OMAN-BASED INDIAN AUTHOR TO RELEASE BOOK ON YOGA

An Oman-based author will be releasing a book on sun salutation (surya namaskar) in June 2018. Kavitha Ramakrishna, who recently met with the Indian prime minister during his visit to Oman, said, “I was honoured to have the opportunity to meet the Indian prime minister. Being an ardent practitioner of yoga himself, the prime minister was very pleased with my choice of subject for the book. He said yoga has also played a big role in bridging India with the world and cut across linguistic and cultural barriers to unite various regions of the world. He said surya namaskar was a path to achieve a stress-free, healthy and peaceful life. He congratulated me on being an ambassador of India’s rich cultural heritage.”

The book, which is about surya namaskar, one of the most important and dynamic techniques within the yogic repertoire, will be published in English and Kannada. Meticulously grounded in yoga’s philosophical foundations, the book balances well-researched and pragmatic information on salutations to the sun.

“I chose this subject because I believe yoga is a priceless gift from the ancient Indian tradition. As a tribute to this fact, an International Day for Yoga was unanimously declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. Salutation to the sun or surya namaskar is an important yogic practice, which dates back to ancient times. It is a sequence of 12 yoga asanas or postures that provide a good cardiovascular workout and help keep the mind calm and healthy. Sun salutation revitalises every aspect of your being, from physical to spiritual. Understanding its history and meaning will allow the reader of my book to comprehend the benefit of the practice,” Kavitha said.

Although she believes no book can do the practice complete justice, she says she has done her best through research in order to inform readers and inspire the younger generation.

Kavitha, who is a long-time resident of Oman, has previously written a book about Oman published in Kannada titled Na Kanda Muscat.