India, July 15 -- In India, the tradition of following a guru has been ever-present. In the Hindu mythology, it is often believed that a person who has never followed a guru has led a useless life. This is why devotees flock to gurus and have a staunch faith in them. Every word or advice by a guru is seen as the truth by his followers, most of which believe that they will get a good life in their next birth or attain salvation if they are loyal. For most devotees, the guru is a medium who shows them the way to the god and truth, and inspires people to follow a path of righteousness and high moral integrity.

In the present age, gurus have come to command tremendous clout and following due to increased sufferings and misery in the lives of...