GUWAHATI, INDIA, June 23, 2017 (NDTV): With China refusing to open the gates to the first batch of about 50 pilgrims scheduled to travel to Kailash Mansarovar through Nathu La in Sikkim, the devotees have returned to Sherthang after waiting for a week. The second batch of pilgrims has been held up in Gangtok. ”Yes, there are some difficulties being experienced in movement of pilgrims via Nathu La. Matter is being discussed with Chinese side,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said today.
For nearly a week, a group of about 50 people waited in Sikkim for China to grant them passage to Tibet where they wanted to worship at Mount Kailash, which is at an altitude of about 21,000 ft. China refused to open its gates, reportedly because of major landslides. There are two routes to get to Mount Kailash, considered the abode of Lord Shiva and of religious significance to Hindus, Jains and Buddhists – through a pass in Uttarakhand and through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim. Chinese President Xi Jinping committed the new route through Nathu La Pass to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had pointed out the terrain difficulties of the existing routes through Uttarakhand and Nepal which involve arduous journey, including heavy trekking and travel on the backs of mules.
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, June 21, 2017 (India TV News): The third International Yoga Day was celebrated in Pakistan but on a muted scale. The organizers said a much bigger event will follow after Ramadan ends. Pakistani yoga guru Shamshad Haider, who runs over 50 clubs across the country, said in a telephone interview from Islamabad: ”Due to Ramadan and people preparing for Eid, we could not organise a big event this year.” ”We have routine sessions in all our clubs today but after Eid we are preparing for a much larger event in Rawalpindi.” He said his team expected more than 1,000 people to take part. The Indian High Commission also organised a yoga camp in Islamabad on Sunday, attended by India’s envoy Gautam Bambawale and other diplomats.
Asked about the Pakistan government not celebrating the yoga day, Haider, founder of Yoga Pakistan and Way of Nature, says his clubs have people from all religions. ”It (government) never stopped us from doing yoga. It has granted us permission to hold yoga camps on its land and has also allowed us to promote yoga.” ”Yoga helps to gain mental stability, peace, balanced living. It teaches us discipline which is vital in Islam and all religions.” Last year, on the second International Day of Yoga, Haider did yogic asanas along with 20,000 yoga students across Pakistan — but minus media publicity.
WHARTON, PENNSYLVANIA, June 15, 2017 (Knowlege @ Wharton): Can an Indian yoga master and spiritual guru pose a threat to established multinationals in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) market in the country? Baba Ramdev, a 51-year-old politically networked saffron-robed yoga expert and astute businessman, certainly believes so. Patanjali Ayurved, the company he front-ends, recently posted revenues of Rs.10,561 crore ($1.6 billion) for the financial year 2017 (April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017). That’s double of what it posted last year. What’s more, while most FMCG firms in the country grew around 8% to 12% annually over the past five years, Patanjali has grown over 20 times.
Positioned on the plank of ayurveda and the goodness of natural ingredients, Patanjali prides itself on being a home-grown brand that offers its products around 15% to 30% cheaper than competition and ploughs back its profits into nation-building activities such as education and supporting farmers. It is the fastest growing FMCG firm in the country and has one of the widest product portfolios. In January this year, a study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and market research firm TechSci Research, said: ”Patanjali Ayurved has turned out to be the most disruptive force in the Indian FMCG market.”
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KOLKATA INDIA, June 18, 2017 (Times of India): Swami Atmasthananda Maharaj, 99, president of the Belur-headquartered Ramkrishna Math and Mission, also believed to have initiated Prime Minister Narendra Modi into politics, died of age-related ailments in Kolkata’s Ramkrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan on Sunday evening. The monk had been in the hospital since February 2015 due to health issues. He had been on ventilation since Saturday night after a sharp decline in his condition.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited the ailing Maharaj hours before his death, later condoled the passing away of the revered monk. ”Saddened that Rev Swami Atmasthanandaji, president, Ramkrishna Math & Mission passed away today at Seva Pratishthan. I paid my last visit to him this afternoon, A life of outstanding social & religious service. This is an irreparable loss to mankind,” Mamata Banerjee said. Born on May 10, 1919 at Sabajpur, near Dhaka in the then undivided Bengal, the Swami received spiritual initiation in 1938 from Swami Vijnananda, a disciple of Ramkrishna. He joined the Ramkrishna Order at Belur at the age of 22.
Life should be chiefly service. Without that ideal, the intelligence that God has given you is not reaching out toward its goal. When in service you forget the little self, you will feel the big Self of Spirit.
— Paramahamsa Yogananda (1893-1952)
