14th
December has a special place in the hearts of Iyengar yogis all over the world. It is on this day the 14th of
December 1918, the legendary yogaacharya Sri. B.K.S. (Bellur Krishnamachar
Sundararaja) Iyengar was born in a remote village of Bellur in Karnataka,
India.
He
had a very difficult childhood as he suffered from many diseases and disorders
like influenza, malaria and tuberculosis etc. He was then introduced to yoga by
his guru and brother-in-law Sri. T. Krishnamacharya in order to improve his health. He has come long way in this journey of yoga
from his initial days of struggle. Today Guruji B.K.S. Iyengar and Iyengar yoga
has transcended geographical boundaries and is arguably the most popular form
of yoga in the world. He played a pivotal role in taking yoga to all the six
continents of the world.
95th Birthday Celebrations:
This
was my second opportunity to participate in Guruji’s birthday after his 94th
birthday last year at his birth place of Bellur in Karnataka. His birthday
celebrations are getting bigger and bigger every year. By the time I could
forget the grand event in Bellur last year, a grander event was organized this
year to celebrate his birthday. It was an amazing and colourful event, where all
the Iyengar yogis across the World have attended.
Guruji’s birthday is like a festival for Iyengar yogis living all over the world. Iyengar yogis all over the world have reached Pune well in advance to participate in the celebrations. There was a huge attendance of Iyengar yogis that gathered at Govinda Garden, the venue for the event in Pune. As Guruji said in his speech, he doesn't remember to have ever celebrated his birthday before his 60th birth anniversary. Since then the celebrations are getting bigger and bigger. Off course, he deserves all this love and affection and even more for the work he has done over the years. He not only popularized Iyengar yoga across the world but also has revolutionized the practice of yoga in many ways.
Highlights of the Event:
1.
14th of December 2013 was the day when Guruji turned 95. It is
amazing to see Guruji prepare himself for bigger events in such a terrific way.
Even at this age of 95 he is unbelievably electrifying. He might have attended
many rituals from early in the morning and had spent 3 hours at a stretch
attending the program organized for him. Sometimes, I feel it is too much for
him but we all love him so much that we can’t resist ourselves from troubling
him. There was a huge crowd in the auditorium and it was requested to pay
reverence all together at once from their seats in order to avoid any trouble
to Guruji. Guruji himself had to stand up and speak in this regards. In spite
of this, people were thronging at Guruji to touch his feet and Guruji was
patiently attending them. My teacher in the past; used to say not to trouble
Guruji but I never understood that until I observed Guruji from close during my
stay at RIMYI for one month in August 2013. I realized that he never stops you
but we must respect his age and give some space for him to live with some
peace. He is a master! You need not pay reverence personally. His presence
itself is a blessing for all.
2.
Guruji is the gigantic Ocean of Iyengar yoga and his students teaching Iyengar
Yoga are the rivers flowing in different parts of the World and the students
who are learning Iyengar yoga are the small stream of water joining the rivers
flowing towards the Ocean. 14th December 2013 has witnessed the
communion of these rivers and streams with the Ocean at Govinda Garden in Pune.
3.
All the famous and infamous Iyengar yoga teachers and students all over the
World have gathered on the occasion to wish Guruji and seek his blessings. All
the big names from India and abroad were present on the occasion. Jawar
Bangera, Birju Mehta, Rajvi Mehta, Firooza, Zubeen, Rajiv Chanchani, Manouso
Manos, John Schumacher, Patricia Walden, Gabriella Gubilliero and many others
were part of the celebrations.
4.
Iyengar yoga is now like a kalpataru – a gigantic tree (like the one we saw in
Hollywood movie Avatar) rooted deep and wide in soil with branches reaching sky
high and wide across the World. It was a great feeling to see all those Iyengar
yogis from all over the world under one roof of Iyengar yoga in Pune. The
presence of Guruji and the entire Iyengar yoga family from all over the World
has made the atmosphere vibrant and electrifying at the Govinda Garden of Pune.
5.
Guruji addressed the gathering in his signature style by saying, “My dear
children, grand children and great grand children in the field of yoga. I do
not know how to thank my children and grand children; though we know how to
thank our parents. I am touched by your love and affection that so many people
and so many students are here today to celebrate my 95th birthday.” Guruji
addresses his direct students as children, their students as grand children and
their students as great grand children and therefore he is associated with one
and all that practices Iyengar yoga. He is therefore the dearest father, grandfather
and great grandfather of this big Iyengar yoga family.
6.
Guruji has influenced the lives of millions of people across the World with or
without his knowledge. Few such students from different countries have got the
opportunity to express their gratitude to Guruji on the occasion. Many of them
broke out in tears while speaking. That shows how deeply Guruji has influenced
their lives.
7.
Speaking on the Occasion Guruji said, “What amazed me today was that my students
who are even sincere and practicing yoga from 1950’s used to address “B.K.S.”
as the one who beats, kicks and shouts.” The moment he said this, entire
auditorium busted in laughter. He then added, “I have heard the same people and
new generation practitioners from different countries saying, “B.K.S.” stands
for Beauty…! Knowledge…! And Serenity...! What a transformation! Even the media
in those days used to project “B.K.S.” as beat, kick and shout and the same
media is appreciating my work now for transforming and transcending millions of
people across the World.” The entire auditorium broke out its silence with huge
claps applauding Guruji.
8.
He gone on to say that he took yoga to improve his physical health in
childhood. He was not sure, this practice implanted by his Guru Sri. T.
Krishnamacharya would make him the missionary of yoga in taking yoga to all the
6 continents of the World. He is grateful to all his students who are
responsible for making yoga popular all over the World.”
9.
In spite of his popularity, name and fame you can’t find a modest man than
Guruji today. During his speech he said, “At this age, admiration and
appreciation do not have any weight on me. I am still a yoga student. God has
made me reach a certain stage in the field of yoga and that has kept me alive,
alert and active.”
10.
Guruji further said, “Those who say Iyengar yoga is only physical yoga, they
are only observers who know nothing about the depth of yoga or the bhavana or
the feel of a practitioner. We can see the death but we cannot experience
death, we can see the time but we cannot experience the time. Similarly those
who call my system as physical yoga, do not know anything because they do not
know or experienced the time or seen the totality of death.”
11.
Guruji was suffering from upper respiratory infection for some time now. He was
seriously ill during last summer and was coughing frequently during our stay at
Pune in the month of August 2013. Throughout the evening on his birthday Guruji
appeared perfectly fit and he wasn't seen coughing at all. This shows a great
sign of improvement in his health. But only factor that worried me was his
losing weight. Guruji has lost lot of flesh from his body and has become very
thin ever since we left him in August’13. Color of his skin also turned dark.
However, it is very difficult to judge the level of Guruji’s health by his
appearance. As my teacher once told us that his upper respiratory infection is
quite old from his 60’s which he is coping it well.
12.
Another heartening thing was the presence of Geetaji in the event. I hadn't seen for some time Geetaji participating in the events even at the institute
due to her sickness. Geetaji has recovered well from what we have seen her in
August.
13.
I thank Guruji from the bottom of my heart for letting me shoot him once again
through my camera. I really enjoy filming Guruji because he offers you so many
moods and emotions in quick succession. I really enjoy his smile and I am glad
to capture those wonderful moments in my camera.
14.
Apart from Guruji’s birthday, it was like a reunion with some of our old
friends and teachers from RIMYI. We had great time talking to our teachers like
Abhay Ji, Kishore Ji, Devki Ji and Panduji, Mandharji, Parvez ji and ever
smiling Zareenji from RIMYI and other teachers like Manouso Manos, Rita and Eric
whom we met at Kumbh Mela 2013 in Allahabad, Ushaji and Rudra Ji from Rishikesh
etc.
The
event ended after dinner that was served to all the visitors who have attended
from different parts of the World. All the Iyengar yogis flew back to their
homes with a hope to see another such grand event next year; wishing Guruji for
his long life so that he showers some more light on us with is knowledge and
wisdom.
