INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY

International Yoga Day-21st June.2015

A historic and memorable day in the life of every proud Indian around the world, and for everyone associated with “Sadguru Mangeshda Kriya Yoga foundation”.The Foundation celebrated International Yoga Day at Navinbhai Thakker auditorium, at Vile-Parle east. I was thrilled and overjoyed, that our ancient culture and tradition of  Yoga, has finally got an official global identity,and the entire world, all the 177 countries, have officially, accepted this day as the International Yoga Day.

Yoga has always been a time- tested and assured means of maintaining good health, positive outlook and calm mind. but due to various religious undercurrents, had always kept this powerful science of Yoga, far from global acceptance, but behind the scenes, everyone willingly acknowledged the merits of Yoga.

The programme was a complete power packed show, with the most diverse and rich variety. while the entire world was practicing Yoga asanas only on this day as a mark of celebration, our SMKYF celebrated it with a difference. I was urged by my Disciples to Donn the Director’s  hat, to bring about the uniqueness to this programme. So finally I agreed to my Disciples requests, as it was for a noble cause.

I played the role of a script writer, editor, & Director ,and composed a ballet called ” YES I CAN,YES WE CAN” ,the concept of this ballet was based on the negative impact of technology and modern lifestyles, and how Yoga unites eastern & western culture in living a healthy and enriching life. My objective was to motivate everybody to practice and adopt a healthy living by way of Yoga. Yoga is not gymnastics, where one gets stunned by the acrobatic postures and stunts as shown on electronic media. Yoga is a simple and effective technique to remove the energy blocks in ones body, with ease and poise, thereby facilitating a free mind filled with freshness, positivity & optimism. So I chose my 2 children aged 6 and 9, &my other little children in the age group of 65 to 80, to perform the Yoga asans. I had choreographed this ballet and the first performance of this ballet was on Gudi Padwa celebration 2015 of Sadguru Mangeshda Kriya Yoga Foundation, since then the ballet has received wide accolades, & Akashwani Mumbai, had organized a performance of this ballet on 12th june on the occasion of international Yoga Day , celebrations. The response to this ballet was stupendous, and both my children Mahima& Shubham, along with all my other performers, burnt the mid night oil, but practiced the steps to perfection.

There was another Dance ballet that I choreographed,”INFINITY”, blending the ancient tradition of Yoga with the modern Zumba Dance form. My concept was from Big Bang how the world created with Yoga. Then from the Oneness the two separations …Eastern culture & Western culture. I designed this dance to show that , through Yoga, ultimately we can unite the world !

After this I started my own Yoga demonstration along with my children Mahima & Shubham.  I explain that the journey of Yoga in fact starts from our 1st breath & conclude with the last. From Yogasans ,  various Pranayams, purifications,  I Concluded it with Meditation.

I was happy  to see the jam-packed auditorium, in spite of torrential rains lashing out over the past 72 hours across Mumbai. I was delighted to see some surprise visitor from far away African land, the Princess of Cameroon and the United Nations representative from Cameroon,who had come down all the way from Cameroon to meet me and partake in our International Yoga day celebrations. I felt very honored and touched when they presented me with the Cameroon flag and the traditional attire of Cameroon, as a mark of Honour and respect & invited me to spread Kriyayoga to Cameroon.

People specially came from various parts of India & abroad to witness this mega function.

The Celebration was attended by Shri. Madhukar Talwalkar (Owner of Talwalkar’s Gym), My dear friend, Padmashree.Dhanraj Pillai. My close friend and well-wishers of our Foundation, Dr.V.N.Shrikhande, & Dr. Jagannathrao Hegde. Mr.Madhukar Talwalkar, had brought along with him,2 Exceptionally well built male Body builder’s. One was ex runners up of Mr Universe ,and a female body builder, to motivate the crowd, on staying fit and healthy .The story of Mr. Talwalkar and the chain of gymnasium, that he has established was very inspiring to hear, even more motivating was Mr. Talwalkar ‘s  fitness level’s when he demonstrated push-ups with ease on stage, even at this prime age of 82.The body builder’s showcased  fantastic posing, and left the crowd awestruck, especially when a lady body builder who was flown in all the way from Kolkata, for posing on stage by Mr.Talwalkar.

Another interesting performance from the Talwalkar  team, was when a lady, who  is also the Guinness book record holder, for blasting a rubber water bag, by blowing it with air,demonstrated the skills on stage,& the true capacity of a human lungs.

Then it was time for some healthy Discussion between myself, Madhukar Talwalkar & Dhanraj Pillai, in a tet-a- tet chat with each other, discussing  various health and fitness mantra’s of each of us. We received a grand response to this chat show which was anchored by me,and the crowd was estatic while hearing the candid conversations between the 3 of us. Another beautiful programme was the malkham performance by my little angels from the Kamala Mehta school of Blind. their amazing performance stunned the entire audience, who were finding it difficult to believe that these little angels were visually challenged.

The event successfully concluded with my Sankalp Poorthi of 100008 surya namaskars that I had set, on 1st june.15.My sankalp was to complete 100008 suryanamaskar’s on 21st june.15, collectively by myself and all my disciples around the 89 centers in the world. As a mark of respect to the Lord sun, who is the source of life on planet earth. This sankalp was earmarked to express the gratitude to lord sun on 21st June, which is also the longest day. Every year in the northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls on 21st June, making the transition of sun from Uttarayana to Dakshinayana. The knowledge of Yoga first descended from Lord Shiva on this day. In a nut shell, it can be considered to be the Birthday of YOGA. On 21st June, the day is longer and the night is shorter& Earth is at the closest distance from the Sun on its Orbit. So with so many scientific and spiritual significance attached to  this pious date.  We fulfilled the Sankalp of 100008 suryanamaskars, I was accompanied by Dhanraj pillai, Cameroon Princess Estha Divine, small children and senior citizens. everybody participated in the fulfillment of this landmark achievement& we completed the sankalp.

 

This International Yoga Day will forever be deeply etched in the hearts and minds of everyone who attended the grand function and witnessed such a wonderful array of diverse programme, being showcased on stage. I sincerely urge everybody, to continue practicing Yoga every day, and not just on 21st june. Consider 21st june as a good day that you have started the Yoga practice, and continue it every day as a regular discipline. With regular practice of Yoga,our energy levels  will always be maintained high, body remain fit, mind will always be calm& composed. With such composure, an individual will continue to spread Harmony and peace, where ever he goes. Let us all collectively join Hands and unitedly increase our individual energy levels, and thereby collectively increase the energy on planet earth and make our world a beautiful and bountiful place to live in. My heartiest congratulations to Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji for being the catalyst for this mass movement of worldwide recognition to Yoga.

I wish all of mankind, a very happy, healthy, enriched and prosperous life.

May Unconditional Love and Unconditional Forgiveness spread all over the world and restore peace and tranquility forever..

I am thankful to all media for the coverage of this grand function.  Some even willingly did live telecast.

I am sure everybody who witnessed this programme,  must have imbibed best from it.

Love & Blessings

Sadguru Mangeshda