G u r u P u r n i m a P u j a

July 9, 2006

G u r u P u r n i m a P u j a 99th JAYANTHI GURU PUJA AND INAUGURATION OF THE CENTENARY YEAR CELEBRATIONS FOR SATGURU YOGAMAHARISHI DR. SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI GURU MAHARAJ 5pm, Monday July 10th 2006 at Sri Kambliswamy Madam, Thattanchavady, Pondicherry, South India Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri was known the world over as The Lion of

Pondicherry. He was considered one of the five leading authorities on the ancient science of Ashtanga Yoga, the Eight Limbed Yoga (Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi) in the 20th century. His medical and scientific background was combined with his thorough training in the Gurukula of the Yoga Master, the Mahant of the Bhrigu Order, Srilla Sri Kanakananda Swamigal, the famous Bengali Tantric, who was also known as the “Sleepless Saint”. The Yogamaharishi was further initiated into the Paramparai of the great Ashtanga Yoga Siddha, Sri Kambliswamigal, when he was named the Madathipathy and Hereditary Trustee of the Sri Kambliswamy Madam Samadhi site, Thattanchavady, Pondicherry - 605 009 by Srila Sri Shankaragiri Swamigal in 1975. The Yogamaharishi wrote twenty-six books on Yoga and other scientific subjects. He was editor and publisher of the International YOGA LIFE monthly journal for forty years; he was the Director of

sixty-five institutes of Rishiculture Yoga in thirty-three countries, operated by his close disciples. He was Patron and President of scores of Yoga organisations throughout India and the world, notably the Indian Academy of Yoga, Banaras Hindu

University, Varanasi UP. He was a tireless worker for Olympic Standard Yoga Asana Competitions and Yoga Sports and sponsored the First International Yoga Asana Competition in January 1989 in Pondicherry. He sponsored Four International Yoga Conferences in Pondicherry which drew scientists, doctors, engineers, professors and other professional people from all over the world. He founded the International Centre for Yoga Education and Research (ICYER) in Kottakuppam, Tamil Nadu on October 2nd 1988 and Yoganjali Natyalayam (Ananda Ashram City Centre) on March 27, 1993 in downtown Pondicherry. He had offered Six Month International Yoga Teachers Training Courses for twenty-five years in Pondicherry from 1967, attended by thousands of students from all over India and the

world. Because of his precise scientific and medical approach to Yoga, he was acclaimed by the Vishwa Unnyayan Samsad, New Delhi as “THE FATHER OF MODERN SCIENTIFIC YOGA” in 1990. For his work in Yoga he was awarded “Yogasiromani” by the President of India Sri Zail Singh Ji at the World Yoga Conference in December 1986 in Asian Village, New Delhi. In recognition of his leading status amongst the Yogis of India, he was named as a Member of the Governing Board of the Central Council for Research in Yoga, Ministry of Health, Government of India, New Delhi, on March 25, 1986. He held this post until his Samadhi. He attained Maha Samadhi at the auspicious time of Arudhra Darshan, 2.20 am., on December 29, 1993, in the Year Sri Mugha on the Purnima day in Margazhi. He was placed in Samadhi by his Paramparai Guru Srila Sri Shankaragiri Swamigal and his son and successor Dr. Ananda Balayogi Giri at Sri Kambliswamy Madam, Thattanchavady, Pondicherry – 605 009. Swamiji was born on Vyasa Purnima, also known as Guru Purnima. This year marks the start of his Jayanthi Centenary Year (1907-2007) celebrations. GURU PURNIMA PUJA PROGRAMME 5.00 pm. ABHISHEKAM and ARADHANA at SWAMJI’S SAMADHI, LIGHTING of 1008 OIL LAMPS. 5.30 pm. Carnatic Vocal Music by YOGANJALI NATYALAYAM STUDENTS 8.30 pm. ARTHI and PRASADAM. VENUE : Sri Kambliswamy Madam (Samadhi Site), Thattanchavady, Pondicherry, South India All Are Welcome to Attend and Receive Blessings of the illustrious Guru on This Auspicious Occasion 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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