The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : On a tour to explore Indian tradition and culture

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Tuesday, Jan 15, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

On a tour to explore Indian tradition and culture

S. S. Kavitha

Students from Italy visit Sivananda Yoga Research Centre

MADURAI: The four-letter mantra that every health freak and peace lover likes to utter is ‘yoga’ that has transcended geographical barriers. A 20-member team, comprising 18 students from Italy, camped at Sivananda Yoga Research Centre here last week to explore and experience Indian tradition and culture, besides visiting places where yoga and Ayurveda are practised.

“People around the world are coming together on a common platform called yoga for various reasons,” said Amadio Bianchi, president of World Movement for Yoga and Ayurveda.

He said that he was attracted towards yoga and Ayurveda owing to ill health at age of 23 when the medical fraternity did not offer support for his health problem. Similarly, at 20, Emy Blesio, president of World Community of Indian Culture, was attracted to Indian philosophy and culture. Both Mr. Amadio Bianchi and Ms. Emy Blesio have rechristened themselves as Suryananda and Gayatri Devi.

“We are a different kind of tourists,” they said. They do not confine themselves to tourist spots in Tamil Nadu and Kerala but make it a point to visit temples, yoga and Ayurvedic centres. “We are in search of knowledge and spirituality that transcend all barriers such as caste, creed, religion and geographical demarcations,” they said.

“Yes to spirituality”

“We say no to religion and yes to spirituality,” said Ms. Emy Blesio and added that the World Community of Indian Culture had planned to organise a congress in New Delhi that might witness participation of a few thousands of people from all over the world.

“Europeans are more and more involving themselves in yoga for various reasons,” said Ramalingam, president, Sivananda Yoga Research Centre.

At the centre, the visitors participated in a session that elaborated the message of Gayatri Mantra and various asanas of yoga.

The team from Italy was in Madurai as part of a 14-day tour from Chennai to Kochi.

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