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Swami Ramdev (Template:Lang-hi 1965 - ), also known as Baba Ramdev, is an Indian, Hindu swami.

Early life

Ramdev was born as 'Ramkishan Yadav' in Alipur, in the Mahendragarh district of Indian state of Haryana. He attended school through the eight grade in Shahjadpur. Thereafter, he joined a yogic monastery (gurukul) in Khanpur village to study Sanskrit and Yoga. Eventually, he renounced worldly life and entered into Sanyas (monastic living) - taking the name Swami Ramdev.

Then he went to Jind district and joined the Kalva gurukul and offered free Yoga training to villagers across Haryana. It is said that he travelled the Himalayas for several years before he settled in Haridwar. He claims to have discovered several medicinal plants in the Himalayas which he uses in treating his patients. Ramdev started relentless efforts to popularise Yoga in 1995 with the establishment of Divya Yoga Mandir Trust along with Acharya Karamveer.

Life

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In 1995, Ramdev joined the order of swamis after being initiated into the ascetic order by Swami Shankerdevji Maharaj. While training to be a Swami, Ramdev spent many years undertaking an intense and thorough study of ancient Indian scriptures. At the same time, he also practiced intense self-discipline and meditation.

He teaches that God resides in every human being and that the body is God's temple. He is a firm believer in the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole World is one family) and decries practices that discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or gender. His fundamental belief is that expressions of love, affection and compassion towards all living things are the true worship of the Creator.

Work, Teaching and Honours

Ramdev has taught several aspects of traditional Indian scriptures such as Ashtadhyayee, Mahabhashya and Upanishads along with six systems of Indian Philosophy in various Gurukuls (traditional Indian systems of education). He has helped establish Gurukuls in Kishangarh, Ghashera, and Mahendragarh in India. He has also founded the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust which has built several institutions. In addition to helping people learn about Yoga and spirituality, these institutions also provide a comprehensive facility that promotes the practice of Ayurveda -the traditional system of holistic medicine developed in India..

His educational show is broadcast on the religious TV channel Aastha, as well as shows on Zee network,Sahara One and IndiaTV..

He has been conducting Yog Science camps regularly all over the country, and sometimes abroad as well. In 2006, the Ramdev spent almost a month in London teaching Pranayam and Yoga.

KIIT University, a well-respected teaching and research institute for Science and Technology, awarded Swami Ramdev with an Honorary Doctorate degree in recognition of his efforts at popularising the Vedic science of Yoga. The degree was presented to him in January 2007 during a ceremony presided over by the respected scientist and Nobel laureate Richard Ernst.

Pranayama

- The Pranayama programme as taught by Swami Ramdev consists of the following seven key breathing exercises (in sequence):

Controversy

Minimum Wage

In March 2005, about 113 workers employed by the Divya Yog Mandir Trust, Kankhal, Haridwar, owned by Ramdev, started an agitation for minimum wages and for coverage under the Provident Fund and Employees' State Insurance schemes. At a tripartite meeting, an agreement was reached between the workers, management and the district administration. But, some agitating workers were dismissed by the Trust after being charged for alleged sabotage. Their case was taken up by a trade union controlled by Communist Party of India (Marxist); they are yet to be reinstated.

Allegations of unhealthful Manufacturing Practices

Building on the labour demands, New Delhi based Brinda Karat, aCPI(M) leader and wife of CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat, called a press conference alleging unhealthful manufacturing practices in the pharmaceutical company. She also accused the pharmacy of using animal and human parts in the manufacture of their ayurvedic medicines. Though ayurvedic texts allow the uses of such substances in the manufacture of some of the ayurvedic medicines, this violated, according to Brinda Karat, the laws related to proper labeling of medicines.

Use of Bones in Medicines

The controversy reached a flash-point in January 2006 when Brinda Karat produced an Indian health ministry laboratory report that she claimed found that Divya Yog Pharmacy, owned by Ramdev, was using human and animal bones in his medicines. She also claimed that a sample of the medicine (Kuliya Bhasm and Yauvanamrit Bati, purchased from Brahmakalp Chikitsalay, which is the Trust's hospital at Haridwar) was tested at government labs which later confirmed the presence of animal materials in the sample. She exhibited the prescription and cash receipt obtained from the medicine counter in support of her claim.

Rebuttals

The charges were denied by Ramdev and his followers who accused Brinda Karat and the CPI(M) of being agents of multinational pharmaceutical companies.

Four samples sent to the government-recognized research center (Shriram Institute of Industrial Research, Delhi) were reported as indicating that the medicines contained no objectionable ingredients and were purely herbal. Uttarakhand state Health Minister Tilak Raj Behad announced this to BBC in March 2006. This refuted Karat's claims that Ramdev was part of any wrongdoing. Ancient Ayurvedic texts do, at times, proscribe the use of animal materials.

Many Indian right wing politicians like Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Ambika Soni came out in support of Ramdev's promoting Yoga and Ayurveda.. The BJP said that they were "fully with yoga guru Swami Ramdev".

Comments on Mahatma Gandhi

Swamiji commented in Jabalpur, where he was imparting yoga training to Army personnel, "See, I am a follower of penance, sacrifice, non-violence and truth. But I am also a follower of revolutionaries. I live a simple life. I don't do what everyone else does. But I believe that the freedom of our country is because of the sacrifice of martyrs". "If somebody says that the country achieved independence without arms, without bloodshed, I believe that is an insult to the country's martyrs". These statements sparked a rage in Gandhi's followers, mainly activists of the Congress Party. They charged Ramdev with insulting the Father of the Nation. Youth workers of the Congress burnt posters of Ramdev and shouted slogans against him.

Claims of curing AIDS and cancer and confrontation with Health Ministry

Press reports in December 2006 created further controversy by stating that Ramdev had made claims that Yoga could cure AIDS. Ramdev responded by saying that these reports were misrepresenting him. His position was that Yoga and Ayurveda together can alleviate the suffering from AIDS, not cure it. Other press reports state that he has claimed that cancer of the breast, liver, prostate, uterus, pituitary gland, brain tumours and leukaemia, could be cured by practicing the seven breathing exercises and that he had documented proof of his successes. By distancing himself from tall claims of his medicines, he has indirectly admitted that 'his admirers' propoganda about his methods' miracle power is is bogus. Ramdev has not denied the allegaton by critcs that setting up of several million dollars worth export business and claims of miracle powers is done with the support of 'selected admirers' from whose statements he himself has distanced now in order to escape from legal actions.

A website promoting his products states that the CD-4 cell count in some AIDS patients has improved after practising Yoga. This statement was translated by certain journalists as stating that "Swami Ramdev claims cure for AIDS". As a consequence of these press reports he was sent a notice by the Union Health Ministry and threatened legal action from medical NGOs.

In response to the cease and desist order from the Health Ministry, he categorically denied that he had made any such claims and said that yogic education was more preferable than sex education in response to the AIDS crisis. "Sex education in schools need to be replaced by yoga education. The government should stop polluting the minds of innocent young children with sex education. Society's morality cannot improve with teaching sex education in schools. And AIDS cannot be prevented by talking free sex and by using condoms."

Notes

  1. "Swami Ramdev Maharaj". knowyoga.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. Ramdev denies allegations of using animal extracts in his medicines The Tribune, Chandigarh - July 5, 2005
  3. "Swami Ramdev on TV". knowyoga.org.
  4. "Doctorate degree for Yoga Guru Ramdev". punjabnewsline.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. "Pranayama". knowyoga.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. Frontline
  7. Indian Express
  8. Yogi cleared of animal parts row BBC - 8 March 2006
  9. "Swami Ramdev has the Reds on the run". organiser.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  10. BJP backs yoga guru The Hindu - January 05, 2006
  11. "Baba Ramdev invites wrath of Indore Gandhians for remarks on Mahatma Gandhi". Webindia123.
  12. "I made no claims of curing AIDS: Ramdev". expressindia.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. "I never claimed I can cure AIDS: Ramdev". dnaindia.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  14. "I'll stay away from politics: Ramdev". ibnlive.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  15. "Ayurvedic Herbs for control of HIV, AIDS & any Sexually Transmitted Diseases". yogapranayama.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  16. "Baba Ramdev's website claims AIDS is curable". dnaindia.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  17. "Yoga effect on AIDS? Baba has 'proof'". moneycontrol.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  18. "Yoga can cure AIDS: Ramdev". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessdaymonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

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