Celebration of devotion, culture and spirituality rings through the air, as Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s four day visit to the city culminates
Pune: From rich Powada recital to soul stirring Gondhal, Vanvaasi Dhol Nritya or Shivrajyabhishek Sohala; to Gyan Ganga- wisdom session with the spiritual master and an interaction with 15,000 farmer beneficiaries, educators and industry leaders, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s four-day visit to the city was a celebration of Maharashtra’s rich cultural diversity; spirituality, wisdom and powerful social conversations with stakeholders to take the state and country forward towards the path of inclusive progress and happiness.
On 8th, in a historic event, 15000 farmers, beneficiaries of The Art of Living’s work in water conservation and agriculture, right from natural farming to river rejuvenation and JalTara ground water recharge projects, met Gurudev to express profound gratitude for the transformation and abundance in their lives owing to The Art of Living. Mr. Rajay Shastare Maharashtra Apex Member, The Art Of Living Trust given this information.
“If farmers are not happy, consumers cannot be healthy either,” Gurudev said with a sense of urgency and concern, “We have to stop farmer suicides immediately.”
An MOU was signed between The Art of Living Social Projects & Govt of Maharashtra- MNREGA , taking the JalTara project forward. Under Art of Living’s JalTara project, 45,500 Jaltara recharge structures have been constructed in 115 villages in just 2 years benefiting lakhs of people, where water tables have improved by 14 feet on average; farmer incomes have increased by over 120% on average and crop yields have improved by over 42%. The Art of Living is also training thousands of farmers in natural farming, in more than 1.3 million hectares in Maharashtra, under a recently signed MOU with the Government of Maharashtra. Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Trust is also eliminating the middleman and facilitating a direct market for the farmers to sell their chemical-free produce.
Along with farmers, The Art of Living is also working relentlessly for better mental health of students and in that context, an MOU was also signed by Dr Shirish Nage of Jijamata College for Art of Living youth programs to be conducted in their institutions, to help students deal with mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, stress and provide them practical tools to deal with negative emotions, build confidence and find peace within.
On 5th February, Gurudev’s visit started off with a grand Vedic ceremony called Rudra Puja, which is known to be an ancient auspicious ceremony that bestows the participants with health, positivity and harmony, followed by satsang and cultural performances that began with traditional Koli dance of the Konkan region, and Gondhal performance dedicated to Mumba Devi of Mumbai. 7 students were conferred degrees for having completed their study of Shukla Yajurveda, a part of Vedik Samhita, from Triveni Ashram Ved Pathshala.
The following day, 6th February, was witness to a deeply enlightening session of wisdom- ‘Gyan Ganga’ that started with a meditation with thousands in attendance in Gurudev’s presence. Thousands of people gathered for a satsang the same evening for soulful music along with cultural performances including Powada a traditional form of Marathi poetry, which originated as a narrative ballad sung to recount heroic deeds, and historical events that celebrate valor and resistance against oppression. Powadas are a powerful cultural expression of the Marathi people’s identity and history. Then came Gondhal, another ancient folk art representing the Gondhali community who used this form during the Shivaji era to convey symbolic messages and for social awakening. This was followed by Shivrajyabhishek Sohala, Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation ceremony celebrated to mark the beginning of Shivaji Maharaj’s road to shaping the Maratha Empire.
The program was a fusion of various traditions, depicting combat sports like wrestling, swordplay, and stick fighting, alongside the region’s customs of pilgrimages, historic castles and forts.
On 7th February, Gurudev interacted with 100 industry leaders as part of a master class on leadership on ‘How to construct and uphold ethics on Business’ and ‘Conflict resolution in the workplace.’
In the evening, there was Bhajan rendition by visually impaired and differently abled musicians and singers from Balkalyan Sansthan, Pune. Vanvaasi Dhol Nritya, a folk dance from North Maharashtra, popular among the tribal communities, thrilled the audience with vibrant drumming and rhythmic movements. Taal Rudra Pathak performed the Nashik Dhol.
