Pondicherry Yogasana Association-Annual Report

[Guest guest]

ANNUAL REPORT

of Pondicherry Yogasana Association 2003 – 2004

 

I) EVENTS ORGANISED BY PYA:

 

· 18TH PONDY STATE YOGASANA CHAMPIONSHIP 2003

Miss V Renuka Devi and Mr. R Chandrasekar of Yoganjali Natyalayam were crowned Champion of Champions in female and male categories respectively at the 18th PONDICHERRY STATE YOGASANA CHAMPIONSHIP that concluded on the 9th of November 2003. Miss Dhesh M and Mr. G Dayanidy won the 1st Runner Up Prizes and Mr. Pa Vinokrupa and Miss Pa Ragaramya the 2nd Runner Up prizes in the Overall Championship.

The Championship conducted by PONDICHERRY YOGASANA ASSOCIATION at the International Centre for Yoga Education and Research, near Pondicherry was under the auspices of INTERNATIONAL YOGA FEDERATION, South America who had approved and recognised this championship. Dinamalar, Rotary Club of Pondicherry Central and Om Shakti Real Agencies sponsored the Championship. Nearly 400 competitors from all over Pondicherry participated in this model competition that not only tested the proficiency of the competitors in Yogasanas but also in Yoga theory. The competitors had to answer an objective type theory paper on Yoga Philosophy (concepts such as Ashtanga Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Chakras, methods and benefits of Yoga practices and Bhagavad Gita) for 25 marks

in addition to the 150 marks they got for performing five different Yogasanas during the competition. More than 30 juries from Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu Yogasana Associations were involved in the judging process. The judging was of the open variety and the audience could know the scores given to the competitors on the spot. The winners were declared on the basis of their combined marks in theory and practical.

ELEVEN Age Groups for male and female competitors separately starting from the below 6 years up to above 32 years category with an additional SIX special groups in each age category with forward bending, back bending, twisting, balancing, standing and combination asanas enabled more than 1000 prizes to be won in all categories making this the biggest prize event in Pondicherry’s Yoga Sport History. All 11 winners of maximum first prizes competed against one another in the Championship Round in which they had to answer five viva questions on Yoga Theory in addition to performing five spectacular Asanas of their choice.

The Managing Director of AFT, Sri B R BABU distributed prizes to the winners and praised members of the PYA for a successful championship. He lauded the efforts of PYA in popularizing Yoga to the youth of Pondy and thus creating model citizens who do not indulge in anti social activities. He complimented Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani for introducing Quality Yoga to the citizens of Pondicherry. He commented that due to the participation of many foreign student of ICYER in the competition as well as in the organisation that this championship was actually and International Championship. The President, Rotary Club of Pondicherry Central, Rtn Ipour M Ramakrishnan appreciated the efforts of PYA and expressed his pleasant surprise to see the quantity as well as quality of Yogic youth in Pondicherry. Dr Nalini Devi of

the Gitananda Yogalayam, Spain, Sri Om Shakti Sekar, proprietor of Om Shakti Real Agencies and Sri C K Manoharun, Vice President of PYA graced the occasion and distributed the prizes to the winners. Students of Yoganjali Natyalayam presented a spectacular cultural programme at the end of the prize distribution that was well appreciated by the audience.

Competitors from different institutions such as Yoganjali Natyalayam, St Patrick Matric HSS, Rajiv Gandhi Engineering College, ICYER Bharathidasan Women’s College, Indian School of Yoga, Petit Seminare, Alfa Matric School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Seventh Day Adventist, Pondicherry University Community College, Himalaya Yoga Centre, Pondicherry University Centre for Yoga Studies, Sri Sivananda Yogalayam, Tagore Arts College, Govt Primary and Middle Schools Pakkamudayanpet, Special School Ariyankuppam, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Centre, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Kalapet and Yoganjali Natyalayam west branch as well as many private candidates from Karaikal and other rural parts of Pondicherry participated.

 

· SWAMI GITANANDA BEST YOUTH & BEST CHILD AWARDS

Nearly 100 members in the age group below 20 years have participated in this years competition that has included a wide variety of events to test the yogic skills of the participants. PYA organised the SWAMI GITANANDA BEST YOUTH and BEST CHILD AWARDS competition for the year 2003 on the 18th and 25th of January 2004 at YOGANJALI NATYALAYAM, Pondicherry 13.

This is the Fourth year that this competition has been conducted in Pondicherry. The Awardees in the last three years are Miss D Lakshmi (2000), Miss N Ramya (2001) and Miss V Renuka Devi (2002). Miss Dhesh M won the inaugural Best Child Award last year. Youth in the age group 13 to 20 years participated in the Best Youth Award competition that consisted of a Team

Yogasana Competition and Yoga Dumb Charade Team competitions in addition to the individual based Yoga Essay, Yoga Novelty, Yoga Cartoon Drawing and Yoga Block and Tackle competitions. The competitor winning maximum points overall receives the SWAMI GITANANDA BEST YOUTH AWARD 2003.

Children below 13 years have participated in the Best Child Award competition that consisted of a Team Yogasana Competition, Yoga Quiz and Yoga Dumb Charade Team competitions in addition to the individual based Yoga Elocution, Yoga Fancy Dress and Yoga Drawing competitions. The competitor winning maximum points overall receives the SWAMI GITANANDA BEST CHILD AWARD 2003.

 

 

II) COMPETITIONS ATTENDED BY PYA:

 

 

12TH INTERNATIONAL YOGA FESTIVAL 2004

Officials of the Pondicherry Yogasana Association who were selected as Juries for this year’s festival included Mr Anbhazhagan, Mr Ravindran, Mrs Prabhavathi Mohan, Mr A Annadurai, Mr Dasaradan, Mrs Kalaivani, Mrs Devasena Bhavanani, Mrs Lalitha Shanmugam, Mr G Kumaran, Mr E Gajendiran and Mr C Shanmugam.

Officials of the PYA were also the technical consultants for this year’s International Yoga festival as usual and nearly 800 participants from all over the country and many foreign countries took part in this year’s festival. PYA is proud that two of its members made it to the champions round and performed credibly. We congratulate Mr G Dayanidy and Miss V Renuka Devi on this achievement.

Our president Amma Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, as well as our general secretary Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani were invited speakers and consultants at this year’s festival. As in the past few years Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani also organised the Yoga theory exam as well as the Yoga Viva for the championship round and the eminent dignitaries from all over the world very well appreciated this unique aspect of the Yoga Sport in Pondicherry.

 

 

15TH TAMIL NADU STATE YOGASANA CHAMPIONSHIP

R Chandrasekar was awarded the title of Yoga Bhushan for his splendid all round show at the 15th Tamil Nadu State Yogasana Championship conducted at Kovilpatti near Madurai in August 2003. He bagged six gold medals in the 25-30 years category.

14 members of the PYA won a total of 28 medals and 17 prizes including ten gold, six silver and twelve bronze medals. Pondicherry also won a creditable third place in the overall team championship. G Dayanidy who won 3 gold medals in the 17 to 20 years category for boys while V Renuka Devi won six medals including one gold, one silver and four bronzes in the 17 to 20 years female category. R Balaji won 2 silver medals while M Dhesh, S Devasena and KN Naswini won a silver medal each. S Vasu Bala won 4 bronze medals.

During the valedictory function Tamil Nadu State Yoga Association and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (Tuticorin) honoured Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani with the Title Award of YOGA VIBHUSHAN in recognition of his service towards the cause of Yoga Education and Yoga Sport in India and abroad.

Members who represented Pondicherry were R Chandrasekar, G Dayanidy, V Renuka Devi, G Kanimozhi, U Gokila, Dhesh M, Pa Vino Krubha, K Muruga Manickam, S Vasu Bala, R Balaji, R Subashini, S Samyuktha, S Devasena and K N Nasvani.

Officials of Pondicherry Yogasana Association who accompanied the team and represented Pondicherry as juries were Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Shri G Kumaran and Smt Ilavarasi.

 

 

ALL INDIA YOGA CHAMPIONSHIP, BANGALORE

PYA participated in the All India Invitation Yoga Championship 2003 held July 28-30th in Bangalore.

The six-member team bagged ten prizes in all. Our president Amma Yogacharini Kalaimamani Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani was the Chief Guest of the function.

In the highly competitive competitions, Dhesh M. won First Prize in Back-Bending Asanas and Fifth Prize in General Category. R. Monica bagged five prizes, including one Second; three, Fourth Prizes and one Fifth Prize. R. Balaji won Sixth Prize in his highly competitive category with 95 contestants. R. Chandrasekar won Second and Fourth Prizes.

The competition was organised by world famous Yoga Asanist Shri P. Gopalakrishna of the International Krishna Yoga Association ® and Shankar Yoga International Association ® of Bangalore.

 

 

PONDY STATE YOGA COMPETITION AT ARIANKUPPAM

Amma inaugurated the 3rd year Yoga competition for the Patanjali Yoga Centre and more than 100 members participated in the competitions. Many of the PYA officials participated as Juries and Sri C Shanmugam coordinated the event for PYA.

Sri Velemourougane of the Patanjali Yoga Centre is conducting this event for the past three years with assistance of the PYA.

· TAMIL NADU STATE YOGA COMPETITION : VILUPURAM

Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani was the Chief Guest at the Tamil Nadu State invitation Yoga competition organised by the Rotary Club and Ramakrishna Vidyalaya in Vilupuram where many members from Pondicherry including Miss A Yoganjali and Miss R Monika won top prizes. Sri Venkatesan conducted the competition in an able manner.

 

· GUMIDIPOONDI YOGA MELA

Miss R Monika won the Championship Award at the Yoga Mela 2003 conducted at Gumidipoondi near Chennai and also won the top prizes in Yoga Elocution and Yoga Quiz competitions at the same Mela.

 

 

 

III) NOMINATION OF NEW COMMITTEES:

 

The following members of PYA were nominated to various committees to insure smoother functioning of the PYA.

Public Relations: Smt Lalitha Shanmugam

Yoga Sports: Shri E Gajendiran, Shri V Dassaradan, Shri V Ravindran, Shri Velemourougane, Shri Senthil Kumar

Yoga Education: Shri A Annadurai, Smt Devasena Bhavanani, Smt Prabhavathy Mohan

Yoga Therapy: Shri G Kumaran, Shri Anbhazhagan, Dr Madhusudhanan

 

 

 

IV) CO-OPERATION WITH GOVT DEPARTMENTS:

 

The PYA has actively cooperated with the departments of Tourism as well as Health and Education in various activities.

As usual PYA cooperated actively with the Tourism department in the conduct of the International Yoga Festival.

Upon request of the Director, Health and Family Welfare, professional advice has been given for the republic day celebrations float depicting therapeutic benefits of Yogasanas.

The refresher training in Yoga for the PT teachers of Pondicherry Schools has been an opportunity for coordination with the Education department and we have expressed our willingness to help with the proposed introduction of Yoga in all Pondicherry Schools.

We are also actively cooperating with the Tourism Department and PT & TDC with regards to providing Yoga training to tourists visiting Pondicherry.

Members of the PYA have also been instrumental in the Pondicherry Police personnel receiving Yoga training.

 

 

V) PERSONAL MILESTONES:

 

Our president Amma Yogacharini Smt Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani has received many awards and recognitions this year including being elected FELLOW of the Indian Academy of Yoga, Banaras Hindu University.

She received the OUTSTANDING SENIOR CITIZEN Award from Chief Secretary Dr R Padmanaban on behalf of JAYCEES on August 15th 2003 as well as the Achiever’s Award 2003 from the Vinayagar Chathurthi Festival committee.

She was recently honoured with the Yogacharya Bangalore Sundaram Gold Medal for Excellence in Yoga from Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre, Chennai at Anna University in December 2003.

She has attended many conferences as Invited Speaker including the NCERT consultations on values education at Mysore and New Delhi, CCRYN at Ministry of Health, Delhi, National conferences at Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla, Maharastra, SVYASA, Bangalore and the National Psychology conference at Pondicherry in addition to the international yoga Festival and annual meet of the Indian Academy of Yoga at Pondicherry

Our General Secretary, Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani received the Marudha Ramalinganar Best Youth Award from the Youth Peace Centre, Pondicherry as well as the Yoga Vibhushan Title form the Tamil Nadu Yoga Association. He was nominated to the International Yoga Sport Council of the International Yoga Federation, South America and also received the “Sadanaialar Virudhu” from the Vinayagar Chathurthi Festival Committee.

 

 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE

PONDICHERRY YOGASANA ASSOCIATION ®

 

Yoga is an ancient art and science that has brought great name and fame to our beloved nation Bharat (India). In the last few decades a new concept has been introduced in the field of Yoga. This concept, known as YOGA SPORT, aims to introduce youth of the world to the magnificent art and science of Yoga through the medium of Yogasana Competitions at district, state, national and even international levels. Yoga Sport is the ideal sport for our nation as no infrastructure or costly equipment is required and all sections of society can achieve great heights through it. Yogasana competitions are part and parcel of the modern Yoga world and various national and international organizations are involved in the

development and propagation of the ideals of Yoga Sport.

 

INTERNATIONAL YOGA FEDERATION is the international governing body of Yoga Sport and is based in South America and Europe. The IYF has held International Yoga Championships nearly every year in various countries around the world. The First International Yoga Championship was held January 27th to 31st, 1989 at Pondicherry under the guidance of Yoga Maharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri. The 10th International Yoga Championship was held at New Delhi in 2001. In India we have the INDIAN YOGA FEDERATION and the YOGA FEDERATION OF INDIA that have been conducting Yogasana competitions in various age groups for three decades in all states of our country. We also have the Yoga Confederation of India and the South Indian Yoga Federation that are relatively more recent in their inception. The states of Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Haryana, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi have established Yoga Associations that regularly conduct competitions and related activities every year.

Pondicherry Yogasana Association founded by Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri in 1975 has been in the forefront of the Yoga Sport movement and Swamiji is hailed as one of the founding fathers of this concept. Since 1975 the Pondicherry Yogasana Association has held Annual Pondy State Yogasana Championships and the 17th and 18th Pondy State Yogasana Championships were held at the International Centre for Yoga Education and Research (ICYER) in November 2002 and 2003. More than 400 competitors from 25 institutions

participated in these competitions.

Pondicherry Yogasana Association was registered with the Registrar of Societies as No.440 of 2001 after the present office bearers took over. The registered office is situated at 25, 2nd Cross, Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-13. Pondicherry Yogasana Association is recognized by the International Yoga Federation and is affiliated to the Indian Yoga Federation.

In order to create interests in the art and science of Yoga, the Pondicherry Yogasana Association has organised Swami Gitananda Best Yoga Youth Award competitions since 2000. This competition tests the competitors not only in their Asana skill but also in the theory and other aspects of the art and science of Yoga. Pondicherry Yogasana Association has also introduced Yoga Theory aspects into all Yogasana Competitions and this has exposed competitors to spiritual aspects of the great science of Yoga in addition to developing their skill in Yogasanas. Pondicherry Yogasana Association has been the pioneer in introducing awards for Yogic Personality as well as Yogic Behavior

in competitions conducted by the Pondicherry Yogasana Association.

Vivekananda Kendra Yogas (sVYASA) at Bangalore has conducted the National and International HIMALAYA YOGA OLYMPIAD for the past five years. Pondicherry Yogasana Association successfully conducted the state level Himalaya Yoga Olympiad in Pondicherry in 2001. The Pondicherry Yogasana Association team also placed a commendable second in the national Himalaya competition held at Bangalore in 2001.

The Pondicherry Government has held an International Yogasana Competition every year since 1993 during the International Yoga Festival conducted by the Tourism Department and this draws hundreds of contestants from numerous states of India as well as many foreign countries. Pondicherry Yogasana Association has been in the forefront of supporting the Tourism Department in organizing the Yogasana Competitions and the General Secretary Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani has COORDINATED these International Yoga competitions in the years 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Membership in the PYA is open to all residents of Pondicherry irrespective of age, gender, caste, religion and social or economic status. The guiding principle for acceptance of membership is that they must have a sincere interest in the art and science of Yoga and be willing to propagate the cause of Yoga Sports.

 

 

RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT OFFICE BEARERS

OF PONDICHERRY YOGASANA ASSOCIATION

 

 

THE FOUNDER:

A Master Yogi and great Spiritual Teacher, Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri had the unique talent of infusing the mystic insights of the Rishis into practical life. The exponent of a Bengali Tantric tradition, which stretches back hundreds of years, Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri, a medical doctor and scientist, was able to express the abstract ancient insights in practical modern terms. One of the greatest Masters of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga in the twentieth century, Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj of Pondicherry, India, was a brilliant and dynamic Guru known affectionately as THE LION OF PONDICHERRY. He taught hundreds of thousands of persons worldwide the intricate and demanding art and science of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga, through his books, his magazine

articles, his monthly magazine YOGA LIFE, and his nine world tours in which he lectured and taught hundreds of thousands of seeking spirits worldwide. His influence on the modern world of Yoga is immense. He was named Madathiapathy of Sri Kambaliswamy Madam in 1975 and carried out his religious duties scrupulously. He founded Ananda Ashram (1968) and later, the International Centre for Yoga Education and Research (1989) on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, eight kilometers north of Pondicherry. He also founded in March 1993 a flourishing City Centre, known as YOGANJALI NATYALAYAM, to teach the Hindu cultural arts of Bharat Natyam and Carnatic Music, as well as Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga to the local populace. Throughout, his approach was scientific, rational and systematic. In 1987 he was awarded the title, “The Father of Modern Scientific Yoga” by Vishwa Unnayan Samsad of Calcutta. He was also one of the pioneers in bringing the concepts

of traditional Yoga to the Western mind. On December 20, 1986, Swami Gitananda Giri was awarded the title “YOGA SHIROMANI” by the then President of India Shri Zail Singh Ji, at the World Yoga Conference held in Asian Village, New Delhi. He personally taught an intensive Six Month International Yoga Teachers Training Course in his Pondicherry Ashram for twenty-five years from 1968. On March 10, 1986, Swami Gitananda was appointed to Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. He served in this position till his Maha Samadhi. Swami Gitananda cooperated and served as advisor to Government in organizing the First International Yoga Festival in Pondicherry sponsored by Department of Tourism, in January 1993. Since then, the Festival has been held yearly from January 4th to 7th, and Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani continues to act as advisor for this

grand event. Her services and that of Swami Gitananda are regularly and publicly appreciated by the Pondicherry Government at this festival. Swami Gitananda was given so many other honours, including the honour of being the First Vice-President of the All India Association of Mutts and Ashrams based in Kancheepuram, Tamilnadu to which he was elected in 1983. The organisation was headed by the Presidentship of the Shankaracharya of Kancheepuram, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi. To name Swamiji’s accomplishment would take volumes and indeed, volumes have been written on him. No history of Yoga in modern times is complete without reference to his name. He is the author of twenty-two books on Yoga, has conducted five World Conferences on Yoga, headed an international organisation with centres in twenty countries. More than 135 centres of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga are established worldwide, with thousands of Ashtanga Yoga teachers trained by him now actively propagating not only Yoga, but also

various aspects of Indian culture. He was part of the intellectual community of Yoga practitioners, and was the Chief Patron of the prestigious Indian Academy of Yoga, centered at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He has done large amounts of scientific Research in Yoga, and has more than fifty scientific and semi scientific papers to his credit. His work is often cited as references in Yoga research projects worldwide. He is considered one of the five major authorities on Ashtanga Yoga in the twentieth century. The great Yogi attained Maha Samadhi on December 29, 1993, at the age of eighty-seven years.

 

 

THE PRESIDENT :

Yogacharini AMMA Smt Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani was born in the United States in 1943 but came to India to study Yoga at the age of 25 and fell in love with the country and its culture. She has lived in India ever since, and received Indian citizenship on November 30, 1992, in her own words "the proudest day of my life". She met her Guru in Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj in 1968 and since that time has devoted her life to his teachings and to institutions founded by him. She has been instrumental in training more than 10,000 village children in the art and science of Yoga and Bharat Natyam since 1975 through the Sri Kambaliswamy Yoga and Fine Arts Programme. Hundreds of her students trained in this programme have taken up Yoga and Bharata Natyam teaching as full time careers. She is a journalist by profession and her articles and essays appear in national and international magazines and newspapers. She has been editor of the international magazine Yoga Life since 1970 and is Managing Editor of the Ashram's publishing unit Satya Press. She is Director of Studies (Ashram Acharya) for the Six Month International Yoga Teachers Training Course offered annually at ICYER from October 2nd to March 25th, as well as for the year-long International Diploma in Yoga Education offered from October, 2001 at ICYER. She is a popular

Conference and Seminar speaker. She has been Organizing Secretary for five major International Yoga Conferences, the most recent being the Fourth Decennial and Millennium Meet of Teachers of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga, January 23rd through February 5th, 2000 in Pondicherry. She is a prolific author and has written five books, including two books of poetry. She has been recipient of many National Awards. The then President of India Shri Zail Singh Ji awarded her the title "Yogamani" in 1986 at an International Yoga Conference held at the Asian Village, New Delhi. In 1998 she was awarded the National Award, Bhaskar Award by Bharat

Nirman and Indian Trade Promotion Organisation, New Delhi, one of fifty eminent Indians so honoured during the 50th year of Indian Independence for their contribution to Indian culture and spirituality. In January 1999, Pondicherry Government gave her the highest award for an artist, the Puduvai Kalaimamani Award for her work in Bharat Natyam. In December 1999 she was named as an eminent Yoga expert to a three year tenure on the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, under the Health Ministry, Government of India, New Delhi and she was named to the Finance Committee of this Council in March 2000. She was named to Academic Council, Pondicherry University, in March 2000.

She was awarded a Gold Medal by Government of Pondicherry for her work in Bharat Natyam on February 26, 2001. She is Director of Yoganjali Natyalayam, a popular City Centre for the propagation of Yoga, Bharat Natyam and Carnatic Music and has developed its famous Bharat Natyam troupe. Yoganjali Natyalayam was founded in 1993 as a continuation of the Sri Kambaliswamy Yoga and Fine Arts Programme that was begun in 1975. More than 15 faculty and 5 staff members are working in this institution and another 10 faculty members and 3 staff members are working in the Pondy West Branch located in Thelashpet, Pondicherry-9. Yoganjali Natyalayam also has extension programmes running in Venkata Nagar and Anna Nagar. More than 3000 students have studied in the Natyalayam

that boasts of a regular strength of more than 400 students. She has worked tirelessly to reinstate the ancient acrobatic Natya Karanas into the Bharat Natyam repertoire and has presented lecture - demonstrations on this topic at the ABHAI dance festivals in Chennai. She has also composed, Choreographed and directed EIGHT FULL LENGTH DANCE DRAMAS and TWENTY-FIVE MINI DANCE DRAMAS in the last ten years. It is note worthy that two of her students Miss M. Niraimathy and Miss N. Ramya were selected for the Central Govt.’s Human Resource Ministry’s National Best Child Awards from New Delhi for the years 2001 and 2002 respectively. She has received many awards and recognitions in 2003 including being elected FELLOW of the Indian Academy

of Yoga (FIAY), Banaras Hindu University. She received the OUTSTANDING SENIOR CITIZEN Award from Chief Secretary Dr R Padmanaban on behalf of JAYCEES on 15/8/2003as well as the Achiever’s Award 2003 from the Vinayagar Chathurthi Festival committee. She was recently honoured with the Yogacharya Bangalore Sundaram Gold Medal for Excellence in Yoga from Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre, Chennai at Anna University in December 2003.

 

 

THE GENERAL SECRETARY :

Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani is the only son of the world famous Yoga team of Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj and Puduvai Kalaimamani, Yogamani, Yogacharini, Smt. Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani. He was reared in the 'Gurukula' atmosphere of Ananda Ashram, where the Yoga Vidya (Knowledge of the Art and Science of Yoga) was imbibed as a 24-Hour-a-Day-Sadhana. Nominated as his Guru - Father's successor on his fourth birthday as Madathiapathy of Sri Kambaliswamy Madam, he was trained in Pujas, Rites and Rituals, Mantra, Yoga and the Carnatic Fine Arts from a young and tender age. He has been trained in Rishiculture Ashtanga (Gitananda) Yoga from that tender age and has assisted his parents in the Yoga training imparted at

Ananda Ashram, Sri Kambaliswamy Madam, ICYER and Yoganjali Natyalayam from that time onwards.

 

He has written a book on YOGA FOR CHILDREN at the age of 12 years itself and has written three other books including ‘YOGA AND MODERN MAN’ that takes a look at various Yogic concepts with humorous cartoons and line drawings. His latest book is “A YOGIC APPROACH TO STRESS” that was released in June 2003. He has had six scientific papers and 13 scientific abstracts on Yoga research published. Three more scientific papers are in press.

 

Having completed the Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Yoga courses in 1991-93 at ICYER under the guidance of his Guru-father, he joined medical college in order to combine the best of Eastern wisdom with the best of Western science. During his Medical (M.B.B.S) studies at Nagpur University he secured Distinction in Surgery and a Gold Medal in Community Medicine. He completed his internship at JIPMER and has also completed the two-year, Post Graduate Diploma in Family Health (PGDFH) from Sri Ramachandra Medical College (Deemed University), Chennai. He has also completed a Diploma in

Psychological Counseling and Stress Management from the Institute for Health Care Administration, Chennai in 2001. He is presently working on a PG Certificate in Pediatrics from IMA, New Delhi

He has been a featured speaker at many Yoga conferences and is a regular featured speaker at the International Yoga Festival conducted by the Government of Pondicherry every year in January. He has also been the Co-ordinator and Jury at the International Yogasana Competition held at the International Yoga Festival – Pondicherry annually and is responsible for organizing the more than 500 contestants who come from all over India to participate since the past four years. He has also organised HIMALAYA YOGA OLYMPIAD in Pondicherry

(2001) in his capacity as Himalaya State Coordinator and led the Pondy team to the National Himalaya Yoga Olympiad at Bangalore in November 2001. He has also organised the 17th and 18th Pondicherry State Yogasana Championships in 2002 and 2003 as well as the Swami Gitananda Best Youth and Child awards since 2000.He is responsible for reviving the Pondicherry Yogasana Association (2000) founded by Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri in 1975. He is currently the General Secretary of the Pondicherry Yogasana Association and a member of the Executive Committee of Indian Yoga Federation, Kolkata. He is an Advisor to the World Yoga Council and

Member of the International Council for Yoga Sport in the International Yoga Federation, South America.

 

He is a life member of the INDIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION; AbHai (Association of Bharata Natyam Artists of India); Chennai, IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists, based in U.S.A); APPI (Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India) and the Indian Academy of Yoga, New Delhi. He is the patron of the Sanathana Dharma Sangha, the Hindu Movement in Italy and Europe as well as more than one hundred Rishiculture Ashtanga (Gitananda) Yoga centres all over the

world. At present he is working as SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW in the Yoga Research Project conducted by the Department of Physiology, JIPMER under the auspices of the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, New Delhi. He is involved in various research studies at JIPMER and has published / has under publication numerous scientific papers on these findings. He has published papers in Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, Yoga Mimamsa, Nisargopachar Vartha (NIN Pune), Yoga Life as well as many national and international Yoga magazines.

He has received the Marudha Ramalinganar OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON AWARD and Rolling Shield for the year 2002 from the Youth Peace Centre, Pondicherry and received the title award of “Yoga Vibhushan” from Tamil Nadu State Yoga Association and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (Tuticorin) at the 15th Tamil Nadu State Yogasana Championship held at Kovilpatti, Tuticorin Dist, Tamil Nadu on 10th August 2003. Other titles and awards received by him are

“Palkalai Chemmal”, “Sagala Kala Vallavan”, “Isai Sevagan”, “Puduvai Mannin Maindhan”, “Achiever Award 2003” and “Jnana Vruddha”.

 

 

VICE PRESIDENTS:

The vice presidents of Pondicherry Yogasana Association, Sri T.P. Santhaseelan and Sri C.K. Manoharun are eminent Pondicherrians who have taken keen interest in the development and propagation of Yoga. They have been instrumental in many youth taking up a serious practice of Yoga.

 

OTHER OFFICE BEARERS:

Treasurer: Sri C Shanmugam

Public Relations Committee: Smt Lalitha Shanmugam

Yoga Sports Committee: Shri E Gajendiran, Shri V Dassaradan, Shri V Ravindran, Shri Velemourougane, Shri Senthil Kumar

Yoga Education Committee: Shri A Annadurai, Smt Devasena Bhavanani, Smt Prabhavathy Mohan

Yoga Therapy Committee: Shri G Kumaran, Shri Anbhazhagan, Dr Madhusudhanan

 

All of them are well-trained Yoga teachers who are involved in the propagation of Yoga amongst the people of Pondicherry. They have many years of experience in Yoga and Yoga Sports. They represent more than fifteen yoga institutions in Pondicherry such as Yoganjali Natyalayam, International Centre for Yoga Education and Research (ICYER), Pondy West Branch of Yoganjali Natyalayam, Sri Kambaliswamy Yoga and Fine Arts programme, Voluntariat, Indian School of Yoga, Vivekananda Yoga Centre, Patanjali Yoga Centre, Peace and Cure Yoga Centre, Centre for Yoga Studies, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry University Community College, Himalaya Yoga Centre, Sri Sivananda Yogalayam, Tagore Arts College, and more than 400 student Members drawn from virtually all

schools of Pondicherry.

 

 

A BRIEF HISTORY AND INTRODUCTION

TO YOGA SPORT

By Yogacharya Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI,

M.B.B.S., A.D.Y., D.S.M., D.P.C., PGDFH

 

GENERAL SECRETARY PONDICHERRY YOGASANA ASSOCIATION

25, 2nd Cross, Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry -13. Tel: 2241561

 

 

 

Yoga is an art and science that developed from the core of Sanathana Dharma. The Yogic life is the living of a unified holistic concept that assures positive health, happiness, longevity and spiritual evolution. The goals of the Yogi are the sustained struggle against past conditioning, an attempt to control one’s inner environment in order to focus inward. Yoga is isometric, pitting one part of the body against the other and the Yogi strives to be “more perfect today, than he/she was yesterday”. It is practically impossible for classical Yogasanas, Pranayamas and other Yoga practices to harm the practitioner when they are performed in the proper manner.

 

Though the world of sports and that of Yoga lie on nearly opposite poles, they have a lot to offer one another. They can stimulate, strengthen and benefit the practitioners of either science to a great extent when approached properly and with an understanding of their respective merits and limitations. Yogasana competitions can be an effective link between Yoga and sports. It is now necessary for the practitioners of Yoga and sports to understand the benefits of their close association with one another and create the needed framework in which both can complement each another more effectively. The association between these two sciences can provide humankind with a disciplined, strong, efficient and healthy body and mind for further evolution towards the Divine.

 

Yoga in its wholistic sense can never be competitive, and there exists no objective measurement by which one person can be declared more yogic than another. Therefore the term “competitive Yoga” is a paradox and has no real meaning. However the proficiency of the Sadhak can be compared with that of another in the performance of Yogasanas, Kriyas, Mudras, Pranayamas and Shat Karmas.

 

Yogasana competitions are a ‘fact’ in today’s Yoga world and are mushrooming up in all directions. When conducted efficiently and when the competitors approach them with the right Yogic attitude of ‘Nishkama Karma’, (i.e., selfless action), then Yogasana competitions have a lot to offer. They stimulate the young minds and give them an outlet for their competitive spirit, drive and energy. Youngsters learn to take a ‘win’ with the same equanimity (Samabhava) as a ‘loss’. They learn to accept that on any given day someone else may be better than themselves. They learn to accept the ‘highs’ with the ‘lows’ and realize that proper planning, dedicated and disciplined practice, and enthusiastic participation are more important than the result. The youngsters are stimulated to intense practice and thus develop

amazing body skills, which they may not develop otherwise. The Yogic attitude, “If you win, you win and if you lose, you also win because you learn” can be inculcated as a healthy positive life attitude.

 

Yogasana competitions provide a meeting point for youngsters to meet and interact positively with others having similar interests. Formation of a group of similar minded Yoga Sadhaks can reinforce the individual’s practice whenever it slackens due to any reason. Positive ‘peer pressure’ creates a back up to counter any inertia that may hinder the practitioner in their Sadhana. Due to competition, the Sadhak is shaken out of the complacency that tends to creep in when the practice of Yoga becomes a habit as monotonous as brushing of teeth in the morning. They make sure they don’t miss their practice and put in extra energy and time to keep in shape. The competitive edge sharpens and focuses the body awareness, thus fostering greater accuracy and perfection that in turn stimulates the real Yogic growth.

 

 

Spectators and lay observers at these competitions get stimulated to take up the practice of Yoga and this draws them as well as the participants into a deeper Sadhana. The basic idea of Yoga receives wide general publicity and this can ‘open doors’ for many who are ignorant of this ancient art and science of mind and body. Thus we can see how Yogasana competitions, when put in the framework of competitive sport can restore the competitions to their original purpose, which was to produce a ‘healthy mind in a healthy body’.

 

To prevent Yogasana Competitions from falling into the trap of other sports, it is important that those in-charge of such competitions must stand firm on moral and ethical issues. Competitors must sign a statement that they are vegetarian, non-smoking, non-drinking and non-drug users. They must have a basic knowledge of Yoga theory and marks should be allotted for Yoga deportment and character. They must be regular practitioners who are attached to either Yogashrams or accredited Yoga groups. When all these considerations are taken into account, then ‘Yoga Sport’ can be a beacon light for other sports in terms of living the Yogic and sporting ideals. Thus Yoga Sport can add as well as benefit from the association with the sporting world and be a proper link between the two worlds of Yoga and sports.

 

 

 

IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF YOGA SPORT:

 

Yogasana competitions are part and parcel of the modern yoga world and various national and international organizations are involved in the development and propagation of the ideals of Yoga Sport.

 

In India we have the INDIAN YOGA FEDERATION and the YOGA FEDERATION OF INDIA that have been conducting Yogasana competitions in various age groups for three decades in all states of our country. The IYF held the 20th National Championship in 2001. We also have the Yoga Confederation of India and the South Indian Yoga Federation that are relatively more recent in their inception.

 

The INTERNATIONAL YOGA FEDERATION, which is the international governing body of Yoga Sport, is based in South America and Europe. The IYF under the guidance of the president IYF Yogacharya Dr. F. Estevez-Griego (Uruguay)( Swami Maitryananda) has held International Yoga Championships nearly every year in various countries around the world. The First International Yoga Championship was held in 1989 at Pondicherry under the guidance of Yoga Maharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri. The 10th International Yoga Championships was held at New Delhi in 2001.

The INTERNATIONAL YOGA FEDERATION, is also trying to unite all the Yoga teachers and institutions under one banner and a pioneering effort is being made in Yoga Education as well as Yoga Therapy.

 

Pondicherry Yogasana Association (PYA) founded by Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri has been in the forefront of the Yoga Sport movement and Swamiji is hailed as one of the founding fathers of this concept. Since 1975 the PYA has held Annual Pondy State Yogasana Championships and the 17th and 18th Pondy State Yogasana Championships were held at the International Centre for Yoga Education and Research in November 2002 and 2003

with 400 competitors. In order to create interest in the art and science of Yoga, the PYA organised Swami Gitananda Best Yoga Youth Award competitions since 2000. In this competition the competitors are tested not only in their Asana skill but also in their Yogic thinking and exposition in addition to other aspects of the art and science of Yoga.

 

PYA has also introduced Yoga Theory aspects into all Yogasana Competitions and this has exposed competitors to the great science of Yoga in addition to developing their skill in Yogasanas. PYA has been the pioneer in introducing awards for Yogic personality as well as Yogic behavior in competitions conducted by the PYA.

 

The Pondicherry Government has held an International Yogasana Competition every year since 1992 during the International Yoga Festival conducted by the Tourism Department and this draws hundreds of contestants from numerous states of India as well as many foreign countries. PYA has been in the forefront of supporting the Tourism Department in organizing the Yogasana Competitions and the General Secretary Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani has COORDINATED these International Yoga competitions since 2001.

 

Indian Universities have also taken up this concept of yoga competitions in their Inter University Championships and every year there is an inter university yoga competition. Pondy university team has participated in this competition on numerous occasions and won various prizes.

 

Vivekananda Kendra Yogas (sVYASA) at Bangalore has conducted the National and International HIMALAYA YOGA OLYMPIAD for the past five years. This was also introduced in Pondicherry last year by the PYA. The PYA team also placed a commendable second in the national Himalaya competition held last year at Bangalore.

 

Various organizations and state yoga associations are holding yoga competitions in their respective states and West Bengal, Haryana, Karnataka, Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are in the forefront of this movement.

 

Thus we can see how the concept of YOGA SPORT is very well entrenched at both the national and international levels and is an effective tool to attract the youth towards the great art and science of Yoga.

Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani Chairman

Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER

25,2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013

Tel;0413 2622902 / 0413 2241561 abb,yognat2001 Website: www.icyer.com

 

 

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