After the pesticide controversy in India, the soft drinks industry has been hit by another scare. Latest research by a British scientist shows that a preservative used in cold drinks could switch off vital parts of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), causing serious damage to cells particularly in children.
Sodium benzoate or E211 has been used as a preservative for decades by the £74-billion global carbonated drinks industry. It is used to kill yeast, bacteria, and fungi in soft drinks, jam, fruit juice and salad dressing. When mixed with vitamin C, it forms benzene, a carcinogenic substance.
The preservative is also found naturally in cranberries, prunes, greengages, cinnamon, ripe cloves and apples. Peter Piper, a molecular biology expert at Sheffield University, studied the preservative and found that it could damage an important part of DNA called mitochondria. “These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it, they knock it out altogether,” said Piper.
“The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously. And there is a whole array of diseases now being tied to damage to this part of DNA. Parkinson’s and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing can be caused by the damage.”
However, makers of drinks like Coca-Cola, Fanta and Diet Pepsi insisted that experts had rigorously assessed the additive before it had been approved for use. Coca-Cola said all their ingredients had been approved as safe by the food regulatory authorities in Britain and the European Union (EU), from where they take their guidance. A spokesman for Britvic, which makes Diet Pepsi, said: “We will only use ingredients that are thoroughly tested and approved for use by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Britain and approved by the EU.”
Piper claimed that tests on sodium benzoate carried out by the European Union and the US Food and Drug Administration were too old to be reliable, the online edition of the Daily Mail reported on Sunday. “By the criteria of modern safety testing, the safety tests were inadequate. Like all things, safety testing moves forward and you can conduct a much more rigorous safety test than you could 50 years ago. My concern is for children who are drinking large amounts,” said Piper.
Norman Baker, the chairman of the British Parliament’s all-party environment group, came out with a firm endorsement of Piper’s call for further tests. “Professor Piper has studied this for some years. So, we should be taking his concerns seriously. I will be writing to the FSA to ask them to carry out further investigation, and I would advise parents to make sure there is no over-exposure to these drinks for their children,” said Baker.
In India, the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had earlier tested Pepsi and Coca-Cola products and had announced that it found four toxic residues after testing 12 of their major brands. “Some of these residues were carcinogenic,” claimed CSE director Sunita Narain. As a result of CSE’s report, several states including the Kerala had banned cold drinks manufactured by Pepsi and Coca Cola in their states.
WHO Urges All Countries To Ban Smoking
Swami Ramdev ji is always completely against Smoking and drinking and tells people to leave it completely to get full benefit from yogasan and pranayams.
Considering this fact in mind, I will keep on posting articles against all such things. This is against smoking and none other but World Health Organization (WHO) is endorsing it:-
Coinciding with Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging all countries to bring in a 100 per cent ban on smoking in indoor public places and workplaces and has released its new policy recommendations on protection from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
"The evidence is clear, there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke," said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan in a prepared statement earlier this week.
"Many countries have already taken action. I urge all countries that have not yet done so to take this immediate and important step to protect the health of all by passing laws requiring all indoor workplaces and public places to be 100 per cent smoke-free," she added.
Tobacco smoke contains 4,000 known chemicals, with more than 50 of them known to cause cancer, said the WHO.
More than 5 million deaths a year are caused by tobacco, making it the leading preventable cause of death in the world. The developing world is seeing the fastest growth in tobacco use, and half of tobacco-related deaths occur there. If this growth continues, 80 per cent of tobacco-related deaths will be in the developing world.
Also, exposure to second hand smoke causes heart disease and premature death in adults due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Workplace exposure to tobacco smoke is estimated to kill 200,000 workers a year, and the WHO estimates that 700 million children, that is half the world's minors, breathe in tobacco smoke, mostly at home.
In the six years between 1999 and 2005, the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the Global Youth Tobacco Survey where youngsters aged 13 to 15 in 132 countries were interviewed about their exposure and attitude to tobacco smoke. More than three quarters of the youngsters favoured a ban on smoking in public places.
The survey also showed that 44 per cent of the young interviewees breathed in tobacco smoke at home while 56 per cent of them were exposed to it in public places.
The WHO is not alone in highlighting the dangers to children from second hand smoke. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), breathing in second hand smoke harms children by causing "asthma, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), bronchitis and pneumonia and ear infections".
The EPA suggests that American children's exposure to second hand smoke is responsible for:
The WHO's new policy recommendations draw on the conclusions of three new major reports:
The end of next month, on 30th June in Bangkok, sees the start of the Second Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, where participating countries will discuss the practicalities of protection against exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
Acting Director of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, Dr Douglas Bettcher, speaking about the Second Conference of the Parties, said that:
"This topic should matter to everyone, because everyone benefits from smoke-free places."
"With this year's theme, we hope that everyone, especially policy makers and employers, will be inspired to claim, create and enjoy spaces that are 100 per cent free from tobacco smoke. By doing so, we keep the bodies inside those spaces smoke-free too, and greatly increase our effectiveness in preventing serious diseases and saving lives in future generations," he added.
World No Tobacco Day is celebrated all over the world in different ways, with marches, workshops to help people stop smoking, educational meetings, and various campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of second hand smoke.
Last year, Michael R Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, announced his intention to donate 125 million dollars over the next two years toward ending the global tobacco epidemic. The money will be awarded in the form of grants, and applications are sought from the 15 high burden countries in particular: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, the Russian Federation, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.
Considering this fact in mind, I will keep on posting articles against all such things. This is against smoking and none other but World Health Organization (WHO) is endorsing it:-
Coinciding with Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging all countries to bring in a 100 per cent ban on smoking in indoor public places and workplaces and has released its new policy recommendations on protection from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
"The evidence is clear, there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke," said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan in a prepared statement earlier this week.
"Many countries have already taken action. I urge all countries that have not yet done so to take this immediate and important step to protect the health of all by passing laws requiring all indoor workplaces and public places to be 100 per cent smoke-free," she added.
Tobacco smoke contains 4,000 known chemicals, with more than 50 of them known to cause cancer, said the WHO.
More than 5 million deaths a year are caused by tobacco, making it the leading preventable cause of death in the world. The developing world is seeing the fastest growth in tobacco use, and half of tobacco-related deaths occur there. If this growth continues, 80 per cent of tobacco-related deaths will be in the developing world.
Also, exposure to second hand smoke causes heart disease and premature death in adults due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Workplace exposure to tobacco smoke is estimated to kill 200,000 workers a year, and the WHO estimates that 700 million children, that is half the world's minors, breathe in tobacco smoke, mostly at home.
In the six years between 1999 and 2005, the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the Global Youth Tobacco Survey where youngsters aged 13 to 15 in 132 countries were interviewed about their exposure and attitude to tobacco smoke. More than three quarters of the youngsters favoured a ban on smoking in public places.
The survey also showed that 44 per cent of the young interviewees breathed in tobacco smoke at home while 56 per cent of them were exposed to it in public places.
The WHO is not alone in highlighting the dangers to children from second hand smoke. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), breathing in second hand smoke harms children by causing "asthma, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), bronchitis and pneumonia and ear infections".
The EPA suggests that American children's exposure to second hand smoke is responsible for:
- An increase in the number of asthma attacks and severity of symptoms in 200,000 to 1 million children with asthma.
- Between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections (for children under 18 months), and
- Respiratory tract infections that result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospital admissions every year.
The WHO's new policy recommendations draw on the conclusions of three new major reports:
- Monograph 83 Tobacco Smoke and Involuntary Smoking by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),
- The United States Surgeon General's Report on The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, and
- The California Environmental Protection Agency's Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant.
The end of next month, on 30th June in Bangkok, sees the start of the Second Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, where participating countries will discuss the practicalities of protection against exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
Acting Director of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, Dr Douglas Bettcher, speaking about the Second Conference of the Parties, said that:
"This topic should matter to everyone, because everyone benefits from smoke-free places."
"With this year's theme, we hope that everyone, especially policy makers and employers, will be inspired to claim, create and enjoy spaces that are 100 per cent free from tobacco smoke. By doing so, we keep the bodies inside those spaces smoke-free too, and greatly increase our effectiveness in preventing serious diseases and saving lives in future generations," he added.
World No Tobacco Day is celebrated all over the world in different ways, with marches, workshops to help people stop smoking, educational meetings, and various campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of second hand smoke.
Last year, Michael R Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, announced his intention to donate 125 million dollars over the next two years toward ending the global tobacco epidemic. The money will be awarded in the form of grants, and applications are sought from the 15 high burden countries in particular: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, the Russian Federation, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.
Interview for BBC
The BBC's Hindi Service is running a series of interviews to discover the unknown side of India's newsmakers. Here, the service's India editor Sanjeev Srivastava talks to yoga guru, Swami Ramdev.
here is the BBC interview
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/ekmulaqat7jan.mp3
He is hardly the kind of icon one would associate with a new, vibrant and technology savvy India. But for millions across the country, there can be no bigger trendsetter in recent years than Swami Ramdev, also known as Baba Ramdev.
The maverick yoga guru and practitioner of India's ancient medical science, Ayurveda, commands a tremendous hold over public imagination. So how come Swami Ramdev has made it so big in a country where maniacal fan following is usually the exclusive preserve of Bollywood and cricket superstars? The truth is - nobody really has a clue.
Yoga has been practised in India for centuries and there have been several celebrated yoga teachers in the country before. The ancient practice has been elaborated in great detail in historical treatises and texts and Swami Ramdev cannot be credited with inventing it.
Against dogma
Also, whichever yoga teacher one chooses to follow, the basic principles remain the same. So what has he done that has bestowed this unlikely stardom on him? In a country full of religious gurus and saints, Swami Ramdev does not even claim to be God's messenger or a God man.
If anything, he condemns all superstition and retrogressive beliefs. "I don't believe in destiny. Palmistry and all this talk about the lines on your hands deciding your future is nothing but nonsense. So is this talk of sun signs and auspicious and inauspicious time and place," he says.
"Can you identify any moment or place where God is not there? He is everywhere and all the time. So how can any place or time be less or more auspicious?" he asks.
Secretive
Perhaps it is his unique way of logical reasoning which attracts millions to him. Maybe it is his enigmatic persona - he is quite secretive and refuses to divulge his age or any other details about his background. And, he is candid enough to admit that it is a marketing mantra.
"There should be an element of mystery. If everything is known about me, people will be less interested. Till the time they know little about me, they are always curious to know more. It's human nature," he explains.
I think it is his lack of spirituality which attracts his legion of followers most.
After all, there is no shortage of conmen and God men in India who promise to deliver a better after-life, salvation and a life in heaven. But for all of these you have to be dead first. Baba Ramdev offers you something more immediate - you do not have to die to benefit from him. That is why he is modern India's material guru.
He promises you a stress-free, disease-free and healthy life. He even assures cures for several diseases like asthma, blood pressure disorders, heart ailments and even cancer. All these claims are debatable, but his millions of disciples do not seem to care.
After all, there is nothing to lose as yoga has no harmful side effects.
Simple and easy
So thousands throng the early morning yoga camps of Baba Ramdev, now organised almost all through the year in different corners of India. Some television channels also decided to cash in on the Baba's popularity and a couple of years ago, they started beaming live his yoga training sessions.
Soon enough the popularity rating of the TV channel patronised by the Baba went up sharply as hundreds of thousands of yoga enthusiasts started their day with Baba Ramdev's lessons on breathing exercises. There is perhaps another reason behind his popularity. Yoga may be ancient, but he has certainly re-invented it by making it very simple and easy to practise. One need not have an acrobatic, supple and flexible body to practice the Ramdev brand of yoga.
"Earlier I also used to try the really difficult asans [postures]. But gradually I understood there is no need to push and punish oneself needlessly. So now I practise and teach simple breathing exercises which keep one healthy and stress-free," he says. "Life is not for doing yoga. Yoga is for making life better," he adds. There is little known about his past and he does not reveal much.
"I joined a gurukul or a traditional Indian residential school at the age of nine. I used to do nearly 500 push-ups at a time and run about 5km every day. I loved wrestling and could easily defeat an opponent twice as heavy as myself," he says, talking about his early days.
"It was about 20 years ago that I turned to Pranayam [a yogic exercise largely guided by breathing techniques]. Then I also met my yoga guru who asked me to concentrate more on breathing exercises. That's been my life since then," he adds. Baba Ramdev lives a simple life. He dresses in the saffron robes of Hindu ascetics and is a frugal eater, who has not eaten any grains for over 10 years now.
"I never waste time having breakfast. I eat two meals a day and I eat only boiled vegetables and fruits," he says. The only drink he has - besides water - is cow milk. He sleeps on the floor and does not need more than four hours of sleep a night. And, he is a brahmachari sanyasi or a bachelor ascetic.
Not Gandhian
So is he never attracted to women? After all, among his disciples are some very attractive Bollywood actresses. "The thought never crosses my mind. I think I have taken birth to propagate yoga and good values," he says. But the Baba is not all Gandhian.
He loves a good fight and never shies away from controversy. He has quite often courted controversy with his criticism of multinationals - particularly cola giants like Coke and Pepsi - as well as tobacco and liquor manufacturers. Only last month he was in the news for a public spat he had with the federal health minister who asked Baba Ramdev to only concentrate on yoga and not run down Western or allopathic medicine without reason.
"I am not against the Western system of medicine. But why should the minister get so upset if I say that yoga has a beneficial impact on those suffering from heart problems or even cancer? Why does he want me to play down the benefits of yoga when people have benefited from them," he asks?
"In any case what can these governments do? A Saddam can be hanged for killing 142 people. Tobacco companies manufacture death for millions every year. Has one person ever been punished," he wants to know?
Healing the World
And when it comes to healings, the testimonies are legion.
Eight years ago, Shakhdav M Devashryee lost all hope when he lost his sight. In January 2004, he learned yog by listening to Swami Ramdev on TV. He says, "That was my turning point. My confidence level shot up and I was determined to follow the path of my yog teacher and change the lives of many others the way he changed mine. I also wanted to establish victory over my own handicap. Till date, I have taught yog in 11 jails and formed many clubs."
Jayshree Desai, 47, yog teacher based in Mumbai, also narrates her life-changing experience: "I was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, and deemed incurable. My friend introduced me to Swami Ramdev's yog on TV. When I practised it, my acute condition stabilised, and soon to the amazement of doctors, the disease vanished! I resolved to become a yog teacher and have conducted many camps in India as well as in Mexico, Norway and San Diego."
Manik Juneja, a technopreneur from Delhi, says, "My father is suffering from end stage renal failure. His creatinine level was 11, whereas normal creatinine level is around 1. The nephrologist was considering putting him on haemodialysis, when my father started doing pranayaam twice daily, after watching Baba Ramdev's yog camp on TV. Within two months, his creatinine level came down to 5.8. His blood pressure and blood sugar levels are also under control now."
An all-round panacea, yog came to the help of Raghav Dutta, a 23-year old national-level swimmer from Delhi, who says, "After every swimming session, I used to get obdurate cramps in my legs. On my coach's insistence, I attended a week-long yog camp with Swami Ramdev and the cramps just dissolved. I never collected my X-ray reports from the pathology lab."
Swami Ramdev prescribes a blend of home remedies, ayurvedic medicine and yog to combat all diseases. He says, "A day will come when yog and ayurveda will become mainstream therapy."
Firm in his belief that these two disciplines can alone heal mankind of most if not all ailments, he has enlisted millions of practitioners into his bandwagon, including allopathic medical practitioners.
Ashok Chandra, an MBBS-turned-yog guru attached to Swami Ramdev's outfit, says, "I suffered from chronic spondylitis that allopathy could not cure. A couple of years ago I started Swami Ramdev's yog. Bingo, the pain dissolved. Persistence was and is the main key. Eventually, I gave up my medical practice to learn yog." He chortles and adds, "I was proud to be an MBBS, now I am even prouder to be a yog guru."
Yog has always been a non-sectarian discipline, emphasising the universalities of breath, focus and flexibility. Little wonder then that Swami Ramdev's appeal cuts across all sectarian divide.
Doctor Anwar Ali Rana, a yog teacher trained by Swami Ramdev, says, "When I went for Haj, I wanted people residing in the sacred land to realise the magic of Swamiji's yog, so I conducted four camps at Mecca and Madina and also trained three men to teach the practice." He adds, "Honey will always taste sweet to all; the masses at Mecca and Madina embraced yog without a seed of doubt."
Thanks to Aastha's international channel, Swami Ramdev's popularity is spreading over the whole of the Asian continent, as well as Australia, Europe, Africa and even America. Jonas D, an Australian social worker, ardently follows Swami Ramdev's telecasts. He says, "Bloggers from all around the globe were singing praises of the Indian yog guru. I had to try it out, and I must say it was a matter of few days when I felt a boost of energy in my entire system."
Teleguru Par Excellence
Swami Ramdev first shot into the limelight in December 2003 on Aastha channel. Almost instantly, he made an impact, which spiralled with every passing day. In time, he began to parlay his popularity through giant camps of a magnitude never before attempted. More than 20,000 people register for attendance, even though admission is not cheap by any means.
People pay close to Rs 5,000 for the privilege of sitting near the podium, while even the furthest seat commands Rs 500. It is said that he charges Rs 5 lakh for a one-on-one session. Today, all his camps are being telecast live for those who cannot afford to attend them personally.
His first foray abroad with four camps at UK beginning on July 15, may well trigger the beginning of a worldwide yog yatra. Already, he has earned the title of the most likeable Indian in a poll in Pakistan.
His meteoric rise in less than three years can be attributed in part to the power of television. Aastha's spokesperson once said, Swami Ramdev has been to it what Amitabh Bachchan was to Star Plus, a one-man army that has sent TRPs soaring. Arvind Joshi, Distribution Head of Aastha channel, says, "There has been a manifold increase in our TRPs."
Today, Swami Ramdev is a fixture there, appearing twice daily, once in the morning at 5 and again at 8.20 pm. The channel also gives copious publicity to his camps.
Swami Ramdev appears on other channels as well such as Sahara Samay and India TV, eliciting a frenetic response.
The Messiah of Yog
In two-and-a-half short years, swami ramdev has galvanized the great indian public into turning ardent practitioners of yog and pranayama. in the process, millions are losing weight, healing from various ailments and making a bid for optimum wellness
Sneak into any household in India between 5 and 7 am and chances are good that you will find someone sitting cross-legged in front of the television intently following the instructions of a saffron-clad sanyasi, with dishevelled shoulder length hair, eyes that are just slightly crossed and shoulders that are tilted to one side. As the swami parts the folds of his angavastram, he reveals a sinuous, fit physique and when he practises his trademark kapal bhatti, his stomache subsides into a deep hollow, sharply outlining his ribs. No prizes for guessing the name of the yogi. Could it be anyone other than Swami Ramdev?
Seated before a camp of 20,000 or more participants, the swami punctuates his easy banter with a joke or two, or with a request for a testimony. These are inevitably fulsome, describing either a loss of weight, or recovery from one or the other ailment. Occasionally, he extols the great Vedic heritage of India and urges his followers to adhere to it, or ventures into a fluid narration of kitchen remedies for various disorders. Unsurprisingly, he delivers periodic broadsides against western influence, particularly the use of aerated drinks and junk food.
The camera dwells lovingly on the heavyweights sitting in the front row, who range from politicos such as the chief minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje, chief minister of Chattisgarh, Dr Raman Singh, to film star Hema Malini, and business tycoons, Rahul Bajaj and B K Modi.
None of this would be remarkable in itself but for the fact that in less than two-and-a-half years, this innocuous yogi has single-handedly spearheaded a major national revolution in health and general wellbeing through the systematic practice of yog.
Observes Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of Art of Living, whose runaway popularity has only been challenged in recent times by Swami Ramdev, "If an individual can be credited with reviving yog in this country, it is solely Swami Ramdev. Yog can cure even fatal diseases and Swami Ramdev has definitely proved it time and again. Swami Ramdev has spread yog to such an extent that sooner or later, one has to embrace it."
Agrees Life Positive columnist and yog teacher Shameem Akhtar, "He is the first person to have popularised yog in India at the mass level."
Adds Santosh Sachdeva, author of books on kundalini, such as the Kundalini Diary, "Every morning when I go for my walk, I see people sitting on benches and practising his anulom vilom and kapal bhatti. Even my physician does it. It's astounding to see how one man has changed human consciousness at such a mass level."
Swami Ramdev is living testimony to the power of one. Throughout history, individuals have been the fulcrum that has shifted society to new eras and paradigms. Whether it is the Buddha, Jesus Christ, Marx or Mahatma Gandhi, each created a revolution in ideas and action. Today, it is the turn of Swami Ramdev to create a watershed in Yog awareness. This 5,000-year-old philosophy and practice has been so far restricted to tiny pockets and organisations and has over the years gained more popularity in the West than in the land of its origin. It was left to Swami Ramdev to explode out of all limitations and bring it within the reach of every man.
Today, there's scarcely anyone in the country who has access to a TV, who is not familiar with his name. Lisps four-year-old Sarika, "I like the way Ramdev uncle pulls his stomach in and moves it like a ball. See I can also do it." She sucks her stomach in and surprisingly, she is good for her age.
Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand of Bhanpura Peeth credits Swami Ramdev's Yog for reducing his obesity. There has even been a camp at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on APJ Abdul Kalam's insistence.
Observes film star Hema Malini, "I have personally benefitted a lot by following Swami Ramdev's Yog. Being a dancer, flexibility is very essential. Regular Yog keeps my body well toned and active. I have experienced great relief in my knee joints. Even my skin is glowing better than ever."
Others extol his virtues lavishly, crossing the frontier of hyperbole. Says Kirit Bhaiji, member of the Tulsi Seva Charitable Trust, "We have not been able to keep our country united, either through food, bhajans, language, religion nor culture. Unity in all aspects is possible only through Shri Ramdev's Yog."
Life History of Yogi Raaj
Swami Ramdev (born in 1965), also known as Baba Ramdev, is a Yog Guru. Yog is something not new, but its essence somehow got lost in the mists of time. People knew about it but very few were practicing is emphatically. Almost a decade ago Swami Ramdev reanimated the scope of yog and ayurveda. He has scientifically evolved prananyaam as well as yog, which were previously comprehended by Patanjali and many other well versed gurus.
Early life
Ramdev was born as Ramkishan Yadav in Alipur, in the Mahendragarh district of Indian state of Haryana. He attended school through the eight grade in Shahjadpur. Thereafter, he joined a yogic monastery (gurukul) in Khanpur village to study Sanskrit and Yog. Eventually, he renounced worldly life and entered into Sanyas (monastic living) - taking the name Swami Ramdev. Then he went to Jind district and joined the Kalva gurukul and offered free Yog training to villagers across Haryana. It is said that he travelled the Himalayas for several years before he settled in Haridwar. He discovered several medicinal plants in the Himalayas which he uses in treating his patients. Ramdev started relentless efforts to popularise Yog in 1995 with the establishment of Divya Yog Mandir Trust along with Acharya Karamveer.
Life
In 1995, Ramdev joined the order of swamis after being initiated into the ascetic order by Swami Shankerdevji Maharaj. While training to be a Swami, Ramdev spent many years undertaking an intense and thorough study of ancient Indian scriptures. At the same time, he also practiced intense self-discipline and meditation. He teaches that God resides in every human being and that the body is God's temple. He is a firm believer in the concept of Vasudaiv Kutambakam (the whole World is one family) and decries practices that discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or gender. His fundamental belief is that expressions of love, affection and compassion towards all living things are the true worship of the Creator.
Work and Teaching
Ramdev has taught several aspects of traditional Indian scriptures such as Ashtadhyayee, Mahabhashya and Upanishads along with six systems of Indian Philosophy in various Gurukuls (traditional Indian systems of education). He has helped establish Gurukuls in Kishangarh, Ghashera, and Mahendragarh in India. He has also founded the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust which has built several institutions. In addition to helping people learn about Yog and spirituality, these institutions also provide a comprehensive facility that promotes the practice of Ayurveda - the traditional system of holistic medicine developed in India. He teaches Pranayama which is a series of techniques for breath control that were developed as a part of the ancient Indian system of Yog. Heretofore, these techniques were often thought of as being esoteric and complex and portrayed as being unsuitable for lay people. Consequently, their use was often limited to advanced practitioners of Yog and undertaken only under the strict supervision of an experienced teacher. Ramdev has worked to break these barriers and help make the practice of Pranayama achievable by the ordinary layperson. His educational show is broadcast on Indian national TV (AASTHA channel) from morning 6-8 am and evening 8-9 pm (IST) several times a week and he also has dedicated shows such as Total Tandurusti airing on Zee network, a show on Sahara One at 9:00 am, Yog Science on IndiaTV at 7:30 am & 1:30 pm [2]. Total viewership is in millions. According to the synopsis that is available to Sky Digital viewers, Ramdev " was a paralytic" prior to taking up Yog. He has been conducting Yog Science camps regularly all over the country, and sometimes abroad as well. In 2006, the Ramdev spent almost a month in London teaching Pranayam and Yog. Total attendance in these camps exceeds tens of thousands. Viewers of the TV show and attendees at the camp have reported significant improvements in their health - citing relief from many illnesses such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Hypertension.
Pranayama
The Pranayama programme as taught by Swami Ramdev consists of the following seven key breathing exercises (in sequence):
Ramdev was born as Ramkishan Yadav in Alipur, in the Mahendragarh district of Indian state of Haryana. He attended school through the eight grade in Shahjadpur. Thereafter, he joined a yogic monastery (gurukul) in Khanpur village to study Sanskrit and Yog. Eventually, he renounced worldly life and entered into Sanyas (monastic living) - taking the name Swami Ramdev. Then he went to Jind district and joined the Kalva gurukul and offered free Yog training to villagers across Haryana. It is said that he travelled the Himalayas for several years before he settled in Haridwar. He discovered several medicinal plants in the Himalayas which he uses in treating his patients. Ramdev started relentless efforts to popularise Yog in 1995 with the establishment of Divya Yog Mandir Trust along with Acharya Karamveer.
Life
In 1995, Ramdev joined the order of swamis after being initiated into the ascetic order by Swami Shankerdevji Maharaj. While training to be a Swami, Ramdev spent many years undertaking an intense and thorough study of ancient Indian scriptures. At the same time, he also practiced intense self-discipline and meditation. He teaches that God resides in every human being and that the body is God's temple. He is a firm believer in the concept of Vasudaiv Kutambakam (the whole World is one family) and decries practices that discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or gender. His fundamental belief is that expressions of love, affection and compassion towards all living things are the true worship of the Creator.
Work and Teaching
Ramdev has taught several aspects of traditional Indian scriptures such as Ashtadhyayee, Mahabhashya and Upanishads along with six systems of Indian Philosophy in various Gurukuls (traditional Indian systems of education). He has helped establish Gurukuls in Kishangarh, Ghashera, and Mahendragarh in India. He has also founded the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust which has built several institutions. In addition to helping people learn about Yog and spirituality, these institutions also provide a comprehensive facility that promotes the practice of Ayurveda - the traditional system of holistic medicine developed in India. He teaches Pranayama which is a series of techniques for breath control that were developed as a part of the ancient Indian system of Yog. Heretofore, these techniques were often thought of as being esoteric and complex and portrayed as being unsuitable for lay people. Consequently, their use was often limited to advanced practitioners of Yog and undertaken only under the strict supervision of an experienced teacher. Ramdev has worked to break these barriers and help make the practice of Pranayama achievable by the ordinary layperson. His educational show is broadcast on Indian national TV (AASTHA channel) from morning 6-8 am and evening 8-9 pm (IST) several times a week and he also has dedicated shows such as Total Tandurusti airing on Zee network, a show on Sahara One at 9:00 am, Yog Science on IndiaTV at 7:30 am & 1:30 pm [2]. Total viewership is in millions. According to the synopsis that is available to Sky Digital viewers, Ramdev " was a paralytic" prior to taking up Yog. He has been conducting Yog Science camps regularly all over the country, and sometimes abroad as well. In 2006, the Ramdev spent almost a month in London teaching Pranayam and Yog. Total attendance in these camps exceeds tens of thousands. Viewers of the TV show and attendees at the camp have reported significant improvements in their health - citing relief from many illnesses such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Hypertension.
Pranayama
The Pranayama programme as taught by Swami Ramdev consists of the following seven key breathing exercises (in sequence):
- Bhastrika Pranayam
- Kapal Bhati Pranayam
- Bahaya Pranayam
- Anulom Vilom Pranayama
- Bhramri Pranayam
- Udgeeth Pranayam
- Pranab Dwani
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