It was on the bank of river Bhadra that the Sudarshan Kriya a powerful breathing technique was revealed to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Thus, the Art of Living was born in 1981. As the organization celebrates its 30 years in 2011 of being in service, its founder Gurudev embarked on a four-day tour of Karnataka beginning September 16, 2011.
On September 17, 2011 Gurudev visited Shimoga where he led a Mahasatsang at the NES College grounds attended by thousands from across the state. With the organization today having taken roots in 151 countries and touching millions of lives, Gurudev fondly remembered the first Art of Living course in Shimoga.
Sharing pearls of wisdom with the youth, Gurudev said “Corruption begins when belongingness ends. When corruption is rooted out and black money is brought back to the country, then the country can move towards success.”
Addressing the crowd at Shimoga, he urged the citizens to take a vow to keep the city of Shimoga clean, discourage corruption and treat both boy and girl child equally.
Sri. Vinanayanada Saraswati Swamiji from Ramakrishna Vivekananda ashram, Dr. Santosh Guruji, Sri. Prasannath Swamiji from Adi Chunchunagiri math, Sri Maruti Guruji from Bangaramakki, Sri. Basavaraj Deshikendra Swamiji, Karnataka State B.J.P president, Sri. K.S. Eswarappa, J.D.S Shimoga President, Sri Srikant, and President of Shimoga municipal corporation K. S. Gangadharappa were present at the occasion.
Earlier on September 16, 2011 Gurudev began his tour with the visit to Tumkur where he led a Mahasatsang at the Ganesha Pendal, Vinayaka Nagar.
From Shimoga, Gurudev left for Sirsi on September 18, 2011 where he met and addressed the members of the ongoing VISTA India (Value Integrated Services For All) project that was pioneered by his father, Acharya Shri Ratnananda. The VISTA India project is engaged in uplifting the rural women in Karnataka.
His tour of Karnataka will culminate with his visit to Karwar on September 20, 2011 where he will lead a satsang and address thousands at the Mayura Varma Vedike, Tagore beach. After Karnataka, he will be on a two days visit to Goa on 21 & 22 Sept.
Art of Living’s work in Karnataka, a glimpse
Ever since its inception, the organization has been working to bring peace and development at the level of the individual, society, nation and the world as a whole. To create an empowered Karnataka through resurgence of human values in all aspects of life, the organization has reached out to more than 2,000 villages with various developmental projects. Self-help groups have been formed; toilets and homes have been built. The organization has been working particularly with women and children in urban slums and rural areas in Karnataka. Under the Vidya Shilpa program, Government schools have been selected for providing holistic education and 1,20,000 children have benefited from various stress-elimination programs.
