Ahead of the upcoming International Yoga Day, India seems to be gearing as innumerable preparations are being made across the country to make the day a success. Amidst all this, Baba Ramdev, who is a brand ambassador of Yoga in Haryana, let out some sarcasm on the controversy surrounding Yoga.
While attending a function in Rishikesh, Baba Ramdev challenged the opposition as she said, “Take in air and then exhale. Do it again.”
“Breathing with a certain rhythm or even normally is yoga, how can such a simple thing threaten someone’s religion,” he wondered.
“If you really think that your religion is so weak that it can be threatened by yoga, you should leave that religion because there is no point in practicing such a weak religion.”
Baba Ramdev, who can be credited with taking yoga to the masses, felt that the ancient technique was simply an exercise that should be regularly undertaken to improve health and enhance body and mind tuning.
“What is yoga after all – it is anything that helps you concentrate, but people have spread unnecessary misunderstanding.”
Adding that there are some who have a tendency to generally oppose anything and anyone who is trying to make a difference, the yoga master cited his own example.
“I was attacked so much and for so long. I did not get intimidated…. I carried on doing what my inner conscience told me was right.”
Urging people to broaden their thinking Baba Ramdev admitted, “To me, God is in everyone. And everyone is in God.”
He emphasised that there can be no opposition to anything: “My personal view is that there are only 3 truths. Parmatma (God), Atma (Soul) and Prakriti (Nature); so either there is God or there is his creation.”
Recently, Muslim Rashtriya Manch released a booklet titled ‘Yoga and Islam’ to remove apprehensions linked with this ancient system of exercise and methodology to connect with oneself.
Even the head of Ajmer Sharif dargah Diwam Sayed Zainual Aabedeen Ali Khan endorsed the practise of Yoga and warned Muslims against playing into the hands of fundamentalist organisations that were hell bent on creating confusion in their minds.