Rita Shrestha Vaidya shares about the centre to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar & Hon. Urban Development Minister Arjun Narasingha KC
Kathmandu: His Holiness Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of The Art of Living visited Pashupatinath temple and offered his respects there. The Jyotirlinga at Pashupatinath here in Kathmandu (Nepal) is considered the ‘head’ of the twelve Jyotirlingas (in India) which are regarded as the ‘body’. Gurudev was accompanied by the teachers and officials of the Art of Living and was welcomed by a mass gathering. He also visited the Aryaghat premises and was briefed about the new developments and activities by the Pashupatinath Area Development Trust.
After his visit to Pashupatinath, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrived in Shankhamul, Nepal where he inaugurated the Art of Living’s Temple of Knowledge named Vishnu Mandap Center and Shankhamul Yoga Park also known as the Art of Living Kathmandu Center. The inauguration was accompanied by Honorable Minister Arjun Narasingha KC, Minister of Urban Development of the Government of Nepal. The Center comprises of a Meditation Hall, a free Health Checkup Center for the elderly, a Pulse Diagnosis Center and a differently abled toilet. There is also a Public Library and a Divine Shop where Art of Living books and Ayurvedic products are available.
Opposite the Art of Living Kathmandu Center is The Art of Living Shankhamul Yoga Park, which skirts the holy Bagmati River. The park is an architectural marvel and consists of an amphitheater, a jogging track and a Yagna Mandap spread over 15 ropanies of lush greenery. The Yoga Park has been built in collaboration with the Adhikar Sampanna Bagmati Sabhyata Akikrit Bikas Samittee. Mrs. Rita Shrestha Vaidya, Chairperson of the Vishnu Smriti Foundation has contributed generously towards the structure to commemorate her beloved father, the late Vishnu Shrestha and her late brother Varun Shrestha.
At the inauguration, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar blessed all his followers including the members of the Vaidic Dharma Sansthan (VDS), Corporate and Government officials who joined the Excellence at Workplace Art of Living workshop. He also showered blessings on differently abled people and the general public. “I would like to see smiles on your faces and happiness in your homes. I encourage you all to practice yoga and meditation. Everyone should help in preserving the Sanatan Dharma and our ancient Indian culture.” said Gurudev. Motivating the youth of Nepal he said, “The youth of Nepal should actively engage in the development of Nepal and participate in organizing several Youth Leadership Training Programs across the country.”
On the 5th of March, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also met several corporate leaders at a talk on Management Mantras – Creating Excellence at Workplace. The talk was organized by the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FNCCI) on its 50th Anniversary in association with The Art of Living, Nepal. Neeva Pradhan, an Art of Living corporate teacher and Excellence at Workplace faculty began the proceedings with a short guided meditation and shared information about Art of Living corporate programs which have impacted the corporate world, citing some success stories to emphasize her point. Pashupati Murarka, President of the FNCCI welcomed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with a Nepali Dhaka Topi and a Nepali Shawl. He thanked Gurudev and the Art of Living’s corporate programs which have benefitted many organizations in Nepal. He expounded three core mantras, namely Intuition, Innovation and Sense of Belongingness. He said, “The first mantra is to develop intuition. If your intuition has failed, then you have failed. Intuition is both inborn and can also be developed through meditation. The second mantra is innovation as any business needs innovative ideas. Business is bound to slide without innovation, one needs to develop a sense of innovation. The third mantra is a sense of belongingness. Employees should feel like they belong to their workplace. Employees should not only be given financial comfort but also a friendly environment where their talents are allowed to blossom. A good manager creates people who are committed to work. He does not create obstacles for them.”
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar lights the lamp and officially inaugurates the launch program