Transcendence of yoga

In 1969, Dr K K Date, a senior surgeon of cardiology in King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, conducted a path-breaking research through his yogic experiment and proved that the practice of shavasana for 20 minutes, thrice a day, over a period of 6 months can lead to lowering of blood pressure (along with medication). An article was published in a leading yoga magazine highlighting his achievements. Twelve like-minded friends in Dharwad drew inspiration from this piece and formed a charitable trust called Shakti Yoga Vignyan Kendra in 1990 to propagate yoga and pranic healing.

Now one of the most trusted yoga centres in North Karnataka, Shakti Yoga Vignyan Kendra has conducted more than 350 yoga and meditation camps, free of cost. Principal trainer of the centre, Tanaji Chauhan, aged about 66 years, looks much younger than his biological age. He has been instrumental in conducting camps across the region and has been a true inspiration for many yoga sadhakas for the last 35 years.

Way back in 1983, a saint from North India who had come to Dharwad on a tour, conducted a week-long yoga class in Dr Mallikarjun Mansur Kalabhavan, which was attended by Tanaji. After completing the course he continued practising yoga regularly. Tanaji, whose health had deteriorated due to excessive intake of allopathic medicine, was healed of all difficulties and health problems in about 6 months’ time.

No sooner did he realise the importance of yoga, he approached master trainer Prof Lakshmankumar Sannellappnavar, who was then heading the Department of Yoga Studies at Karnatak University, Dharwad, and convinced the teacher to admit him to the department.  Tanaji enrolled into the Diploma in yoga education course in 1983 and successfully completed it. Inspired and motivated by his teacher, who was  conducting free yoga camps, Tanaji decided to follow his footprints.

Personalised care
“Apart from regular yoga classes for the public, the trust also offers guidance to those suffering from physical ailments. This led to the camps being more intensive and people-friendly,” recalls Tanaji. He then decided to conduct AYUSH Medico, a yogic-therapy oriented scientific yoga, and pranic healing classes for adults who suffer from health disorders.

Usha Bhat, former principal of Shri Mallasajjan Vyayam Shaale and a student of Shakti Yoga Vignyan Kendra, says, “Yoga has improved my flexibility, built muscle strength, perfected my posture and has prevented cartilage and joint breakdown. Regular practice has also drained my lymph and has boosted my body immunity.”

N S Kudal, Dr Vilas Kulakarni and B S Konnur — all organisers and the backbone of Shakti Yoga Vignyan Kendra — have this to say: “Practising  yoga on a regular basis has eased our pains, helped keep us drug-free, guided our body’s healing, improved our relationships with family and friends and helped us serve others, who are in need of a helping hand, in a much better way.”

This yeomen service of Shakti Yoga Vignyan Kendra, which is a charitable trust, led to building goodwill with Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA), a deemed university placed in Bengaluru. The institution later became a guide for Tanaji Chauhan and his team by helping in pooling of resources for yoga-related research and therapy, conducting yoga camps for various age groups with specific needs in a more organised and scientific way. Also, inputs from experts across India and international yoga masters and workshops led to timely implementation of valuable healing therapies at local levels. The trust has also been a part of ‘Stop Diabetes Movement — SDM’ campaign launched by S-VYASA, which propagates yoga as a therapy to control diabetes and has conducted yoga camps  for people with diabetes.

Tanaji has conducted more than 100 camps for school children as well, besides being a yoga instructor at Shri Mallasajjana Vyayam Shaale for quite some time. His disciples from the school say, “Yoga has helped us in soothing our sinus problems, kept allergies and viruses at bay, and encouraged self-care and resulted in positive transformation in us.”
For more details, one can contact the trust on 9448902913 /0836 -2445385 or e-mail [e-mail].