YOGA AMBASSADOR GOES TO SOUTH AMERICA
After Prime Minister Narandra Modi, if anyone else deserves praise for creating awareness about yoga globally, perhaps he is Delhi-born Benoy K. Behl (60), a film-maker, arthistorian and photographer. Behl and his colleague and partner Sujata Chatterji (52) were on a fascinating five-week mission in May and early June, shooting and documenting yoga and giving lectures in Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. His earlier film Yoga: The Divinity of Grace was shown in 20 countries by Indian embassies on 21 June 2017, the third International Yoga Day. Various exhibitions of Behl’s photographs that were showcased included a digital one, “Yoga: India’s Gift to the World” and a photographic exhibition “Ramayana: The Greatest Epic” (which was shot in 10 countries). “These days, science and spirituality have been separated. Yoga is the challenging study of consciousness, understanding one’s body, emotions and mind,” Behl told The Sunday Guardian. In Latin America, Behl was shooting for his new greatest epic documentary on Yoga in nine nations. He has already shot a large portion of it across India, the US, Japan, Germany, Bahamas and Vietnam. Behl’s tour was supported by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations; Sunil Lal, India’s ambassador to Brazil; Monica Lanzetta, Colombian ambassador to India; the embassy of Argentina in New Delhi; and the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and Ashrams in Colombia. At Sao Paulo, Abhilasha Joshi, Consul General of India, helped in screenings of his film and digital exhibition on yoga. In Colombia, Prabhat Kumar, Indian ambassador, arranged Behl’s lectures. “Having researched and documented yoga around the globe,” claims Behl, “I found that it is being taken most seriously in South America.”In Medellin, Colombia, according to Behl, it was fascinating to see “free yoga classes” being offered in the Botanical Gardens by Atman Yoga (Sivananda Tradition), where 300 students come regularly. Yoga is also being taught at a home for elderly persons— the “oldest student” was a woman about to turn 100. The teacher, Carlos Dominguez (70), was in a perfect fit and “youthful shape”.In Colombia, the victims of armed conflict, former members of death squads, children from families disrupted by violence, prisoners, reforms facilities and schools are now practising yoga. Three well established Indian yoga institutions in South America are the Bihar School of Yoga, the Sivananda School of Yoga and the Art of Living.