Musical Morning at The Yoga Institute with Sukhwinder Singh

A tribute to our Gurus Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji Yogendra

Sukhwinder Singh

Shri Sukhwinder Singh, a regular student and visitor at The Yoga Institute, organized a musical programme on Tuesday morning 9th October, 2012 as a tribute to our Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji Yogendra. The atmosphere at The Yoga Institute, Santacruz was charged with positive vibrations as the beautiful renditions of devotional songs by famous singers and musicians, Sukhwinder Singh, Rekha Rao and Aditi Paul,  Manoj Mishra and Nilesh Bhrambhatt resonated in the air. 

Rekha Rao singing a Rajasthani Folk Song

The programme began with a Rajasthani folk song 'Kesariya Balam Padharo'  sung by Rekha Rao followed by Bhajans by Aditi Paul. Shri Sukhwinder Singh regaled the audience with some of his best songs, 'Woh Kisna Hai', 'Ramta Jogi', 'Haule Haule,' a mesmerizing version of 'Hanuman Chalisa' and ending with the Academy Award and Grammy Award winning 'Jai Ho.'

The Main Hall of the Institute was packed with
an enthusiastic audience

After the programme Shri Sukhwinder Singh shared that two years ago, although work was going well, he was not happy and did not have faith. Then a teacher from The Yoga Institute started teaching him yoga and his faith in his work increased. One day, he was approached to sing the song 'Jai Ho' written by Gulzar and composed by A.R. Rahman. However, the song was rejected by the director of the film it was composed for. Yet, Singh had faith in the song and suggested they go ahead and record it anyway. Later, they were approached by Danny Boyle to include it in the film 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Singh had never thought or expected his work to win the Academy or Grammy award. He credits this success to his faith achieved through yoga. He also shared how it was now possible for him to record some songs within 3 minutes in one go.

Smt. Hansaji thanking Sukhwinder Singh and the artists

Smt. Hansaji Yogendra thanked Shri Sukhwinder Singh and all the artists for bringing such a high spirited atmosphere to the Institute. A music lover herself and a sitar player in the old days, Smt. Hansaji finds music to be an important tool for inculcating faith and meditative states. She welcomed Sukhwinder Singh to organize many more such programmes at The Yoga Institute which he graciously accepted.  

More pictures from the event given below:

Aditi Paul (r) singing along with Sukhwinder Singh

Sukhwinder Singh sharing his experience with yoga

Orchestra co-ordinated by Nilesh Brahmbhatt (l)
Smt. Binny Sakhrani (r) of The Yoga Institute compering the event

Audience outside the main hall

Shri Sukhwinder Singh conversing with Smt. Hansaji

Orchestra led by Nilesh Brahmbhatt

Manoj Mishra playing the Harmonium (l), Sukhwinder Singh (r)

Smt. Hansaji interviewed by the Press

Shri Sukhwinder Singh interviewed by the Press

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REAL YOGA

REAL  YOGA
- Hansaji

Yoga is deepening in its meaning today. It is not just acrobatics and physical maneuvers. We are interested in yoga because we are troubled physically by psychosomatic diseases but more by mental disturbances – tension, anxiety, fear, inability to meet situations of life etc.

Can yoga bring one to peace, confidence, clarity of life? Is one more interested in healthy mental and physical conditions ? Unfortunately the yoga teachers are teaching physical acrobatics like asanas, kriyas, bandhas etc.  but besides bombastic talks on Atma, Brahma, Kundalini, they could not provide powerful experience of inner tranquility and insights. 

The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, though 93 years old today has taught simple asanas, pranayama, Kriyas, mudras, etc. but has maintained in all the teachings the blossoming of natural experiences of inner calm, inner insight, inner understanding of life. Yoga should be understood correctly.

This is the campaign The yoga Institute has launched upon. The explanations and insights are backed by providing people these kind of experiences. So the Yoga Institute has modified traditional practices like meditation as conditioning exercises. Savasana or dead body pose as psychosomatic experience of great mental and physical relaxation and opportunities to possess intuitive insights into them.

The question before modern yoga teaches is:
1. Can one be in a peaceful state for half an hour without much thought?
2. Can one subtract and remove “I” in one’s conversation for five/six hours at a stretch?
3. Can one experience changes in state of consciousness without talking ? Can one understand his/her state of consciousness ?

Published in the Sept 2010 edition of Yoga & Total Health Magazine.