Yoga guru Baba Ramdev inaugurates Hindu spiritual fair | News Today

Chennai: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev pitched for the use of swadeshi products in the country and said we have achieved political independence but not economic independence.

The yoga guru was in the city on Tuesday to take part in the inaugural function of the 8th Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair 2016 being held at AM Jain College grounds, Meenambakkam.

Ramdev said not a single rupee should be given to foreign countries.

“One East India Company came and looted and destroyed India for nearly 200 years and now there are so many companies,” he said.

Baba Ramdev promised that profit earned by selling Patanjali products (manufactured by his outfit) will be used for charity purposes.

He said plans were afoot to spend about Rs 25,000 crore for this purpose in the next 5-10 years.

“Christians did charity but also indulged in conversions, while Hindus refrained from such practice. Service is in the blood of Hindus and we do not have to learn it from anyone. We do not aim at changing anyone’s religion but only their lives,” he claimed.

He said Hindu sadhus and charitable trusts serve society and rejected the idea that people should learn charity from Christians.

Touching upon the Dalit row, he said Hinduism does not discriminate against anybody.

“The human body is based on Varnasrama Dharma and it does not matter which part gets injured, the entire body suffers and feels the pain. Hinduism supports and respects all religions and we believe in co-existence,” the yoga guru said.

The guru said yoga was the ‘most popular’ word in the world right now irrespective of religion and place.

“Everybody in the country, right from children to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, perform it on a daily basis,” he said.

Ramdev also added that he has plans to construct a university to impart vedic and modern education. The organisers said they expect 1 million people to attend the fair, which willconclude on 8 August.

The inaugural function began with a procession of more than 2,000 women clad in traditional dress carrying kalasams of Ganga theertham from the Jain temple in Vigneshwara Nagar in Nanganallur to AM Jain college.

Baba Ramdev, Jathedar of Patna Sahib Giani Iqbal Singh, Central University of Tibetan Studies Vice-Chancellor Geshe Ngawang, Dr Veerendra Heggede of Dharmasthala Temple, took part in the procession on horse-drawn chariots.

ALL’S FAIR

Over 1,000 competitions and 180 traditional games will be conducted during the fair. The fair has stalls of 400 organisations that sell handlooms, books, devotional items.

THEMED DAYS

The fair will have different themes each day for the six days it is held:

Protecting environment

Respecting parents, teachers, elders

Cherishing womanhood

Protecting all living beings

Promoting patriotism

Protecting forest, wildlife.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Baba Ramdev performed a few of his yogasanas on the stage to the delight of the audience. He gave a few tips about the asanas that can be performed on a daily basis for good health.

FLOWERS & SELFIES

Residents and devotees gathered on either side of the roads where the procession took place and were seen showering flowers. Apart from devotees, excited youth tried to take selfies with Baba Ramdev when he was on the chariot.

(Follow us on Twitter @hnglobalpress)