrifice. What disturbed me was inequality in the name of God.

VIPs and so-called VVIPs receive:

• Priority entry without queues
• Long, uninterrupted personal rituals
• Special seating close to the deity
• Full camera access and selfies with God
• Private interactions framed as “seeking blessings”

The contrast is painful. One group prays in exhaustion and dust. The other prays in comfort and spotlight. It raises a troubling question: Are blessings now tier-based? Two such incidents compelled me to question the system and put my thoughts into this social, reflective blog post.

1. Mahakal, Ujjain: where the cracks became visible

My visit to Mahakal in Ujjain, especially during the famous Bhasma Aarti, left a deep mark on me.

What I witnessed:

• Ordinary ticket holders waiting 4–5 hours
• Multiple, seemingly unnecessary security checks — ironically less efficient than Delhi Metro, which manages over 50 lakh commuters daily
• Entry delays so long that devotees ended up watching the Shringar and Bhasma Aarti on large TV screens, seated far from the sanctum

At the same time:

• VIPs were escorted directly inside
• Cameras and phones were allowed
• Some even took selfies with the deity, something unimaginable for common devotees

The spiritual experience felt outsourced — mediated through screens — while privilege walked freely inside the sanctum.

2. Mahakumbh: faith on foot, privilege on wheels

Another moment that shook me was witnessing special access at the Mahakumbh.

Millions walk miles — barefoot, exhausted, carrying children on shoulders, holding elderly parents by hand. The sight is humbling. It reflects true faith.

And yet:

• VIPs arrive by car
• Special entry corridors are created
• Exclusive sessions are organized
• Separate access granted to officials, politicians, TV personalities, and their families

At one point, even special provisions for High Court and Supreme Court judges and families were announced. Not to mention other officials.

It felt conflicted—not in devotion, but in seeing how devotion is regulated. When devotion becomes conditional on status, something fundamental has failed.

Fear, pain, and the ecosystem around belief

Slowly, I began to see a pattern. An ecosystem exists around these holy places — one that feeds on:

• Fear: “If you don’t visit, you miss blessings.”
• Guilt: “True devotees must endure pain.”
• Loss aversion: “What if something bad happens because you didn’t go?”

Pain is romanticized for ordinary devotees. VIP visits are glorified.

What never gets discussed openly is how privileges are distributed, how access is monetized or influenced, and how inequality is normalized as “systemic necessity.”

God and Scriptures teaching

What made this conflict sharper is the simplicity of spiritual teachings themselves. Time and again, scriptures and saints remind us:

• God resides within
• Sincere prayer matters more than location
• A pure heart matters more than ritual access

Then why have we created places where devotion is measured by endurance, while privilege buys comfort? Why does faith require suffering only for those without power?

Religion is an irresistible opium?

The quote is undeniable true, and it keeps echoing in my mind:

“Religion is an irresistible opium.”

Not because faith is false — but because it can be exploited. When belief becomes unquestionable, systems grow around it. When systems grow unchecked, power replaces humility. And when power enters temples, equality exits quietly.

A practical and humane suggestion to temple authorities

This reflection is not just criticism, It is a constructive appeal. Holy places should consider fixing specific dates windows exclusively for VIP visits.

Why this matters:

• VIP management currently disrupts daily temple operations
• Genuine devotees face unnecessary delays every single day
• Temple staff remain constantly occupied in crowd control instead of facilitation
• Chaos increases, safety decreases, and devotion suffers

A fixed VIP schedule would:

• Reduce daily disruption for common devotees
• Improve crowd management and safety
• Restore dignity to ordinary worshippers
• Allow VIPs their access without secrecy or resentment
• Remove the need for continuous, invisible privilege

Faith does not require daily VIP darshan. But fairness requires daily dignity. Prayer without privilege unites us—free from designation, wealth, or power—rejecting a new-age caste system built on status.

I still believe deeply in spirituality. Perhaps more than ever. But I no longer believe that divinity requires me to suffer through mismanaged queues, humiliation, or visible inequality. I no longer believe that God prefers a VIP pass over a sincere prayer.

Today, One must choose:

• Quieter forms of devotion
• Inner reflection over external validation
• Faith without fear
• Prayer without privilege

Maybe the real pilgrimage is not to crowded sanctums, but away from systems that dilute faith into spectacle of VIP visits.

A personal conclusion: choosing inner sanctums
If religion is meant to free us, it cannot mirror the same power structures we seek refuge from. Faith should humble us — not divide us.

#AskDushyant

Note: The names and information mentioned are based on my personal experience; however, they do not represent any formal statement.

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