Ravinder Jalali
Yoga today is a subject of world wide interest. This is a remarkable phenomenon in the long history of Yoga. Only a few years ago, it used to have a very limited appeal, although it is an ancient system of keeping our body, mind and soul together. It had a little meaning for the common man busy in the routine of daily life.
There were many people, gurus and masters who were regularly teaching the yoga to the people but the revolution, which was brought it in last decade, was none other than Yog Guru Baba Ramdev. It is he who made it a household name.
Last year when our Prime Minister Narindra Damoder Modi addressed the United Nations General Assembly and got resolution passed with 177 countries supporting it and declared 21st June every year as an “International Yoga Day”, it was really a great achievement for Modi government and the entire nation celebrated it as a great moment. The entire country felt proud of getting 21st June to be declared as International Yoga Day, thereby giving due recognition to our ancient wisdom which had been prevalent inour country since thousands of years ago. Incidentally, the majority of Muslim countries supported India-46 members of the Organisation of Islamic Countries, including Iran, and Gulf countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. It is indeed a great moment and feeling for every Indian. It is now very much a thing which interests the man in the street. Yoga is useful in daily life. It has crossed the boundaries in land of origin and has spread practically to every nation of the world. The popularity of Yoga has not been hindered by the diversity of religious beliefs, languages or geographic conditions.
The reasons for the growing universal interest in the Yoga in our days are two fold. Firstly the popular and the conventional methods of solving human problems having been found inadequate and need for a new approach has been felt more. Secondly the awareness that Yoga provides answers to some of our immediate and distant problems better than anything else is increasing.
But as the 21st June approached near, some leaders and politicians are playting dirty politics for their petty selfish gains. Some, so called, leaders of Muslim community, who claim themselves as the representatives of the community, term it as Anti -Islam. Some representatives of Congress also want to derive political mileage out of it, although some have favoured it. They want to create an impression that it is agenda of Hinduatva, which is far from truth.
Some of the Congressmen oppose Yoga not because of any valid reason but they say it is an event management show of Modi Govt., their contention is that they are for Yoga and not against it but BJP wants to make it an event. How ridiculous is it? We as Indians should feel proud that our ancient culture of holistic development of body, mind and soul has been recognized worldwide and if it is an even management show, it is the event of India as a nation and not as a party or government.
In Canada, Vancouver’s Burrard Street Bridge will be closed on 21st June, the International Day of Yoga (IDY). The government has partnered with local Yoga-pant Gurus Lululemon and Yoga studio YYoga to organise what they hope will be the largest IDY event to be hosted outside India. NaturalGas Company Altagas is also supporting, with a $10,000 sponsorship.
Take religion and politics out of Yoga. Treat Yoga as sport, a recreational activity that adds value to life, strength to muscles and stamina to lungs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to popularise Yoga globally, his own messianic zeal to become its brand ambassador is a welcome decision.
Yoga in schools is a great, though not novel, idea. It is a healthy prescription for children used to sedentary lives, stress of competition and pollution in the environment. Just as students are expected to study pre-decided subjects, at pre-decided hours, there is no harm in making Yogic postures and breathing exercises part of the curriculum, at least for those who are medically fit for them.
Several studies have shown that Yoga strengthens the musculoskeletal system, improves lung function, helps people with asthma and improves concentration. For school going children, these are priceless gains.
So, what is the problem people have with Yoga, or sending children to school for celebrating International Yoga Day ( 21st June)? The problem lies in linking Yoga to religion.
There is nothing like being anti-Muslim or showing sypremacy of one religion over the other. When one of the Congressmen was, recently, asked to comment about the telecast of Yoga classes by Swami Direndra Brhmachari, a close associate of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, during her times as Prime Minister of country, he had no argument to defend except rhetoric pseudo-secular and communal hollow slogan.When it is in Congress regime it is OK and democratic but if it is in Modi government, it is unfare and undemocratic.
A few years ago, a Malaysian organisation issued a Fatwa against Yoga, saying elements of Hinduism in the ancient Indian exercise could corrupt them. A similar edict was issued by organisations in some other countries, including Indonesia, where Yoga is quite popular. But practitioners of Yoga reacted by saying the Fatwa will not deter them.
It is true that Yoga’s origin is linked to Hindu scriptures and rituals.There are several references to Yoga in the Upanishads and the book of peace of the Mahabharata but Yoga has evolved over the years-to become a secular practice, with disciples in several countries. Followers of other faiths have stripped Yoga of its religious meaning by practicing just as exercises, renaming them and omitting the chants that link it to Hindu scriptures.
A US Court recently ruled, Yoga doesn’t belong to any particular religion. “It is clear that while Yoga may be practiced for religious reasons, it cannot be said to be inherently religious or overtly sectarian,” the Court said, settling a petition challenging the decision of a US school to teach Yogic exercises. In the US, more than 25 million people practice Yoga. Even the Arab world has embraced Yoga. Several centuries ago, Persian Muslim scholar Al-Biruni (973-1048) had translated Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra into Arabic, introducing the region to the Indian concept.
Today, it is estimated, Iran has nearly 200 Yoga centres where Muslims, including some clerics, practice its postures and breathing techniques. A few years ago, some hardliners had sought a ban on Yoga in Iran, saying it was a threat to Islam. But the opponents soon ran out of arguments as Yoga continued to thrive.
Yoga was always a part of schooling. I remember Yoga being taught every morning at most of the schools. Back then, it was seen as just another drill that students went through during the sports period. The debate around the religious connotation of Yoga is a recent Indian phenomenon.
To conclude, let the selfstyled leaders who oppose the Yoga, rise above their narrow minded party, regional and religious politics and ensure that the benefits of the Yoga reach to the children irrespective of their faith and derive maximum benefits, which eventually will translate in holistic development of body, mind and soul and make them a good human being.
