Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living centre opens in Karachi
Karachi: He arrived at the ashram very much like a local Sufi Shaykh entering a Khanqa among his enthusiastic devotees. Shri Shri Ravi Shankar, clad in a cream-white Kurta and Dhoti and sporting a Sindhi skull-cap, was welcomed with heavy garlands, loud cheers and a torrent of rose petals. The occasion was the opening ceremony of Karachi’s first Art of Living centre, which took place here on Wednesday.
Oddly enough, he looked more ‘Pakistani’ than any of the local volunteers and admirers by whom he was besieged as he tried to sit on a sofa in an old bungalow on Seven Adam Road near Teen Talwar.
The founder and head spiritual leader of the Art of Living foundation, Shankar said that he hoped this centre began as a place of peace, eventually becoming a place where people could find happiness.
“Intelligent people spend their time amidst poetry, music and humour; there are still those, however, who spend their life bickering and fighting. This centre will strive to change that. People can come to this centre with all their problems, and they will leave with a big smile on their faces.”
The foundation plans hiring 50 teachers, all of whom will be sent abroad for training, to impart various alternative therapies to the people of Karachi.
“It will be a place for well-being; people can come here to cure depression, blood-pressure and many other ailments through breathing exercises. Here, we will instruct people how to stop worrying and live the life to the fullest.” On his arrival in Pakistan, Shankar had said: “By taking away the complications associated with governmental policies and political pressures, Aman Ki Asha is not only working to clear these misunderstandings, but is also achieving political and regional reformation between the peoples of these countries.”
Pakistan now has three Art of Living centres: one in Islamabad, another in Lahore and the third in Karachi. The Art of Living foundation operates globally in 151 countries. It works in communities through diverse humanitarian projects, including conflict resolution, disaster relief, sustainable rural development, empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all and environmental sustainability. It also has one of the largest volunteer bases of any non-profit in the world.
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