Yogrishi Swami Ramdev in North America
By Manu Shah
HOUSTON: North America will soon get a lesson in yoga from none other than yoga’s global icon Yogrishi Swami Ramdev. He will lead the way showing thousands of yoga amateurs and practitioners various postures (asanas), breathing techniques and meditation that promise a medicine free life.
The declaration of June 21 as the International Day of Yoga (IDY) by the UN three years ago helped India gain an international platform overnight. Efforts by PM Narendra Modi has seen a sharp increase in yoga’s popularity – not just in India but around the globe. More than a hundred countries will embrace the day cutting across age barriers, nationalities and ethnic backgrounds to ignite health and harmony of the body, mind and soul. India’s biggest cultural export will be a mark of unity and solidarity around the world.
In a statement, Shekhar Agrawal, President, Patanjali Yogpeeth (USA) noted that after “celebrating the 3rd IDY with half a million people in Ahmedabad, India on June 21, Pujya Swamiji will visit North America to further spread the message of yoga to the masses as he conducts yoga sessions in Gaithersburg, MD, Atlantic City, NJ and Toronto, Canada.
Baba Ramdev is also one of the founders of the Divya Yog Mandir which aims to promote yoga and Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust in Haridwar devoted to research on the healing powers of yoga and Ayurveda. With Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., a 10,000 crore outfit, that manufactures and markets more than 700 products ranging from herbal toothpastes to foodstuff, he stunned business analysts and corporate honchos with his marketing acumen. His phenomenal success in encouraging consumers to opt for a chemical free lifestyle in all strata of people in India is being studied at business schools around the world.
Swami Ramdev’s worldwide visit will begin in Washington D.C on June 23 to celebrate the Yoga Diwas or the International Day of Yoga at the JSS Spiritual Center from 4-7pm. For more details, visit (http://www.jssmission.org/). He will head to an AAPI private event on June 24 for a 6-8 am yoga session in Atlantic City, NJ followed by a talk and a Q&A session from 2-3:30 pm on Yoga and Spirituality.
With the support of the Consulate General of India in Toronto, Canada will also welcome the yoga master on Sunday, June 25, at the International Centre, Toronto. The program, which is expected to attract 8,000-10,000 yoga enthusiasts from across the Greater Toronto area, will be the largest congregation of yoga practitioners, at a single venue in North America practicing yoga. Yogrishi Swami Ramdev will lead the session from 10-12:30 in the morning. For more information, visit http://iydc.ca.
In a statement issued in Toronto, Satish Thakkar, Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Yoga Day Canada, said, “We are very excited to welcome Yogrishi Baba Ramdev to Toronto on the occasion of the third IDY on Sunday, June 25. It will be a rare privilege and a special blessing for everyone participating in the event to be guided by such a world renowned Yogrishi.”
On June 26, Swami Ramdev will hold an Interactive session from 7-9 am to learn and practice yoga, meditation and spirituality for a stress free live at the BAPS Sri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto.
Swami Ramdev will also be honored with the 2017 CIF Global Indian Award on 26th June by the Canada India Foundation. Past recipients of this prestigious award have been Ratan Tata of the Tata Group, Narayana Murthy of Infosys and Dr. Subhash Chandra of the Essel Group. “Baba Ramdev epitomizes the vitality and profoundness of ancient Indian disciplines of Yoga and natural health sciences, and by honoring him with the CIF Global Indian Award, we are acknowledging his significance to the world of both material and spiritual wellbeing,” said Ajit Someshwar, Chair of CIF.
On June 27, Swami Ramdev will conduct a “Yoga in daily life” talk at TV Asia in New Jersey from 6:30 -8:00 pm after which he will return to India.
For more information, visit www.pyptusa.org