The Indian Panorama

Tag: Ashok Vyas

  • Lotus shows way to celebrate Yoga Day – with a twist

    Lotus shows way to celebrate Yoga Day – with a twist

     

    Eddie Stern had the audience practice Brahma Mudra

    GREAT NECK, NY (TIP): In a soulful celebration to rekindle yoga’s spiritual roots, over 200 people came together to celebrate the International Day of Yoga here. Instead of yoga postures, they were introduced to the higher steps of the discipline that originated in India. The Spirit of Yoga event on June 22 was co-hosted by Parveen Chopra, founder of ALotusInTheMud.com, and the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization.

    For Anjani, Desena and Parveen: Jennifer DeSena, Supervisor of the Town of North Hempstead, flanked by Sister Anjani Seepersaud and Parveen Chopra.

    Parveen Chopra played a video of the Lotus web magazine he founded three years ago and moderated the evening, along with Erik Larson, Director of Brahma Kumaris WSO. Sister Anjani Seepersaud, Coordinator of the Global Harmony House venue, introduced them.

    Parveen Chopra presented a crystal lotus to Piyush Singh, who represented the Indian Consulate in New York.
    Saeed Hassan, Director Interfaith Outreach for NYS Senator Steve Rhoads, presented citations on behalf of the Senator to A Lotus In The Mud (accepted by Parveen Chopra) and the Brahma Kumaris (accepted by Erik Larson and Sister Anjani Seepersaud.

    While acknowledging that almost all Yoga Day programs and yoga studios focus only on asanas and pranayam, Chopra pointed out, “Asana practice will lead many to explore the spiritual side of yoga.”

    Dr Anjali Grover presented the story of yoga in dance.

    India’s Consul General In New York Binaya Srikanta Pradhan was Chief Guest. He was represented by Piyush Singh – Consul, Press, Information, and Culture. Singh relayed the message from the Consulate: “We are privileged to support this inspiring initiative. The energy and intent that radiate from this gathering truly reflect the deeper essence of yoga. Not merely asanas, yoga is a profound spiritual discipline that harmonizes body, mind, and soul.”

    Piyush Singh was introduced by Prof Indrajit Singh Saluja, who mentioned that he was witness earlier this month to a record 10,000 people attending a yoga session in San Pedro Carcha in Guatemala, organized by the Indian embassy there, even though only 100 Indian families live in that city.

    Eddie Stern, yoga instructor and founder of the Ganesha Temple in Manhattan, positioned postures in the 8-limb yoga discipline and led the audience in doing Brahma Mudra exercise.

    Jennifer DeSena, Supervisor of the Town of North Hempstead, thanked Chopra and the Global Harmony House for hosting a meaningful celebration of Yoga Day, adding. “Yoga is not just movement—it’s a journey inward, a practice of stillness in a restless world.”

    Rakesh Bhargava, President of the World Vegan Vision (NY chapter), discussed the vegan lifestyle and yoga. Dr Anjali Grover danced the story of yoga and Andonia Fthenakis presented sound bath meditation.

    In an expression of India’s call of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The World is One Family), the speakers and attendees represented diverse religions and communities.

    Prominent people at the event included Arvind Vora, Chair of Shanti Fund and founding trustee of Lotus, Dr Faroque Khan, Chair of Interfaith Institute of Long Island, Paul Chellani, head of the Sant Nirankari Mission – New York, Kamlesh Mehta – Chairman of The South Asian Times, Prof Indrajit Saluja – Editor-Publisher of The Indian Panorama, Mohan Wanchoo, Varinder Bhalla, Mukund Padmanabhan, Chandra Bhansali, Ashok Vyas, Dr Urmilesh Arya, Rashmin Master, Jyoti Gupta and yoga teacher Anita Rana.

    After the program, people enjoyed vegetarian and vegan refreshments in the sunny outdoors.
    (Photos by Kripa Ranjan Prasad, courtesy of Parveen Chopra/ALotusInTheMud.com)

  • Ashok Vyas

    Year to Year : Optimistic and Hopeful

    Impressions of any person, place or period are made of two parts. One relates to external circumstances, as we come to know of through media, another part is the internal response mechanism to any development or event.

    Looking at 2022, I would begin on an optimistic note, overall, we saw the world coming out of the clutches of the threat of Covid 19. We still have lingering effects of the epidemic and more apprehensions about its possible return with reports from China.

    This year also showed how quick our collective memories function in terms of forgetting the lessons of an unprecedented challenge faced by us as human race in recent times.

    The war between Russia and Ukraine captured our attention more intensely, gradually, less news but the challenge of war and destruction of a beautiful country as well as loss of innocent lives continues. The world order seems to be changing, the perception that USA’s support has helped Ukraine put on a brave fight against mighty Russia is gaining more ground with the recent visit of Ukraine president to the Whitehouse.

    India played a key role on the world scene in terms of successfully establishing its stand on several issues, including the stand adopted regarding its dealings with Russia. The Indian foreign minister showed on several forums that with calm mannerism and simple words, the strength of a nation can be expressed. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to be the central figure in Indian politics as well as Global diplomacy. The only  leader, who openly and directly conveyed to Russian President Putin, that this is not the age of war. India didn’t stop buying Oil from Russia and while cornered, made it clear that Indian purchase is much less that the European nations. While the world economy has taken a hit after covid, the financial situation of the UK resulted in quick change of its prime minister. As we move towards 2023, Britisher with Indian roots Rishi Sunak, the first Hindu is leading the Great Britain.

    My expectations in 2023 are empowered by my hope and prayers. I believe we learn lessons but take time in implementing them, I look forward to the new year with greater awareness of taking care of the environment, leading a healthy life, building harmony and realizing the glory of being human. In addition to International day of Yoga, India gets the credit of drawing the attention of the world towards the significance of ‘Millet’ . Welcome to ‘The international year of Millet 2023 as declared by the United Nations in support of India’s initiative. We will have impactful impressions of India with creative and constructive insight under India leadsG20 as president. While saw massive layoffs, especially in the tech sector in the last few months of 2022 and the big news of twitter takeover by Elon Musk. I hope things would settle down and we will have a healthy, wealthy and growth oriented peaceful new year.

    Ashok Vyas

     

    (Poet, Hindu priest, author, program director with ITVGold for 25 years, founder of Heramba Art and Culture center with youtube channel ‘HerambaStudio’. President of Insight for Creativity LLC. Ashok has been working on three books for a few years, all are due to be published in 2023. (insightashok@Yahoo.com)

  • My Mother’s Gift – Devotion & Kindness

    My Mother’s Gift – Devotion & Kindness

    By Ashok Vyas on Mother’s Day for the readers of The Indian Panorama

    My mother Smt Shakuntala Devi Vyas and I share the habit of reading. I remember having heard stories from her about her childhood days, when she would hide a book in the bed and read with streetlight slipping from the window on her bed. She loved reading and that interest made her continue studies after many many years, when she was taking care of the family with three sons and all family members.

    We grew up in Jaipur, she did her bachelor’s and Master’s in Hindi. She lost her father at a very early age, probably, while she was six years old. He was a police officer and a loving, protective shield for her. She would read newspapers, magazines, novels and later on, her interest shifted towards religious books. A sincere devotee of Lord Krishna in the Pushtimargiya tradition, she has sustained that reading habit for over seven decades.

    I was very much attached to her as a child to the extent that I was teased for being ‘mother’s son’. I had a very nice friend in my mother as a child, probably after I turned 14 or so, things started changing a little bit, earlier, she was interested in learning about my friends, my activities and I was also eager to share my small success and failures.

    I think, as a teenager, I was developing my own ego and she was becoming more and more devotional with few morning hours exclusively devoted to serve the Lord. I was fascinated by her Keertan singing. I distinctly remember, having seen tears trickling down her cheeks as she would sing, ‘Mohe Apne Rang Mein Rang De, Swami He Giridhar Gopal,‘It means longing to get merged in the divine colors of Lord Krishna, also known as Gopal who plays flute.

    Those tears were beautiful, I used to wonder, what is this longing, how she gets into that zone, where something triggers her and melts her being with beauty and joy.

    I was perhaps drawn towards reading ‘Bhagwat Puran’ by her influence. Our family lived religious values as a part of regular flow.

    Let me recollect my school days. I used to go by bus and walk from SMS Hospital, Jaipur to Mahavir School. These were exam days, and it was summer. Once, while I was leaving for school, in addition to money for a bus ticket, she gave me some extra amount to drink sugarcane juice on her own. I was pleasantly surprised and felt how nice of her. Sometimes small gestures of consideration and kindness fills us with joy and gratefulness.

     

     

    I will skip the middle part of my life and come to the present scene, many events have taken place, many celebrations, moments of joy and success and losing important pillars of our lives.

     

    Now that I live in New York, my mother is in Jaipur with my brother Jitendra Vyas. We have become very good friends again through our telephonic satsang. She showed interest in listening to ‘Raas Panchadhyayi’, a book based on lectures by Swami Akhandananda Saraswatiji Maharaj.  We had regular Satsang sessions, where I would share this Hindi book in our language ‘Marwari’ with her and one of my aunties.

    Reading in Hindi, translating in Marwari and listening to their encouraging response to my humble sharing has been a fulfilling experience. The credit goes to my mother’s keen devotion and interest in Satsang. She sings well, remembers many Kathas as well as Bhajans. Thanks to technology, I could record her Bhajans online and shared with friends and family members. I am blessed to have a pure soul as my mother. We don’t celebrate Mother’s Day but this tradition here in USA has given me the opportunity to count my blessings and meditate on the glory of a Vaishnav, who also inspired all my Bhuas to find their structure for the flow of devotion in their heart.

    I am also happy that she listens to the series of ‘Everyday Gita with Ashok Vyas’ presented by me on Heramba Studio, YouTube channel in sequence. Her comments are encouraging.

    Here is a special pranaam to my mother, who shared her love with everyone and sustains herself with deep devotion. Jai Shri Krishna!

     

    (Ashok Vyas is a Poet, Program Director, ITVGold and founder of Heramba Studio)