India Guru Warms to Nepal

2010-03-26 21:20:00

India's soft power once again scored a victory when Nepal connected with Patanjali's ancient yoga at a week-long fitness and alternative therapy camp in the Himalayan country Friday.

The camp, which includes morning yoga sessions in the heart of the capital Kathmandu and the commissioning (laying the foundation) of three Patanjali Yogpeeth service, yoga and welfare projects at Tundikhel, Mandikatar and Syangja, is aimed at fostering better bilateral ties between India and Nepal through spiritual and cultural exchange, yoga guru Ramdev told reporters.

This is the second Indian yoga camp in Nepal.

'Nepal is not new to the ancient Indian yoga. Over the last three years, the Patanjali Yogpeeth has deployed 25,000 yoga instructors in the country - both in the towns and villages - to help build a stronger and healthier society,' he said.

'By the end of the year, we expect to have a network of 100,000 yoga teachers in the country,' the yoga master seer, who has popularised traditional breathing exercises 'pranayama' around the world, said.

The foundation of the Patanjali project at Tundikhiel will be laid by Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Madhav Nepal, Maoist chief Prachanda and Ramdev Saturday.

'Yoga is a way of life and a viable alternative therapy whose powers have been scientifically proven. It also helps promote positive thinking and breaches social divides.

'India and Nepal are two sovereign countries which have shared historical ties since the days of Ram Rajya till date - when democracy has replaced kingship. They have a lot in common in terms of culture, spirituality and social ideals which can be strengthened to foster goodwill between both the countries,' he said.

He said the social set-up of India and Nepal are similar - where the poorest of the lot often succumbed to diseases and unhealthy lifestyles because of the inaccessibility to healthcare and expensive modern therapies.

'Traditional Indian yoga could benefit the poor people in Nepal improve their lifestyles and tackle long-term diseases like heart conditions and diabetes. Yoga has no side-effects, while allopathic medicines often aggravate chronic health conditions,' he said.

Ramdev said yoga was not religion.

'People are often taken for a ride in the name of religion, but the systematic therapy of yoga unites people and removes internecine animosity,' he said.

Ramdev, who recently announced his intention to take active part in India's political process by fielding candidates under its Rashtriya Swabhiman Trust, said the Patanjali yoga instructors in Nepal will campaign against the widespread drug and addiction in the Himalayan nation and the pagan rituals of animal sacrifice in temples of the country.

'Yoga helps a society become compassionate. We want the Indian and Nepal governments to work towards common social, cultural and spiritual goals,' he said.

The seer also clarified that his proposed party 'will not covet political positions but will try to clean up the political system by creating people's representatives'.