![indian guru wants taliban to de stress indian guru wants taliban to de stress](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/349815-srisrishankarafp-1331701329.jpg)
Visiting Pakistan for the first time in eight years, he basks in the diplomatic rapprochement that made the trip possible but his dreams of harmony couldn't be further removed from the suffering of millions worldwide.
Spry for a man in his mid-50s, dressed in pristine white robes and his hair still ebony, he began the second leg of his three-city Pakistan tour by tossing rose petals into the air cheered on by some of Islamabad's most elegant women.
Nominated for the Nobel peace prize and described by Forbes magazine in 2009 as the fifth most powerful person in India, Shankar established the Art of Living Foundation in 1981. It estimates it has 300 million followers.
He travels widely and in 2007 took his message of peace and meditation to Iraq, where he urged Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds to give peace a chance and was invited to introduce his Art of Living rehabilitation programme in prisons.
His centres teach breathing practices and techniques to help people from all religious backgrounds overcome the stresses, jealousies and insecurities of modern life to become more focused, happier and healthier.
He first visited Pakistan in 2004 and organisers say there are now 5,000 followers – a tiny number in the Muslim country of 174 million known more for sheltering Osama bin Laden and harbouring the Taliban than meditation.
So does "Guruji", as he's known, think Taliban fighters are ripe for inner peace after battling the Americans for 10 years in Afghanistan and bombing their way through Pakistani cities since 2007?
"Definitely! I would love to stretch my hands to Talibans because I would like them to see from a broader perspective the universe," he told AFP at the Art of Living centre in Bani Gala, an upmarket village near Islamabad.
"I would like to educate them. There must be something wrong in their way of thinking that says 'only I am going to heaven, everyone else is going to hell.'
"I would say that is not possible, you know. So I would like to give them the experience of inner connectivity," Shankar said.
He claims to find parallels among extremists jailed in India, but hastens to add that Pakistanis, and not he as an Indian Hindu, would have to be responsible for any similar outreach programme in Pakistan.
"When they undergo our breathing exercises and techniques, suddenly their fanaticism drops. They start appreciating diversity," he claimed.
His followers in Bani Gala were drawn from the country's urbane, educated and liberal elite who abhor the international stereotype of Pakistan as a font of terrorism and religious conservatism.
Organisers insist they attract people from all walks of life, but the audience was predominantly wealthy and middle class – ladies who lunch or who took the day off work, well dressed with posh handbags and designer shades.
Shankar, who visited Lahore on Monday and was scheduled to travel to Karachi on Wednesday, brings greetings from India's 1.2 billion people as the two countries resume peace talks that were stalled by the carnage of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Insurgencies, social and economic problems, corruption and the poor level of education can all be addressed by taking a deep breath, he claims.
"Everyone should take a little bit of time, 10 minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes, to calm down. Even in the worst scenario they need to calm down and take action in a calm state of mind," he said.
But he was preaching to the converted – a well-educated crowd keen to see peace finally overcome the three wars between India and Pakistan.
"We want peace with India and we want friendship with India. That's why we came here," student Kashif Abbasi told AFP while waiting for Shankar to finish his myriad press interviews and finally address his followers.
Sitting a few rows further forward, lawyer Natasha Khan dismissed out of hand any suggestion that having an Indian spiritualist in town was a problem.
"That's a non-issue at this sort of event that he's a Hindu or an Indian or anything. Nobody that I know said anything to me, if there's someone else I don't know about it," she said.
Shahnaz Minallah, the Pakistan co-chair of Art of Living, suspects the "agencies" – a euphemism for the security services – were behind Shankar's visa being rescinded before and describes his visit as a "living miracle".
"We were scared about the Pakistan-India thing and the Hindu element attached to it, whereas it's nothing. It's neutral. It comes from that region but it fits into any tradition," she said.
COMMENTS (37)
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lolzzzz.... guru jee u need to cum here to pacify these 'indo-pak xtresmists'... hahaha saray extremists yaha agaye hian :D bhayooonn calm down....however, frankly speaking guru jee ur teaching wud go futile if these extremists wud hav been dat open-minded to understand things so there label had not been "Extremism " and wont surrender on da call of other religion guru... :D
@Adnan:
"He should also give some lessons of peace to Nirender Modi who massacred thousands of Muslims in Gujarat, India."
Would you also advocate that the guru should give "some lessons of peace" to the Muslim gang that burned alive 65 Hindus in a train at Godhra, the incident that started the barbaric riots in Gujarat? As despicable as the reaction was, provocation with such brutality is not a good thing.
I donot believe in Gurus/Saints/whoever these people are...These guys Talk about peace and other crap, the fact is there are thousands of familes which get affected by such people...One of them being mine...My mom follows them so much not just one like this man, but others too...They preach or whatever i call it Brainwash people...my mom now wants to become a saint, where i have just graduated, my sister is young and my dad lives alone!
It is us people who shall talk about peace and not such fools whom Forbes or whoever again calls them influential!
Hell Yeah They are influential! Cause they have billions! Why does a saint talking about peace and teaching yoga and other things needs so much? Why does a Saint need to fear death aand carry armed security? Why?
A noble price should be rather given to APJ Kalam!!
Bloody hate these people! and those muslim killings in Gujarat, forget narendra modi, it was also ASARAM BAPU a close friend or rather "GURU" of narendra modi had a huge hand in that too!!
Believe in God!!! Just one supreme power...and not such saints!
Guru allready got nice beard and just need one islamic lesson from Talibans to become one of them.
so he wants to cure world's problems with breathing exercises. hmmmmm.....now we know what was missing from our lives - breeeeaaaathinnnggggggg!
Come to Britian and find out how informed media ranks this stupidity.
i have attended art of living's basic course. those who have'nt done it as yet, please try. its very simple. few days yoga and breathing exercise. you will feel change. Hats off to guru ji for his kind visit to Pakistan.
Charaka, who wrote the famous Charaka Samhita, the oldest existing text on Ayurveda, was indeed scholar/physician in the court of the great king Kanishka, although he acknowledges the work of prior authors. The scholars Nagarjuna, Asvaghosha, Parsva and Vasumitra were also associated with Kanishka's court. These classical scholars are thus as much Pakistani as they are Indian.
Wonder if his magic is not valid for stressed Indian Maoist.
@Saleem Shahzad: Pakistan is 60 years old. Ayurveda is 3000 years old.
@Adnan: Stop ranting about Gujrat man, India has moved on and is a better country now for Muslims and Hindus alike. Indian Muslims have moved on, too. I don't know why Pakistanis have to mention Gujrat ..with anything related to India, we just have to mention Gujrat! I am Pakistani and I would rather have Art of living teach Taliban (they can't, anyway) then worry about what happened in Gujrat. I have many Indian Muslim friends and they are happy about how Muslims are treated in India, look at yourself (ourselves as Pakistanis) first before pointing other's mistakes. And stop living in medieval times when the rest of the world has moved on including our Muslim brothers just across the border.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Guruji, is a messenger of universal love, plural mindset, believer of diversity and tolerance. These are fundamental truths, not connected with Hinduism only.. Breathing kriya ( process) developed by him is "Sudarshan Kriya" has benefited practitioners world over immensely. Possibly humans who practice this will benefit , calm down and become more tolerant after following this simple breathing kriya ( exercise). Guruji is confident that Talibanis, who are also humans, will surely benefit personally and also help Afghanistan Pakistan and other neighbors to live peacefully. This is a non-violent , easy to adopt and no cost technique; which cannot be rejected by any sane , civilised person. Guruji has made a beginning , lets hope talibanis will be awaken and start following simple exercise even while they are hiding in caves or some building. Talibanis can be transformed into civilised humans by this great technique..!! Jai Ho!
Guru gee u r wrong this message should be for the coalition forces
I think you all need to take up the course and see for yourself. Why comment for the sake of commenting.. do the course and then talk.
@Saleem Shahzad: yeh,and what pakistanis have done to preserve that heritage? Nothing
For instance, one bit of interesting info Sri Sri offered was that Ayervedic medicine actually originated in an area which is inside Pakistan; and meanwhile India is taking all the international credit for it.
Anyway, ths is bad journalism.
whats ravi shankar's obsession with taliban? The afghan taliban are only fighing against invaders in their country. Ravi Shankar should teach his "de-stressing" techniques to the so called "stressed" American soldiers who regularly go on rampages and massacre innocent Afghan Civilians (innocent Women and Children included). Ravi Shankar's comment about Taliban shows his hidden bigotry...
ROFL on this one. Nevertheless, interesting news piece.
hahahahaha........imagine Taliban doing yoga....how quite appaling
@muhammad ali: I agree with your comments but go a bit further that even if the God/Allah Himself appears on this earth, they would not listen to Him either.
"Pakistan in 2004 and organisers say there are now 5,000 followers – a tiny number in the Muslim country of 174 million known more for sheltering Osama bin Laden and harbouring the Taliban than meditation"
What does ET try to prove by writing such irrelevant details in its articles? Is ET a Pakistani newspaper?
so what ur trying to say is that when some Indian kills innocent ppl in india one should retaliate by killing innocent ppl here? @Adnan:
@BruteForce:
The peace of mind & body only comes thorouh offering Salah (Namaz).
I do not know why he has been referred to as Hindu so many times in this story. He is not teaching or professing any religion..he is just a messenger of peace and has nothing to do with religion.
He needs to cast his spell on Pentagon and State Department for world peace.
Peace comes "only" to those who honestly strive for peace and tranquility.
All people of the world who kill and destroy fellow human beings with weapons, bombs and drugs in fact belong to the underworld of lower species.
All the religions of the world teach to respect the human life. Extremism is a passing phase. It lives for some time and dies a natural death.
@Adnan:
Somehow your type of people are still latched on Gujarat event which happened a decade ago. Check any news today about Gujarat and you will only find development and peace. Just dont blame Modi just for sake of. The whole theory that he was involved is unfounded.
Go to one of the sessions of Sri Sri and you will be delighted. You will see what peace means and you will see a good of everything in this world.
hahahaha..
This proves that India is supporting Pakistan Taliban.
ha ha teach american soldiers these breathing excercises who are on rampage of killing 100s oops sorry thousands ...they created the fuss they should solve it
And you my friend need to do a REALITY CHECK!
@SalSal: Agreed. Taliban are already showering Pakistan with rose petals.
I know of a girl who just lost interest in life. Her mom forced her to go to the Art of Living and she came out of that phase a new person.
They dont possess a magic wand but do it with well known Yoga and Pranayam.
I have an uncle who had terrible Asthma, who got it under control with Pranayam.
I have no doubt whatsoever that who ever practices the ancient Indian practices will notice the difference. The West has adopted it in spite of its pagan origins in India. But, the Islamic World is not that open minded to accept something which is good but not Islamic.
He should also give some lessons of peace to Nirender Modi who massacred thousands of Muslims in Gujarat, India.
The taliban don't understand the meaning of the word peace.they would rather behead this guru rather than de-stress.He's talking to the wrong people.
They don't need that. The Americans do :P