Mangaluru: Popular spiritual content creator Namratha Mohan, known online as ‘Temple Girl,’ urged youth to pursue their passions without abandoning professional responsibilities, and called for respect toward India’s cultural traditions, while focusing energies on nation-building over social media negativity.She was speaking during a special lecture hosted by the Rostrum Speakers’ Forum of Alva’s Education Foundation, Moodubidire, where she interacted with students on spirituality, content creation, careers, and contemporary social issues. Answering whether passion or profession matters more, Mohan said young people should not “kill” passion in the name of a job, but continue pursuing both side by side. She said meaningful achievements come only after giving one’s interests a sustained try.Recounting her career path, Mohan said she faced 18 job rejections before being hired by JP Morgan on her 19th attempt, and later worked with Citibank and The Walt Disney Company. Despite having no filmmaking background, she and her husband eventually left corporate roles to create temple-focused digital content. Their first video drew around 50 views, but persistence helped them grow to over 2.5 million followers.Describing digital media as a “zero-error genre,” she said her team backs each story with extensive research, and that she personally replies to audience messages. On handling criticism, she advised students not to be driven by public opinion, saying people comment regardless of one’s actions, while personal integrity and peace of mind should guide choices.On a question about women entering Sabarimala, Mohan clarified it was her personal view, and said long-followed rituals should be respected and not challenged for publicity. She urged students to focus instead on areas such as science, innovation, and development.She also spoke on temple customs, menstruation-related debates, and balancing modern lifestyles with spirituality, emphasizing respect for differing beliefs. Trustee Vivek Alva said such platforms help students learn from diverse journeys, while noting responsible creators can promote culture and generate employment.
