92,and still going strong

Nearly 1,500 people participated in the yoga workshop organised at the St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School,Sector 44,Chandigarh today,to mark the 44th Founder’s Day celebrations of the Sansthan. Lal apprised the people about the benefits of yoga in nearly two-hour workshop. It started from 5:30 am in the morning. Yoga followers from over 100 centres across the tri-city and its periphery participated in the workshop that was free for all.

Starting with only two centres in India on April 10,1967,the organisation now has 2,000 centres in India as well as abroad,including Australia,Fiji,London and Mauritius. Lal firmly believes in the Indian heritage and aims to re-establish it by protecting and preserving it through yoga.

Running a non-sectarian,social,cultural and non-profit organisation since the age of 49,he believes a lot is yet to be done in the sphere. He also holds the credit of holding yoga camps even in the Army base camps of Jammu,Kashmir and Ladakh.

The fact that today yoga is not only known and followed in India but also in other countries extensively leaves Lal content,but at the same time,he is concerned about the commercialisation of the form.

“The importance of yoga has declined due to its commercialisation. Though more people are aware of it now,unfortunately,it is not being followed correctly,so that instead of benefiting people,it is causing reverse effects,” said Lal. He said that in the recent months,cases where people developed blood pressure disorders leading to heart problems have increased. “Many people have come to us with several problems aggravated after they followed yoga by watching television. One cannot learn this form by watching or listening but it has to be followed by practice under the supervision of trained people. Yoga has the ability to give immediate effects,” said Lal.

All these years,the organisation has been following three fundamentals — no sale of the form,no participation in politics and open for all. The message that Lal,the person who has been working selflessly all these years,wants to share with the people is not to change yoga at their own convenience and promote it as form of exercise but follow the saying,“Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu,Sarve Bhaventu Sukhina (may all be happy,may all rejoice in joy and happiness and may all live for the service of humanity and inspire others to live in the service of the Almighty”.