In late May of this year, when we were concluding our program Parenting Inside Out, we received a visit from Varsha Saraogi, of The Hindu. A young reporter, Varsha happened to be in the Nilgiris and serendipitously stumbled upon us at Ritambhara. The exchange was a pleasure, allowing us to see the centre through fresh eyes, and experience the true joy that it brings to all who arrive here. Varsha went on to feature the centre in an article for The Hindu, allowing a larger audience to become aware of Ritambhara and our message.
Varsha introduces the ashram to her readers in a gentle and poetic manner, speaking of “untouched green sky-stabbing mountains. A wave of tea farms goes rumbling down the sides, crumpled at the base. The harpoon-like peaks are shrouded in ghost-grey mist.”
She also draws out the essence of our work here through her interactions with Raghu and Sashi. She echoes the concern of de-mystifying Yoga and discovering the tradition as a way to live a fuller life. In her own words, “What could be better than learning all aspects of yoga in the hills?” And we must agree, what indeed?
To read the full article, posted in The Hindu, visit http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/the-journey-within/article18703662.ece
Anoop is a student of Yoga, an entrepreneur, a coach and a father of two young boys. He has led successful leadership stints in both the corporate and non-for-profit sectors. On encountering the country’s water/farmer crises at close quarters, he decided to pause and examine the impact various ‘isms’ – capitalism, colonialism, etc., were having on us as individuals, families, the society and the environment at large. This quest led him to formally engage with traditional Indic knowledge systems while also learning from the latest advances in science – about our physical and mental wellbeing, importance of body and mind work in healing trauma and the urgent need for a conscious rebuilding of family / work / social structures if we have to thrive individually and collectively. Insights, frameworks and processes gleaned from these on-going studies, an anchorage in his own personal practice and his wide-ranging experiences is what Anoop brings to facilitation/coaching spaces in Ritambhara and his various professional engagements.
Priya is a Yoga therapist in the Krishnamacharya tradition. She adapts Reiki & energy work, Vedic chanting, life coaching & Ayurvedic practices in her healing spaces. She is committed to nurturing collectives that have the praxis of Yoga at their heart.
Anisha has been on an exploration to understand herself through yoga for the last 15years which led her to teaching yoga, yoga therapy and inner work through yoga.
Apoorva chanced upon Yoga in her early 20s. A spark was lit within and there was no turning back. Her exploration led her to the Krishnamacharya tradition more than a decade ago. Curious about human behaviour and what drives it, she was thrilled when her search ended (and also began) when she first came upon the Yoga Sutra, which illuminated a path towards answering many questions that had been held for a long time.
Anita is a yoga teacher and therapist in the tradition of Sri.T.Krishnamacarya and Sri T.K.V. Desikachar, a Reiki practitioner and a Life Coach. She is also the founder of Vishoka, a center for learning Indic and energy-based frameworks for living and healing. Her deep concern for human suffering and the problems of unsustainable living kept her on the path of seeking an integrated approach to looking at life, living, learning and healing.
Ankit is a seeker in the wisdom traditions of India. The core of his work includes creating dialogic spaces where people can look within and see the connection between their inner and outer lives. Inspired by the likes of Gandhi, Aurobindo, Vivekananda and Guru Gobind his experiments in service took him back to his roots in Punjab where he is creating a community-led model of higher education which is open, inclusive and accessible for all. Ritambhara for him is a space for engaging in a community which is committed to a DHramic life. He anchors his work of learning and leadership in the Antaranga Yoga Sadhana and the humanistic wisdom of Mahabharata.