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Mumbai yoga guru’s books secure in US ‘Crypt of Civilisation’ for 6,000 years
By Quaid Najmi
Mumbai, Dec 26 (IANS) Back in 1939, a team of experts from Atlanta’s Oglethorpe University that was hunting for unique examples of modern civilisation on Earth landed at The Yoga Institute (TYI) in suburban Santa Cruz in what was then Bombay (now Mumbai).
They met its founder, Mani Haribhai Desai — revered as yoga guru Shri Yogendraji — and discussed with him various facets of the ancient Indian science of Yoga, which leads to immense physical, mental, psychological and spiritual benefits.
“They were so impressed by Shri Yogendraji’s knowledge and expertise on the subject that they decided to include some of his books and literature on yoga for their ‘Crypt of Civilisation’ (CoC) — a time-capsule whose contents were being finalised by the university (and was sealed in 1940, to be opened only in 8113 AD),” said TYI Assistant Director Hrishi Yogendra.
Hrishi is the 29-year-old grandson of Shri Yogendraji, and along with his mother Hansaben, is carrying ahead the family legacy of propounding yoga for the past 100 years through TYI.
On Tuesday, TYI turned 100 and on Friday, President Ram Nath Kovind, Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Y. Naik and other dignitaries will be attending the centenary celebrations here.
Elaborating, he said the Oglethorpe University team selected three English yoga titles penned by Shri Yogendraji and one by his wife Sitadevi, which are now stored in the CoC time-capsule in micro-film format.
They are: “Hatha Yoga Simplified”, “Yoga Hygeine Simplified”, “Yoga Asanas Simplified” (all by Shri Yogendraji), and Sitadevi’s book, “Yoga-Physical Education for Women”.
This collection is probably the only contribution from India which lies for posterity in the CoC, as indicated in a letter received by Shri Yogendraji from the Oglethorpe University nearly eight decades ago.
“Yoga is already around 5,000 years old. By the time the CoC is reopened, this ancient Indian science will be over 11,000 years old, providing a timeless wealth to the then people on Earth,” Hrishi told IANS.
According to the Oglethorpe University’s website, the COC is the oldest and largest millennial time-capsule of its kind in the world, an airtight chamber measuring around 57 square metres, and buried in a 20x10x10 feet room with a two-feet-thick stone floor below and seven-feet-thick stone floor above it.
The CoC was planned by then Oglethorpe University President Thornwell Jacobs — called the ‘Father of the Modern Time Capsule’ — in 1936 to build an extraordinary time-capsule designed to store records for over 6,000 years, on an unprecedented, epic scale.
Jacobs believed his generation could be the first to perform what he later termed as “our archaeological duty”, an obligation to provide future historians a thorough and accurate record, scientifically selected and preserved, of life in the 20th century.
The CoC was sealed on and buried on May 28, 1940, to be reopened on May 28, 8113 AD, located in Phoebe Hearst Hall of the University in Atlanta, Georgia, US.
Barring knowledge about the modern civilisations, the CoC has no other items of value and remains out of bounds for all.
“The first successful attempt to bury a record for any future inhabitants (of Planet Earth)” was how the Guinness Book of World Records (now Guinness World Records) described the initiative on the CoC’s Golden Jubilee in 1990.
India also has a handful of time-capsules buried in different parts of the country.
To mark the Silver Jubilee of Independence on August 15, 1972, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had buried a ‘Kalpaatra’ time-capsule near the Red Fort, to be reopened after 1,000 years.
However, the subsequent Janata Party government unearthed it in 1977 and it was lost forever, with its contents never made public.
A time-capsule was buried near the IIT-Kanpur auditorium in the presence of then President Pratibha Patil and another in Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar in Gujarat, both in 2010.
Mumbai’s Alexandra Girls English Institution buried a time-capsule in 2014, which will be reopened in 2062, on the school’s bi-centennial.
(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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