After bulldozing their way over National Green Tribunal (NGT), court orders, environmentalists (nevermind trees, nature), the Art of Living and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's mega party, the epitome of bhartiya sanskriti - World Culture Festival finally went underway.
The hue-and-cry over the damage to Yamuna and the surrounding areas saw the Delhi High Court first dubbing the event as an "ecologocal disaster". The NGT stepped in slapping a fine of Rs 5 crore and when Sri Sri flatly refused, agreed to a bargain with the godman to "pay in instalments."
The event was finally given a go-ahead. But as they say, Hell hath no fury as nature scorned! It seemed mother nature wouldn't let Sri Sri have it his way, at least not so easily. And so it rained... and how!
Sure enough, Twitterati soon exploded with jokes on how the "godman" was conned from a force above, "a divine intervention". Here are a few reactions:
Participants take shelter as heavy rain falls at the venue of #WorldCultureFestival in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/QH26RNQhjx
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 11, 2016
May be the petition to save Yamuna had more Godliness and faith :)Rains wash #SriSriYamunaMess @Subhayan_ism @someshjha7 @MadhviSally
— Shreya Jai (@shreya_jai) March 11, 2016
Your culture murdered nature. Vast green space that was so pleasing to the eyes has been turned into dead wood standing.#SriSriYamunaMess
— ruchi kokcha (@ruchikokcha) March 10, 2016
#SriSriYamunaMess sounds like a place in Chennai where you get good idli vadai pongal breakfasts
— Anamika (@NameFieldmt) March 10, 2016
And it's raining as world culture festival begins. We can conquer man, not nature!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) March 11, 2016
Rain dance performed by Sri Sri at #WorldCultureFestival identified as the main cause of rain in Delhi... pic.twitter.com/3wLiqHqPDM
— The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) March 11, 2016
Congress has one baba. It will always have one.BJP has many. Beat that.
— Kamlesh Singh (@kamleshksingh) March 8, 2016
You can't help Yamuna, so Yamuna will help herself. Delhi overcast. Let it rain "World Culture". For three days. Non-stop.
— Angiography (@angshukanta) March 11, 2016
The rains at AOL's World Spiritual Party. Environmental warning it divine blessing? Discuss pic.twitter.com/bM2q5XV4WH
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) March 11, 2016
God has finally come to our rescue, when the system fails you. It's raining #boycottsrisri
— vimlendu jha (@vimlendu) March 11, 2016
Dahej nahi maang rahe ji,,,bas thoda sa samaan jo aapki ladki ke hi kaam aayega..kitna de sakte ho dekh lo. https://t.co/XLFjTudg7L
— Sri Free Rofl Gandhi (@RoflGandhi_) March 11, 2016
All hail #SriSri Humbug! #hailstorm #delhirains #AOL Nature has her say...
— Seema Goswami (@seemagoswami) March 11, 2016
@seemagoswami you can't mess with nature and think you will go scot free #AOL
— Sunaina (@sunainajairath) March 11, 2016
It's raining reasonably heavily in East Delhi & Noida and over the Ravishankar extravaganza. Did some higher power than NGT, intervene?
Rains increasing, a bit of thunder and lightning also. Which anti-national is singing the Megh-Malhar over Noida & East Delhi?
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) March 11, 2016AOL blaming Delhi Police, Delhi police blaming AOL for Zero coordination
— Preeti Choudhry (@PreetiChoudhry) March 11, 2016No signs, wrong passes, no information. People turning back. Media not allowed to enter #WorldCultureFestival
— Preeti Choudhry (@PreetiChoudhry) March 11, 2016Abject chaos #WorldCultureFestival. Zero coordination between AOL, cops and army.
— Preeti Choudhry (@PreetiChoudhry) March 11, 2016A 40 min journey has taken me 2 hrs so far. Art of living needs to learn art of letting people go about their lives. Morons.
— Nikhil Pahwa (@nixxin) March 11, 2016