No action at Patanjali shrine on Yoga Day

Patanjali, scholar and sage, lived in the second century BC, and his book ‘Yoga Sutras’ had graphic details about how to perform the various asanas of Yoga. He had attained ‘Jeeva Samadhi’ in Rameswaram towards the end of his life. 

Though Yoga was performed at most schools and public places, no such activity was witnessed at the Jeeva Samadhi of Patanjali, located behind Nataraja Sannadhi near the Third Corridor (Prakaram) of the well-known Ramanathaswamy Temple.

Meanwhile, the disinterest shown by the local officials of the Hindu Rights and Charitable Endowments Department in conducting a programme to commemorate the day, has upset the people of this temple town. 

Muralidharan, BJP district president of Ramanathapuram, said that the Jeeva Samadhi of Patanjali, was one of the famous landmarks of Rameswaram. He said people from far and near thronged the site on a daily basis but sadly, despite the world celebrating Yoga on Wednesday in a grand manner, no such even was organised here. The late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had issued orders that Yoga be performed in all temples in the state, but oher rders were not followed, he claimed. 

“If the government and HR & CE officials fail to organise an event next year, the people of the town themselves would organise a mega event,” Muralidharan said. Nagendran, a social activist, said, “If a decision regarding a mega yoga event is taken in the future, a large number of people would participate and Yoga could be promoted in this part of the country.”