NEW DELHI: Prince Siddhartha who deserted his wife when she was not looking, made a confession years later. "I stealthily slipped out of the bedroom that night. I thought she was an obstacle in my spiritual pursuit. But looking back, I realise, it was a mistake. For a person who has his goals fixed, obstacles never happen."He was implying that for the bliss of salvation, one need not run away from the material world and its most slandered component ��� the wife.

Yet the charm of an ashram and the draw of a mutt has been compelling in this country. And for centuries, Brahmin orders have been the greatest beneficiaries of this nation's obsession with mediating mediums. But now, the financial and social clout of Brahmin spirituality has been dwarfed by the rise of Dravidians and other non-Brahmins. Hinduism is certainly not in the peril anymore of being considered a Brahmin idea but the cream caste's spiritual heads have lost so much mass support that the outcry after the arrest of Kanchi Acharya (often described as the spiritual head of the Hindus) was essentially a Brahmin anger.

The mutts promoted by Mata Amritanandamayi, Kalki Bhagawan, Bangaru Adigal, Vethathiri Maharishi, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and others in a growing list, are enjoying unprecedented influence today. Meanwhile, the number of mutts promoted by Brahmins since the time of Adi Sankara is more or less the same.

The recent rise in mutts promoted by non-Brahmins does not reflect any decimation in the innate spiritual tendencies of Brahmins. But, it does indicate there is something about the model of non-Brahmin mutts that makes them click.

There are significant differences between, say, Kanchi and Puttaparthi. The most defining difference is the extent of social commitment and the associated visibility of non-Brahmin mutts, particularly Sai Baba���s and Mata Amritanandamayi���s. Sai Baba, while producing holy ashes and gold chains, also created unique drinking water projects, hospitals and educational institutions for the poor.

Mata Amritanandamayi���s social contribution in Kerala and other parts of the country is enormous. Brahmin mutts have not built such enduring visible monuments for the poor but have poured plenty into dressing up or washing the gods. The Seer of Kanchi recently gifted a diamond studded crown to a temple. Grand, captivating events, but transient and forgettable unlike huge modern hospitals and colleges.

There is also another crucial difference between the two orders of mutts. Non-Brahmin godpeople touch their devotees. While the seer of Kanchi keeps a safe distance from his folk, Mata Amritanandamayi has marathon hugging sessions so long that they could be construed as a miracle by a woman who insists that she performs no miracles.

These differences between the mutts and the seers also imply that they have very disparate followings. Ninety per cent devotees of Kanchi Acharya are from the Brahmin community. It���s a similar ratio with non-Brahmin spiritual gurus too, who command an overwhelming majority of their devotees from other castes. While the schism is evident, there is a migration underway. A one-way migration. An increasing number of Brahmins are seeking the reassurances of non-Brahmin seers. It���s a consequence of an old Brahmin mentality to embrace a phenomenon once it establishes itself as a vital development worthy of their respect. However, it must be said that for many orthodox Brahmins, 'lesser form' spirituality is still a taboo. Many of them can���t even conceive a non-Brahmin becoming spiritual. It happened with Buddha too (nee Prince Siddharta), who was a kshathriya by birth.

Once as he passed through a Brahmin-dominated village, he was subjected to their abuse. Despite the verbal attack, when Buddha didn���t respond, one Brahmin asked him, "Why are you not reacting?" Buddha replied, "Sometime ago, I was in another village. People greeted me with flowers and fruits. I accepted the flowers, but turned down the fruits. What do you think the villagers would���ve done with those fruits?"

"They must have distributed them amongst themselves," came the Brahmin���s reply.

"Do the same with your abuses," he said.

This recorded dialogue, despite its humbler status as folklore than history, reflects a Brahmin���s displeasure at a kshatriya���s inner peace proposal that did not come with a new competing god. Even today, orthodox Brahmins claim to worship only higher forms of god. Lakshman Singh, an ardent follower of Bangaru Adigal the head of Melmaruvathur Mutt, says: "Non-Brahmin worship is different from Brahmin cult. Brahmins worship the higher form of Shiva and Parvati. Non-Brahmins worship them in the lower form of Muneeswaran and Kali.

