by N.K.A. Ballal, Retd. Sr. Vice-President, ITDC
How many of you are aware of the fact that Mysore is the yoga capital of India? About 4 to 5000 students stay in the city for a period of three months throughout the year getting training in about 10 centres spread across the city. It is also a well-known fact that several Hollywood stars and celebrities have got their yoga training from masters teaching at these very centres. Think of the economic benefit of this form of tourism to this great city if the number of students double.
But as usual, our officials of Department of Tourism are laid back and are not taking advantage of this phenomena to bring in more yoga tourists to Mysore. The fact that Mysore is an important destination for yoga is not at all publicised and even our own people are not aware of this. It is not necessary that we depend on only foreign tourists but well-heeled gentry from our own country can come here for training. Yoga tourism can be a big money-spinner and since it involves local talent, it will ensure the overall benefit for the city.
But where is the festival of yoga being held in India? Surprised ? It is not in Mysore but in “Goa.” Ironical but true. We have a pro-active tourism officials of that State who capitalised on this idea and are holding a festival of yoga in their State in the month of December 2013. Better late than never, let us at least try to recreate these festivals which are called “Life spirit festivals” next year in our city to capitalise on the advantage of being the yoga capital of India.
There are 5 yoga festivals planned currently all over the world and I would like to enumerate them for the benefit of readers for them to get an idea of the variety on offer.
1. Zambhala in Goa, December 2013: This festival planned on December 21 and 22 is supposed to be the biggest yoga festival in India. The two-day event promises to bring in 70 of the best yoga teachers, spiritual teachers, practitioners and healers from all over the world. That is not all; the festival also has special sessions on sufi-whirling and special workshops on new and different meditation techniques, crystal healing, chanting and also star-gazing.
2. Bali Spirit Festival in Ubud, March 2014: This festival started in 2008 and now has become a hot tourist spot for practitioners of various forms of yoga, meditation and other spiritual healing. The festival has about 150 day-time workshops by top instructors and special “bhakthi” series of devotional music. This festival has some special classes for children also.
3. Berlin Yoga Festival, June 2014: One of the largest 4-day festivals of Europe, the festival presents health related, philosophical and special emphasis on sports aspects of yoga therapy. Yoga experts from all over the world share their experience in the interactive sessions.
4. Wanderlust Festival at Oahu, Hawaii: This fest brings together Chefs, DJ and other forms of music therapy and also combines music and meditation along with hiking, all-night chakra-spinning sessions and tasting of farm to table dinners.
5. Caribbean Yoga Conference at Jamaica, Jan. 2014: This four-day festival is hosted at Jamaica. One learns the core spiritual values of ayurveda practice, that is sahana, seva and sangha. This festival has a nice circus yoga programme, an enjoyable event for children.
I have a suggestion. The Department of Tourism officials can go on a jaunt to at least two of these festivals to find out as to how these international events are planned and executed.
We have three revered Godmen — Sri Ravishankar Guruji, Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev — who would go out of the way to help develop Mysore. They have a huge following and any festival held with their blessings would automatically become a success.
Mysore has only one activity, that is Dasara and one more big event in the form of yoga festival can be a big money-spinner for the city. A vibrant yoga festival, world class, held year after year means tremendous economic benefit for the local population. But this event need not be a government-sponsored one. It can be a private enterprise also. All the ten centres of yoga training can come together, hire an event manager and do this, with active support from the Seers. There is no use waiting for our government which is in a hibernation mode to get up and act. They will wake up only by next June or July for next year’s Dasara.
We have a huge agarbathi industry, which can also sponsor this event with professional help to ensure that this event can be a profitable venture. A win-win venture. Think of the TV coverages and advertisements; both national and international. I sincerely appeal R. Guru, Chairman, Rangarao & Sons, to give active support for such an event. Sir, once you give the green signal, other like-minded Mysoreans will follow. Let us not wait for this government to wake up. Let me at least dream of an international yoga festival for next year at Mysore and hope it comes true.
[e-mail: ananthballal@ yahoo.com]
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / December 12th, 2013