Guru, God & Gold

Guru, God & Gold | Don’t Run Into Glass

with Prof. Michal Riva Erlich

Why do millions still turn to gurus—for healing, hope, jobs, fertility, or freedom? And why does that devotion persist, even when scandals erupt or the spiritual turns suspicious?

In this episode, we speak to anthropologist and author Prof. Michal Riva Erlich, whose fieldwork across Delhi’s hyperlocal guru-bhakti communities offers a rare, grounded look at spiritual life beyond the headlines. From housewives-turned-gurus to the spiritual economies of kalyāṇ (a concept deeper than 'well-being'), we unpack how power, gender, and belief intersect in the making of a guru.

Through her lens, we explore: – What people actually seek from gurus (spoiler: it’s not always moksha)

– The difference between dependence and transformation in spiritual life

– How caste, class, and gender shape faith on the margins

– Why belief often endures even after betrayal

And yes, we talk cults, charisma, and the contradictions—Radhe Ma on a throne, godmen with private jets, and the thin line between spiritual influence and manipulation.

This is an episode about faith—not just blind faith, but calculated, complex, lived faith. About how ordinary people navigate broken systems through extraordinary beliefs. And about the gurus who offer them not just god, but gold.