Yognat 13th Annual Day

[Guest guest]

YOGANJALI NATYALAYAM Pondicherry’s Premier Institute of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga, Bharatanatyam & Carnatic Music Invites you with family and friends to the 13th Annual Day of Yoganjali Natyalayam and 38th Anniversary Celebrations of Ananda Ashram , Pondicherry, India from 3:00 pm Sunday, June 25th, 2006 at the Subhalakshmi Tirumana Nilayam, Muthialpet, (Opp. Police Station) Pondicherry – 605 001. The Honourable Minister of Education and Art and

Culture Thiru M.O.H. F SHAJAGAN, Avl., The Honourable Member of Parliament Dr M Ramadass PhD, Avl., Have kindly consented to attend as the CHIEF GUESTS The Former Education and Tourism Minster Thiru S.P. SIVAKUMAR, M.L.A, Avl., Raj Bhavan Constituency Thiru R. SIVA, M.L.A., Avl., Orleanpet Constituency Thiru NANDHA SARAVANAN, M.L.A., Avl., Muthialpet Constituency Thiru OM SHAKTHI SEKAR , M.L.A., Avl., Nellithope Constituency Have kindly consented to attend and grace the function as SPECIAL GUESTS Prof. Mamota Das Ji, M.A., (Psy), M.Ed., Ph.D., Director, UGC-Academic Staff College, Pondicherry University Shri J Aravindan, Avl., Chief Mentor, Achariya Group Smt K.S. Kumari Ji Principal, Pondicherry University Community College will offer Felicitation Programme 3.00 pm: Lighting of Inaugural Lamp and Inaugural Address by Yogacharini Smt. Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Director, and Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Chairman, Yoganjali Natyalayam 3.15 pm: Hanuman Chalisa – Shlokam Chanting led by Smt Meena Ramanathan 3.25 pm: Carnatic Vocal Selections by the · Purandaradasar · Shyama Shastri · Muthuswami Dikshitar and · Thyagaraja Sections 4.25 pm: Cultural Programmes by Yognat Students ¨ Prabho Ganapathe – Thilang – Adi -by Bala Saraswathi section ¨ Jatheeswaram – Saraswathi – Roopakam by Rukmani Devi Section ¨ Ayarpadi Maligayil – Yamun Kalyani – Adi

(Thisram) by Sivanandam Section ¨ Karunai Deivame – Sindhu Bhairavi – Adi by Meenakshi Devi Section ¨ Gypsy Dance – by Shri Rama Rao Section ¨ Asaindhadum Mayil – Simmendra Madhyaman – Adi -by Shri Sivanandam Section ¨ Adadhu Asanghadhu Va - Madyamavathi –Adi- by students of the May intensive ¨ Seven classical dances of India– A Jugalbandhi by Adyar Lakshmanan

Section ¨ Parvathi Nayakane – Shanmugapriya – Adi by Rukmani Devi Section 6.00 pm: Welcome Address by Puduvai Kalaimamani Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Director and Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Chairman, Yoganjali Natyalayam. 6.15 pm: Yognat Banner Dance (Selected Students of Bharat Natyam and Yoga) 6.45pm: “English – Mantras – Yoga Shlokams” 7.00pm: ¨ Pushpanjali – Aberi – Adi (Thisram) by students of the May intensive ¨ Vilayada Idunerama – Shanmugapriya – Adi-by E. Krishna Iyer Section ¨ JAGADANANDA KARAKA –– Nattai – Adi. A Gana Raga Pancharathna of Saint Thyagaraja performed by students of the Rukmani Devi Section (Yognat is proud that this is the first time

that anyone is performing a Gana Raga Pancharathna of Saint Thyagaraja in Pondicherry) 7.45 pm: Honoring of the Esteemed Dignitaries,

Special Address and Presentation of Yoga and Cultural Excellence Awards 8.30pm: Cultural Programmes by Yognat Students ¨ Gajavadhana – Shriranjani – Adi- by Rukmani Devi Section ¨ Alaipayudey Kanna–Kanada-Adi- by students of the May intensive ¨ Kalla Krishnam (Shabdam) – Ragamalika – Roopakam by Bala Saraswathi Section ¨ Senior Boys Yoga Group Demonstration ¨ Brahma Mukade – Povli – Adi (Thisram) by Adyar K. Lakshmanan Section ¨ Tillana – Kedaara Gowla – Adi by Rukmani Devi Section ¨ Folk Dance – E. Krishna Iyer Section 9.30 pm: Vote of Thanks- Mangalam --------------------- YOGANJALI NATYALAYAM ANNUAL REPORT 2005-06 Every annual day is a time to remember with gratitude our great privilege to be recipients of the blessings of our visionary founder Satguru Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj. With his benevolent blessings and the guidance of our dynamic Puduvai Shakthi, Amma, Kalaimamani Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, we have had an extraordinary year over the past 12 months. Numerous public and private performances, guest lectures, lecture-demonstrations, Yoga sport events and conferences have kept us on our toes throughout the year. All this in addition to

our regular daily schedule of work as worship. We took Fifteen people from ten countries through our Residential Intensive Six Month International Yoga Teachers Training Course October 2nd to March 25th. As well, our regular Pujas etc at Kambliswamy Madam and daily classes at Yognat. Our beloved Amma has been in the forefront of the cultural and Yoga renaissance though her inspiring example. Numerous awards and accolades have poured in throughout the year and reinforced our resolve to keep the Yoga and cultural flag flying at an all-time high. As usual the parents of our institute have offered us unconditional and unlimited support at all times and with the blessings of our well wishers, our beloved and talented children have made great progress in Yoga and the fine arts. They continue day-by-day to make our heart swell with pride at their, “Skill and beauty in action”. CULTURAL PROGRAMMES AND PERFORMANCES: More than 120 public performances, programmes and events including more than 30 major dance programmes, 60 vocal and instrumental music programmes and 25 Yogasana group demonstrations have been conducted by staff and students of Yognat. The dedicated staff and talented students also won laurels in numerous Yoga Sports and cultural events at state and national levels. Important

performances include the 7 hour long 12th Annual Day Celebration at Kamban Kalai Arangam and the spectacular presentation of the JAYADEVA’S DASAVATHARA dance drama on the occasion of the 99th Jayanthi Celebration of Pujya Swamiji Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj. Students of Yognat also performed Music and dance performances for the Pondicherry Music and Dance Artistes Association’s programmes including the annual Navarathri celebrations, the monthly programmes of the PMDAA and the Thiagaraja Jayanthi celebrations held at Sringeri Madam in Pondicherry. The 99th Jayanthi of our founder, Yogamaharishi

Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj was celebrated in August 2005 with the presentation of the spectacular dance drama, “JAYADEVA’S DASAVATHARA”. Our director, Kalaimamani Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani directed this unique production featuring acrobatic Natya Karanas and original choreography with the assistance of our chairman Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani who also played the Mridungam and the General Secretary Yogacharini Smt. Devasena Bhavanani who also conducted the Natuvangam. More than 40 Bharat Natyam artists and accompanists created a thrilling artistic extravaganza of music, dance, and drama to depict the Dasavathara or Ten Incarnations of the Lord. In the famous Bhakti laden poet Jayadeva’s conception, Lord Krishna “incarnates” as the Ten Avataras. This unusual view is beautifully expressed in Jayadeva’s Sanskrit “Dasavathara” poem, the basis of the production. Lord Krishna (excellently portrayed by Shreya Agrawal) was depicted as the source from

which all the other ten Avatars emanate at different times in the history of mankind. Spectacular choreography supplemented with appropriate props and masks was used to bring the Ten Avatars to life on stage. Each “incarnation” was introduced with appropriate fan-fare, from behind an ornate screen. Then, using intricate Nritya, Mudras and Abhinaya, short “sketches” of scenes from the Lord’s Leela appropriate to the incarnations were enacted. The incarnations of Matsya (the Fish Incarnation that saved the Vedas at the time of Pralaya); Kurma (the Tortoise Incarnation that held up the great mountain Meru at the time of the churning of the ocean by the Devas and Asuras); Varaha (the Wild Boar Incarnation that saved the earth from eternal submersion); Narasimha (the Man-Lion Incarnation that tore apart Hiranyakashipu and saved Prahalada); Vamana (the Dwarf Incarnation that humbled the pride of King Bali and measured the three worlds in three steps); Parasurama (the Incarnation

With The Axe who destroyed the Kshatriya race 21 times over); Rama (the “Valiant Ideal Man” incarnation and the Purna Purusha who destroyed Ravana); Balarama (the Plough Carrier who conquered the willfulness of the River Goddess Yamuna and chartered her course); Buddha (the Compassionate One who taught the eight fold path to oneness and eradicated ritualistic animal sacrifice), and Kalki (the Tenth Incarnation yet to come who destroys all evil once and for all). Spontaneous applause greeted the performers numerous times throughout the performance as the huge audience enjoyed every moment of the dance drama. It is a remarkable achievement to realise that Yognat has proudly presented 26 dance dramas in the last thirteen years that include eleven major dance dramas and fifteen mini dance dramas under Amma’s direction. Yognat also performed Jayadeva’s Dasavathara for the annual celebrations of Krishna Jayanthi by the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in August 2005 at Jayarama Tirumana Mandapam. The performance was well appreciated by the audience of more than 1000 Krishna devotees as well as numerous dignitaries and luminaries of the Pondicherry society. Yognat performed as usual during the 13th

Annual International Yoga festival conducted by the Tourism Department, the annual Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations as well as numerous invited performances for guests of Integra Software and various weddings of eminent personalities. A special performance was given by the Yognat students for the Women’s Day Celebrations organised by the Women and Child Development department of the Govt of Pondicherry at Kamban Kalai Arangam. Yoganjali Natyalayam presented a scintillating cultural programme with Yoga and Bharatha Natyam at the inaugural function of the APPICON 2005 that was witnessed by eminent medical doctors from all over

India and numerous foreign dignitaries. Amma’s excellent explanations for the various dances enabled the audience to enjoy the beauty and meaning of the South Indian dancing to a greater depth than ever. G Dayanidy presented a spectacular Yogasana demonstration while balancing a lighted lamp on his head for the entire duration. Natyanjali Festival: Two dozen members of Yognat performed at the Natyanjali festival organised at the Neelayathakshiamman Samedha Kayarohana Swami Temple in Nagapattinam. This festival has been held for the past seven years at this venue under the dynamic guidance of Padma Bhushan

Dr Padma Subramaniyam one of Indian most famous dancers of modern times. Yognat under the energizing direction of Amma, Kalaimamani Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani was personally invited by Dr. Padma Subramaniyam to present the inaugural programme for the Eighth Annual Natyanjali Festival. The Yognat team was led by Amma and included Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Yogacharini Smt Devasena Bhavanani, Nada Yoga Shironmani Shri S V. Jagadeesan, Nada Yoga Shironmani Thiru T. Srinivasan and Selvi PVL Shailaja in the musical party. The young dancers who performed were V. Renukadevi, U. Kokila, G. Kanimozhi, S.S. Lothikha, S.S. Monika, Nevedha Kannan, S. Ghayathri, I. Krishnaveni, A. Monisha; G. Revathy, L. Kanmani, V. Roshini, R. Sruti, S. Devasena and J. Sangavi. The little two and one-half year-old Dhivya Priya Bhavanani, the grand

daughter of Amma tagged along and performed a solo item on the occasion. Yognat performed Shiva Pushpanjali, Snake Dance, Shiva Tandava, Adhi Kondar, Tha Teiendraduvar and Tillana on the simple yet beautiful stage adjacent to the main shrine and within the temple precincts itself. This is unlike the Chidambaram Natyanjali where the stage is outside the main temple. An enthusiastic audience of many hundreds was treated to a rare combination of Yoga and Classical Bharatanatyam by the Yognat team and responded with great appreciation for the special performance by the youngsters. Padma Bhushan Dr. Padma Subramanian lit the traditional lamp to inaugurate the performance and after welcoming the artistes witnessed the entire hour-long-programme. She also felicitated Amma and the artistes of Yoganjali Natyalayam after the performance with glowing praise for their discipline and talent and invited them to perform every year during the

Natyanjali Festival. Thiru B. Kannan, secretary of Nrithodaya, Dr Padma Subramaniyam’s famous institution in Chennai, exclaimed after the performance that little Dhivya Priya should be entered into the “Guinness Book of Records” as the “Youngest Ever Bharatha Natyam Dancer” to perform at any Natyanjali, any place in the world! SUMMER COURSES 2005: The Tenth Annual Summer Intensive Yoga and Bharat Natyam Course was held from May 1st to 31st 2006 with more than 120 students participating in the Yoga

classes in addition to the Bharatanatyam and Shlokam recitation classes that went on for nearly four hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Tremendous changes were witnessed in the children as the intensive gave them an opportunity to work closely with Amma and thus manifest their inherent potential. All students learnt the Hanuman Chalisa, a powerful chant of 40 verses in praise of Lord Hanuman who is said to embody all eight Siddhis. They also learnt and revised Yoga theory concepts, three basic groups of Hatha Yoga practices (Samastithi group, Loma Viloma group and Hathenas) as well as the practice of difficult Asanas for self-development. S Ghayathri and S Namratha received the Best Students of the Intensive Award 2006 respectively for their excellent all round performance. The May intensive culminated in the much‑eagerly anticipated 10th Annual Summer Residential Camp at ICYER campus, on ECR near Kottakuppam, on the Bay of Bengal. 65 students participated in the camp conducted from the 27th through the 29th May and numerous activities such as Yoga individual and team games, beach classes, bonfire on the beach, screening

of the new Yognat DVDs and many other holistic activities to broaden the young minds were on offer. The students particularly appreciated the introduction of Karma Yoga time and the collage work with waste materials on the beach that promoted a healthy and clean civic consciousness in the young minds. A Mohan and R Ram Prasanth were selected “Best Boys of the Camp” while S Manju Priya and S Geetha Kala were selected “Best Girls of the Camp” in recognition of their Yogic talents and behaviour. Samiksha Kapoor and R Lalitha Kumari received special prizes for Karma Yoga. YOGA SPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS: More than 200 students of Yognat participated and won numerous prizes in the 20th Pondicherry State and 2nd Tamil Nadu State Invitation Yoga Sport Championship 2005 organised by the Pondicherry Yogasana Association from 13th to 15th August 2005. Yognat students who won Championship Awards were D Venkatesan (Under 16

-Pondicherry male), R Balaji (Above 16 - Pondicherry male) and R Sruthi (Under 16 -Pondicherry female). Shri C Shanmugam, the general manager and senior faculty member of Yognat was honoured with the “YOGA CHEMMAL” Award during the 20th Pondicherry State and 2nd Tamil Nadu State Invitation Yoga Sport Championship 2005 Yognat honoured Shri G Anthony and Shri S Gopal with the Senior Artiste Award 2005 on the occasion. Eminent and popular classical artistes of Pondicherry Smt P Jyothirmayi and Shri T Srinivasan received Yoganjali Natyalayam’s prestigious NADA YOGA SHIRONMANI AWARD for their service towards the cause of classical music. Both have been associated with Yognat for more than a decade.

Speaking on the occasion Dr M Ramadass, MP, recollected the spell – binding performance of “Yoga-Dance” by Yoganjali Natyalayam for a National Parliamentary Delegation at Raj Nivas, when the high level committee visited Pondicherry recently. He expressed his pride at being the Pondicherry Representative when the visiting MPs conveyed their appreciation of that performance to him recently at New Delhi. He congratulated Amma, Meenakshi Devi on her yeoman service and hoped that Yoga would be included in the Olympics in the near future as a result of concentrated efforts towards the goal. SWAMI GITANANDA BEST YOUTH & BEST CHILD AWARDS: Pondicherry Yogasana Association organised the 6th Swami Gitananda Youth & Child Awards 2005 competitions during December 2005 and January 2006 at the Yoganjali Natyalayam premises in Pondicherry. Nearly 100 children and youth in three age categories participated in this event. The aim of this

competition is to help the youth of India to understand, explain and express the true meaning of Yoga as a way of life, as well as a spiritual path to self-actualization, and self-realization”. The “competition” elicited such novel ideas as: performing Asanas on a bed of nails; demonstration of Asanas on blocks of ice; Yoga Asanas performed on a bicycle, Yoga Asanas performed with an intricate balancing device (like a weighing balance) on the head. Other thrilling presentations included elaborate “design works” of Kholams and other materials to express Yoga ideas. Some excellent ideas were expressed through “fancy dress”, including a cute little pre-schooler who presented herself as a lotus and another who presented the Trigunas concept in the form of a tree. There was even

a “Yoga Robot”! The elocution division saw youngsters wax eloquently on subtle Yogic concepts as the Pancha Klesha, the obstacles to Yoga, the ups and downs of Yoga Sadhana, the role of the Guru in Yoga amongst other topics. The “Team Asanas” event elicited breath-taking formations, “pretty as a picture”. The alertness of mind and quick responses to the “Yoga quiz” was mind boggling. Yoga theory was evident in its “mastery” even by the tiny tots! The “Best Child Award (under 10)” was won by T. Mrithika of St. Joseph’s of Cluny and Yoganjali Natyalayam. Best Child Award (10 to 14) was won by RV. Krithiga of St. Joseph’s of Cluny and Yoganjali Natyalayam. The Best Youth Award was bagged by Miss D. Reena Joseph of Pope John Paul II College of Education and Yoganjali Natyalayam. Awards were presented to the winners by Shri B. V.

Selvaraj, Secretary to Pondicherry Government, at a glittering function held at the Hotel Surguru in February 2006. The “best of the presentations” from the competitors was given in the Cultural Programme accompanying the event. Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Vice President, Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International) presented the title “KAVI YOGA SHIRONMANI” to Shri B. V. Selvaraj I.A.S on the occasion. The presentation of the title, awarded by Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International) was witnessed by 31 Member – Officers of Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International) from 15 different countries, including Taiwan, Slovenia, Holland, U.S.A., Australia, England, Wales, Canada, Germany,

Austria, Italy, East Germany, Switzerland and India. Shri B. V. Selvaraj praised the work of Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani and Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani in propagating Yoga amongst the youth and world wide. 13TH INTERNATIONAL YOGA FESTIVAL: Under the dynamic leadership of Shri Gowtham Reddy the 13th Yoga Festival was a grand and successful event. Our director and chairman 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. Our chairman Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani also compiled a special booklet of Yoga practices for the “Feel for Yoga” classes and this was published by the tourism department on the occasion. Faculty members of Yognat who were selected as Juries for this year’s festival included Sri C Shanmugam, Smt Devasena Bhavanani, Smt Lalitha Shanmugam, Sri E Gajendiran, Smt Meena Ramanathan, Sri Chandrasekhar and Sri Tamil Sengolan. A special feature of this year’s festival was the “Feel for Yoga” classes conducted at four venues in Pondicherry during the festival days. The classes were conducted by Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Prof Dr Madanmohan, Sri G Dayanidhi, Sri C Shanmugam, Sri Lalitha Shanmugam, Sri E Gajendiran, Smt Meena Ramanathan, and Sri Tamil Sengolan. HIMALAYA YOGA OLYMPIAD: Students of Yognat

did Pondicherry proud by winning numerous laurels at the National Himalaya Olympiad conducted by sVYASA at Jigani, Bangalore. S Diwakar and RV Krithiga won third places in the competition. In the Pondicherry State Himalaya Olympiad Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani was a chief guest at the competitions held at Pondicherry at Petit Seminarie School. Nearly 60 students from Yoganjali Natyalayam participated and won most of the prizes at this event. Our chairman Dr. Ananda was an advisor to this event and was also invited as the Chief Guest to the Tamil Nadu State Himalaya event conducted at Trichy. AUSPICIOUS DAWN OF A NEW ERA: The Pondicherry Music and Dance Artistes Association (PMDAA) had an auspicious start on the eve of the Navarathri celebrations in November 2005. The association that has a representative membership from all music and dance institutions of Pondicherry held its inaugural function at the Sri Sringeri Sivaganga Mutt’s Saradha Temple in Pondicherry. Our director, Amma, Kalaimamani Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani lit the traditional lamp to kick start the camaraderie charged evening. She was also later honoured along with the most senior and eminent music and dance Gurus of Pondicherry. The association was officially

inaugurated by the honorable chief minister of Pondicherry Shri N Rangasamy who offered all assistance to the association in its mission of creating a cultural revolution in Pondicherry. Senior most eminent music and dance Gurus of Pondicherry who were honoured by the Chief Minister and other dignitaries on the occasion included Shri Krishnamurthy, Kalaimamani V Manikannan, Kalaimamani I Pattabhiraman, Shri Keshavan, Shri Balasundaram, Shri T R Krishnamurthy, Smt Kamala Pasupathy and Smt Shanti Gopalakrishnan. Amma, Kalaimamani Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani and Kalaimamani Smt Jayashree Narayanan were the dance Gurus honoured by the Chief Minister on the occasion. Office bearers of the association include Kalaimamani Dr Arimalam S Padmanabhan (President),

Kalaimamani Shri K Rajamanikkam (Vice President), Sangeetha Bhushanam Shri V Jagatheesan (Secretary), Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani (Joint Secretary), Sri N V Sathyamurthy (Treasurer), Sri AL Ramasamy (Joint Treasurer). We at Yoganjali Natyalayam, offer our unstinted support to the attainment of these noble aims of the association and pray our Guru Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj who was a great Rasika (lover of the fine arts) to bless us all so that we can become true vehicles of these divine artistic and cultural treasures of mother India. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAMMES: We at Yognat realise the importance of creating awareness about the great art and science of Yoga amongst members of our society and have undertaken many programmes to serve this purpose. Our chairman, Dr Ananda gave guest lectures as well as lecture demonstrations and insightful introductions to Yoga at numerous forums. Our Chairman Dr Ananda gave a series of introductory Yoga classes for 40 principals from Navodaya schools of Andhra, Kerala, Karnataka, Pondicherry and the Andamans during their 10 day camp at the Navodaya School campus in Kalapet. All the principals reported that they enjoyed the Yoga classes and promised to extend all help to introduce such classes for the children of their schools in their respective states. Dr Ananda was assisted by Lalitha Shanmugam and Shri C Shanmugam in the classes as well as therapy consultation for the principals. Amma was invited to deliver a special lecture for the Health Workers and Social workers affiliated to the Department of Women and Child Development in April

2006. Upon the request of the director Smt Devi Mathews, Smt Lalitha Shanmugam and Selvi U Kokila both faculty members of Yognat gave three days of practical Yoga training for students of the special camp organised by the department for children affected by the Tsunami. Yognat’s programme “Yoga for Special Children of SADAY” had a special thrust when Yogacharya Hariharan of Switzerland volunteered to conduct special classes for six months from October 2005 to March 2006. Hariharan’s excellent teaching skills and his humour were well appreciated by all the students and staff of SADAY and he became a member of their

family. Students of SADAY also presented a Yoga Demonstration at the 20th Pondicherry State Yoga Sport Championship 2005 organised by the Pondicherry Yogasana in August 2005. The students performed many Asanas to the delight of the packed audience. Our Chairman Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani was a Resource Person for the DYE (Diploma in Yoga Education) course offered by the Pondicherry University Community College. He taught theory lectures for the subjects of “Scientific Basis of Yoga” and “Fundamentals of Yoga Therapy” for 21 students of the college. He has also been taking the lectures in Mantra, Yantra and Yoga Anatomy and Physiology for the Annual Six Month International Yoga Teacher Training Course at ICYER. He conducted the practical Yoga training classes for 30 students of the BA Philosophy course at Tagore Arts College for the 9th successive year. Shri E Gajendiran assisted him in the practical classes that are aimed at providing a sound Indian practical philosophical basis to the course. Dr Ananda has also rejoined the Auroville Health Centre and is continuing his duties as a Medical officer for the Village Health Programme where he is taking care of more than 400 patients every month in various villages in and around Auroville. Yognat continues to impart quality training in Yoga and Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal Music at the Pondy West

Branch near JIPMER. Our faculty members are also conducting regular Yoga and Bharatanatyam classes at the Little Angels School in Anna Nagar Yoga classes are being conducted at the Govt Schools of Pakkamudianpet and Vinobha Nagar in addition to other outreach programmes. 30 kindergarten students of the Bharatidasan College for women have received three months of Yoga training from Yogacharini Devasena Bhavanani and the children have responded with interest and happiness. Amma and Dr Ananda supervised 40 hours of practical training in Classical Yoga over a period of three months for students of the Study India Programme of the Pondicherry University. Nine students of different universities in the United States of America had chosen to take a semester in India and to study at the Pondicherry University. Prof PP Mathur, coordinator of the Study India Programme did an excellent job of bringing together all facets of the programme. All nine students took the Yoga course that was designed as an introduction to Classical Yoga with emphasis on the practical aspects of Asana, Mudra, Surya Namaskar, Jathis, Kriya and Pranayama. Yogacharini Dr Nalini Devi of the Gitananda Yogalayam, Spain (a visiting faculty at Yognat) conducted the 90-minute classes twice a week at the ICYER campus and created great interest as well as developed a profound appreciation of Indian culture in them. One of the students also undertook an introductory study of Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Devasena Bhavanani. Amma and Dr Ananda supervised the planning and implementation of this new programme and the feedback received from the students as well as the University has been very positive. It is hoped that such programmes will be conducted in future and more and more American and other students get a chance to see and know India as it ‘is’ rather than as it is portrayed in the west. Faculty members of Yognat have also been conducting Yoga theory and practical classes at the Pondicherry University Community College, Tagore Arts College, Annamalai University and many other educational institutions in and around Pondicherry. Smt Meena Ramanathan is the coordinator of the Yoga Courses at the

Pondicherry University Community College and is also a faculty member of the Centre for Yoga Studies in the Annamalai University at Chidambaram. CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS: A National Level workshop on, “Pranayama: techniques, physiologic basis and therapeutic potential” was organised by the Department of Physiology, JIPMER, Pondicherry in December 2005 as part of the 51st Annual Conference of the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India (APPICON 2005). The workshop was ably organised by Dr Madanmohan, Director-Professor and Head Department of Physiology, JIPMER. Amma and Dr Ananda were invited Resource Persons. The participants were treated to a wholistic view of Pranayama, the fourth limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga through a magnificent

presentation by Amma at the inauguration of the workshop. She brought out the intricacies of the art and science of Pranayama in her talk that highlighted the experience of Kevala Kumbhaka as the peak of mastery over the process of breathing. She also gave an excellent presentation on the classification of Pranayama later in the morning based on the Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga teachings of Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri and then led the whole group though a practice session of Vibhagha Pranayama the sectional breathing which is the basis of all good Pranayama. Yogacharini Dr Nalini Devi of Gitananda Yogalayam, Spain and Yogacharya Hariharan of Gitananda Yoga, Switzerland assisted Amma in her presentation of Vibhagha Pranayama. Practical training in various Pranayamas was imparted by Dr Madanmohan and Dr Ananda as well as Smt Lalitha Shanmugam of Yoganjali Natyalayam, Pondicherry and Shri Murugesan of the Department of Physical Education of JIPMER. During the APPICON 2005, Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani was invited to be a panelist during the Panel discussion on “Role of Yoga in Contemporary Medicine”. The panel was coordinated by Dr Santhosh Kumar of JIPMER while the other panelists included Dr Madanmohan of JIPMER, Dr Jyoti Dvivedi of the Himalayan Institute Hospital, Dheradun and Dr

Chandrashekaran of the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, Chennai. Dr Ananda was an invited speaker and resource person for the 2nd International Conference of Yoga and Psychotherapy Association of India organised by the Dept. of Human Consciousness and Yogic Science, GK University Haridwar (India) in November 2005. Amma and Dr Ananda were invited speakers at the 7th National Conference on Integral Education conducted by the Pondicherry Psychology Association,

Pondicherry in January 2006. Dr Ananda presented a paper entitled, “Introduction of Integral Yoga education in the teacher training curriculum” in the Concluding Valedictory Session. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: Our beloved and dynamic Amma, Yogacharini Smt Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, received many awards and honors this year and was included in the advisory committee to

finalize the Task Force report on Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) with regard to Yoga by the Central Government Health Ministry in New Delhi. This immense project to organize India’s “Yoga Knowledge” in an electronic format is being undertaken by the National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resource (NISCAIR) as part of a project at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare GOI. The department of AYUSH, NISCAIR and CGPDTM (Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademark, Ministry of Commerce and Industry) are joint partners in this venture. In the past decade unscrupulous elements have attempted to appropriate India’s vast cultural treasure in the healing and spiritual arts. Commercial American drug companies have attempted to obtain a patent on both turmeric and neem. There has even been a claim to a “copyright” over a series of twenty-six Yoga Asanas. Waking up to the danger the Government has instituted the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Project to make information available to world patent offices to prevent “intellectual property theft”. This TKDV has recently received wide global publicity. Along with Amma, 12 other leading Yoga experts and their representatives in India were called by Government of India, Ministry

of Health, to meet on January 10 to examine the classification work already done by the TKDL and to offer suggestions. Amongst the experts invited for the consultation were Padma Bhushan Shri BKS Iyengar, Sri Ravi Shankar, Swami Ramdevji, Swami Niranjananda Saraswathi of the Bihar School of Yoga, Director-Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla and Shri TKV Desikachar of the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, Chennai, and of course, our Amma. Amma also received the prestigious and meritorious title of PUDUVAI SHAKTI 2006 in recognition of her tremendous yogic and cultural service for the people of Pondicherry, India and the entire world. This award was presented to her and Prof Dr P Nalini an eminent pediatrician of Pondicherry by the Women Task Force Y2K at a gala function organised on March 4th 2006 at Pondicherry to mark the International Women’s Day. The Women Task Force Y2K consists of eminent

Pondicherrian women from all walks of life who have gathered together to serve the cause of women in Pondicherry. The president of the Women Task Force Y2K Smt M K Sayeekumari is a great woman achiever herself with decades of social service to her credit and is the chairperson of the women development corporation of the Pondicherry government. Under her dynamic leadership and with the assistance of the vice president Mrs. Renuka Appadurai the former Education minister in the Pondicherry Government, the Task Force is striving for the cause of the women of

Pondicherry. Our Chairman, Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani was appointed Hon secretary for India in the International Yoga Federation. He had earlier been named International Cultural Ambassador for the International Yoga Federation in 2004. The appointment will entail attending International Yoga Conferences and Yoga Sports Competitions held throughout the world, as a representative of India’s Yogic and artistic community. He has been honoured with the “Yoga Chakravarthy” title awarded by Gitanjali Yoga Centre at the 1st Annual Day Celebrations held at Pondicherry in September 2005. The Academy of Ayurveda Development and Research (AADAR), Ahmedabad, Gujarat recently honoured Dr Ananda with the "Dr. Sushila K. Thaker Prakruti Mandir Annual Research Award at National Level in the field of Yoga”. Dr Ananda has to his credit 17 scientific papers and 22 abstracts on Yoga and Yoga research published till date. He has also written half a dozen books on Yoga in English and Tamil and has scripted and presented 6 DVDs on Yoga. He worked as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department

of Physiology, JIPMER at Pondicherry from 2000 to 2004 in Yoga Research projects sponsored by the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi and the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defense, New Delhi. He was also associated with various studies on Yoga sponsored by the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (DSTE), Govt of

Pondicherry and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). All of these were conducted under the expert guidance of Dr Ananda’s Yoga research Guru, Prof Dr Madanmohan who is the Director-Professor and Head, Department of Physiology at JIPMER, Pondicherry. Yogacharya Dr Ananda has earlier received numerous other prestigious awards including the Marudha Ramalinganar Best Youth Award, Puduvai Mannin Maindhan, Shri H. B. Singh Memorial Gold Medal in Community Medicine, Palkalai Chemmal, Yoga Vibhushan, Sadanaiyalar Virudhu, Yoga Bishmacharya, Bangalore Sundaram Award, Yoga Chakravarthy and the prestigious Fellowship of the Indian Academy of Yoga, Banaras Hindu University at Varanasi. He is also an Honorary Advisor

to the World Yoga Council of the International Yoga Federation as well as an Honorary Member of its Yoga Sport Council. He was nominated as the International Cultural Ambassador of Yoga (World Yoga Community) by the International Yoga Federation in 2004 and is the Honorary Secretary for all India in the International Yoga Federation since January 2006. Yogacharya Dr Ananda has dedicated this Dr. Sushila K. Thaker Prakruti Mandir Award to his Yoga Research Guru, Prof Dr Madanmohan who is the Director-Professor and Head, Department of Physiology at JIPMER, Pondicherry. SATYA PRESS PUBLICATIONS: Amma is busy completing her extensive book on “The History of Yoga from Ancient to Modern Times” that will be released by the end of this year. This book will be a reference for all Yoga enthusiasts and is a must for the library of all serious students of Yoga. To day, the book has 3,000 printed pages. Dr Ananda has been busy revising and editing the second edition of Yogamaharishi Dr Swami

Gitananda Giri’s excellent book on the “Correction of Breathing Difficulties through Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga”. This book deals with the causes of breathing difficulties and provides some Yogic answers to them. The Hathenas, a series of forcing techniques unique to the Gitananda Yoga tradition are explained as also many Pranayamas and relaxation techniques. This book gives a 28-day Prana Chikitsa routines devised by Pujya Swamiji and is ideal for patients of breathing difficulties as well as Yoga therapists and Sadhakas of all levels. Dr Ananda and Smt Meena Ramanathan have also produced a Tamil book on the “Basic Hatha Lessons of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga”. This book covers the theory and practice of Aruna Surya Namaskar, Samastithi group of Asanas, the Hathenas, the Loma Viloma group of Asanas, relaxation practices and the basic method to begin and end a Yoga session. It also gives a step by step lesson plan for easy practice and teaching. Three more books of Pujya Swamiji are being readied for release later this year as well as two by Amma. NEW DVDS ON YOGA : Ananda Ashram at ICYER, (www.icyer.com) has embarked on a project of putting out various videos related to applications of Gitananda Yoga in association with the well-known music company SUPER AUDIO, Chennai (www.musicandchants.com) who is a partner of UNESCO’S Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity. The first of these was the successful DVD on Pranayama for Health and Well Being that was the first time the Pranayama teachings of Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri were presented for a worldwide audience through this new medium. In the past year four more DVDs have been produced and these are Body Talk (Yogic Mudras of the Human Body), Mudras (Yogic Gestures of the

Hands, Feet & Eyes), Yoga for Breathing Disorders and Yoga Stress Busters. Yognat has also produced a DVD on Ten lessons for stress relief and Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram that have excellent demonstrations by students of Yognat. Yognat recommends these DVDs to all Yoga enthusiasts both students and teachers and encourages them to recommend it to their students in order to grasp the importance of these vital practices that are much neglected in the modern Yoga world. YOGNAT SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS: Sangeetha Samrat Shri Vijaya Bhaskar Music Awards: Yognat conducted the fourth Sangeetha Samrat Shri Vijaya Bhaskar Music Awards in June 2006. This award in memory of the great music composer Shri Vijaya Bhaskar was instituted in 2003 by the Family of Smt Mangala Gowri and Sri CK Manoharun for students of Yognat showing exceptional talent in Classical Music. For the year 2006, R Swati Priyadarshini is being awarded the Best Vocalist Award in the above 12 years category while S Vidyashankari is being awarded the Best Vocalist Award in the 12 and below category. O Vidya is being awarded the Sangeetha Samrat Shri Vijaya Bhaskar Music Scholarship for the year 2005-06. They were judged by a panel consisting of Nada Yoga Shironmani Sri S. V Jagadeesan, Nada Yoga Shironmani Smt Jyothirmayi and Dr Ananda. Michael Danckwerts Yoga and Cultural Excellence

Award: In June 2003 Mr. Chris and Mrs. Annette Danckwerts of Australia instituted the Michael Danckwerts Yoga and Cultural Excellence Award in memory of their son who was a lover of Yoga and Indian culture. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of curriculum vitae: character, academics, extra curricular, personality and poise in an interview by a panel of eminent judges. The award consists of a year's full scholarship in Yoga and Bharat Natyam; a gold medal; a special certificate; and several books on Yoga. Every year two students get the award based on their performance and two others are selected for the scholarship. Previous winners include V. Renuka Devi and Miss M. Padma Prashanthini (2003),

Pa. Raga Ramya and R. Balaji (2004), R Varalakshmi and G Saranya (2005). Winners of the Awards for 2006 are U Mouthu Pawan Kumar and S Sri Sagana. The Yoga scholarships for 2006-07 are being awarded to R Subhashini and G Revathy. Judges for this years award were Smt Mangala Gowri, Smt Gowri Muthuraman and Smt Chitra Narasimhamurthy in addition to Amma and Dr Ananda. Yoganjali Natyalayam Institute Awards: Yoganjali Natyalayam each year selects from its hundreds of students, one boy and one girl who have shown outstanding Yogic qualities as well as one student who has shown Yogic heroic nature in the face of adversity. A "family" which has gone "above and beyond" the call of duty to ensure that its children are nourished by the roots of our ancient Indian Culture is also honoured. Recipients of these awards for this year are: Best Boy 2006 – S Diwakar; Best Girl 2006 – SS Lothika; Best Family 2006 – Shri Vaidhyanathan and Family; Yoga Veerya Award 2006- A Monisha. Ananda Ashram, the Mother Ashram was founded in 1967 in Pondicherry. Thus, the Ashram – ICYER work has completed 38 years of Yoga and Cultural Arts community service to Pondicherry, India and the world in 2006. Yognat was founded in 1993 by Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj as a continuation of the Sri Kambaliswamy Youth Yoga and Cultural Programme started in 1975 by Pujya Swamiji and our beloved Amma at Ananda Ashram, Thattanchavady. It is our keen observation that unlike in most schools where the ordinary are slowly edged out, in Yognat it is seen over the years that many “ordinary students” have been transformed into “dynamic, skillful and talented” youngsters who can hold themselves against the best. This has resulted in our adopting a new motto this year, “TRANSFORMING THE ORDINARY INTO THE EXTRAORDINARY” or “MAKING ORDINARY PEOPLE – EXTRAORDINARY!” It is our heartfelt prayer that Pujya Swamiji continues to bless us to achieve this objective with each and every student who enters our institution and that our beloved Amma will always guide and motivate us at all times towards this noble goal. Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani Chairman : Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER Hon General Secretary, Pondicherry Yogasana Association 25, 2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry,

South India-605 013 Tel: +91-413 - 2622902 / +91-413 -3203314/+91-413 -2241561 Website: www.icyer.com www.geocities.com/yognat2001/ananda

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