Miscellaneous Facebook posts & comments in June & July 2021

When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer).

To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers will have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link.

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“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.”

― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/943780-within-you-there-is-a-stillness-and-a-sanctuary-to gives the book having the quote as Siddhartha.

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Shared a post: https://www.facebook.com/gaya.spiga.9/posts/1243015492818395 which has a pic with these sentences: "Truth does not mind being questioned" .. "A lie does not like being challenged".

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On non-public post of Shri Venkitachalam Iyer:  https://www.facebook.com/venkitachalam.iyer.948/posts/297505461726211 , I saw a comment dated 25th April 2021 which said, "So sad to hear you left this earth today.May Swami be with You .A jewel you were serving in Sai mission throughout.SAIRAM." I responded to the comment: "I am so sorry to come to know of uncle's passing away. Thanks for your comment on 28th July 2021 as that is how I came to know of it. Prayers to Bhagavan for his soul. Jai Sai Ram!"

I also confirmed from another source that Shri Venkitachalam Iyer did pass away.

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Inspiring to see this video again. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba explains very well the power of faith and of Namasmarana (chanting of Lord's name), to help us go through life in this Kali Yuga.

Sathya Sai Baba's Discourse on Faith and Namasmarana, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuMOUEvNuww , 4 min. 6 secs.

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Shared post: https://www.facebook.com/OldMandirPuttaparthi/posts/1652695724920419 - Hari bhajana bina suka shanthi nahi song......as composed and sung by Pandit Kalyan Chowdary  https://soundcloud.com/yachendra/hari-bhajan-bina-sukh-shanthi-nahi

On the above post, I commented: Thank you so much for sharing the history of this wonderful song!

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Hmm. Mark Twain really had a way of putting it across. I loved this one.

Shared post: https://www.facebook.com/poets01/photos/a.102296028635339/162934639238144/ - “Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it.”

— Mark Twain

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Small Girl Bonam at Secunderabade | Secunderabad Bonalu 2021 | Bonalu 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VArzCa_mkbk , 19 seconds.

These are the awesome Hindu traditions of India which, IMHO, have kept Hinduism and faith in God very strong in India, across millennia.

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Mayadari Maisamma Dj Video Song | Disco Recording Company | Rakesh Bonam special Songs | DRC, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0LtluR4ZM8 , 3 min. 2 secs, published on 17th July 2017.

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Bonalu festival seems to be in full swing in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

I saw this live video for some time - Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu 2021 LIVE | Secunderabad - TV9 Digital, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvVrGbk8HJs 

Awesome to see the devotion of people in this festival.

...

Talasani Srinivas Yadav | Secunderabad Bonalu 2021 | Jogini Shyamala Bonam | Jyothi Akka Bonalu 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJc-GX74rKI, 7 min. 19 secs.

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Secunderabad Bonalu 2021 | T. Padma Rao Goud Daughter Offers Bonam at Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1WcQVfnSqs, 1 min. 20 secs.

The lady offering Bonam, as per video title, is the daughter of 2nd deputy speaker of Telangana, Shri T. Padma Rao Goud, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Padma_Rao_Goud .

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Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu! [May all the worlds be happy!]

Shared post: https://www.facebook.com/gayathri.sai.391/posts/2976691725926221 - Prayer is a very powerful weapon. In critical times, every one of you should pray deeply and sincerely for the peace and prosperity of the Universe. - Baba

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My Telugu is not good enough to properly understand the controversy regarding recent Bonalu song of Mangli, which is a devotional song (sung and danced in what seems to me to be a non-traditional way).

But what seems to have happened is that based on criticism of some word(s) used in the song as inappropriate for a (Hindu) devotional song, including a case being filed in a court of law, the song's words were changed (and the case was withdrawn after that). The earlier song seems to have been withdrawn and the modified song released.

This video shows one key person's criticism on, I think, the earlier (now-withdrawn) song: Mangli Bonalu Song 2021 | మంగ్లీ బోనాల పాట పై విరుచుకుపడిన కిరణ్మయి | Kiranmai Warning's | Tg5 News, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf5kkd640fQ , 2 min. 57 secs.

What seems to be the modified Mangli song that was re-released: Bonalu Song 2021 || Mangli || Full Song || Ramaswamy || Dhee Pandu || Chicha Charles || Damu Reddy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAzt56Jig0 , 4 min. 26 secs.

A debate on the song having some of the key people involved in the matter: మంగ్లీ పాట వేడుకోలా? వెక్కిరింతా? | Mangli Bonalu Song Controversy | Flash Point - TV9, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F8eASBL__0 , 35 min. 27 secs.

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Guru and The Spiritual Path - AGA with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar | Guru Purnima Special, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiCkSP28GBQ , 21 min. 20 secs. , published today

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Celebrate Guru Purnima | Be in Sadhguru's Presence | 23 July 2021 | Join Live At 7 PM IST, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oCgBB8BuLk , 1 hr. 43 mins.

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Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/gayathri.sai.391/posts/2975862442675816 - Guru Poornima Day, we express our gratitude and love to our Guru and God, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

May guru’s blessings always shower on you. Wish you a very Happy Guru Purnima.

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Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/poon.ratnam/posts/2246703425466729 - Holy Gurupoornima to all🙏🙏🙏

My Guru, My Guide, and My God 💖  (post has video)

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My comment: Thank you sir.

on post: https://www.facebook.com/SreedharReddyYSRCP/posts/4346841642040549 about "Application letter along with full report to the minister to develop the famous spiritual center Puttaparthi as a more tourist center through PRASAD SCHEME"

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So well said! It is mighty hard to conquer oneself 😀!

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3175857602630795

In response to comment, I wrote (slightly edited):

Thanks --name-snipped-- for sharing a very relevant quote from the Bible. I did not know of this Biblical quote.

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Better a patient person than a warrior,

one with self-control than one who takes a city. - NIV version of Proverbs 16: 32, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A32&version=NIV

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He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city - KJV version of Proverbs 16: 32, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A32&version=KJV

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Just wanted to check from other sources whether this quote has been correctly attributed to Lao Tzu. Goodreads confirms it as from Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/206693-he-who-conquers-others-is-strong-he-who-conquers-himself

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brainyquote too confirms it - https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_383760

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It takes sheer guts and/or submission to will of God, to continue to pray while rockets are landing and exploding nearby. May Allah grant peace to all Muslims of Afghanistan.

31 second video linked in Afghan news agency tweet: "Video by national TV shows the moment rockets landed near the Presidential Palace during Eid prayers this morning.", 

https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/1417339614222766091 , 20th July 2021.

Both sides in the civil war in Afghanistan seem to be devoted to Allah. It is tragic that they have to resolve their differences via a horrific civil war. My prayers to Almighty God that the devoted Muslims of Afghanistan find a way to live in peace amongst themselves, with tolerance for different interpretations of Islam amongst them.

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Video is around a minute

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/southparishkmm/posts/3597092993849859 - * Pope Francis Jagadguru thanking the hospital doctors and giving blessings to the patients there after his surgery was successful *

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Interesting!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali... has some more info. including the key verse:

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥

yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ

— Yoga Sutras 1.2

with one translation being "Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)"

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3171130303103525 (is on Yoga Sutra)

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Very interesting! After having experienced myself, some rather horrific but non-violent abuses of power by power mongers, and then reading quite extensively on violent and non-violent abuse of power in our times and, in the past, I think that power, especially power that has no accountability, is one of the most corrupting things in life. 

It sometimes, perhaps many times, transforms a decent man into a manipulative and ruthless power monger who can go to any extent to stay in power, and who gets somewhat locked in into a tight circle of sycophants who never have the guts to tell him when he is going badly wrong. Such men in power live in an alternate reality world where they can do no wrong, and only the rest of the world does wrong. It is absolutely terrifying to see how power can so badly mess up the minds and lives of some such men, which in turn can cause terrible misery to those who have to live under the power of such men.

So I now have very good appreciation of this very wise statement attributed to Plato. To be more precise, I would say that one of the measures, and a very important measure, of a man is what he does with power!

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishLiterature11/posts/366726428153707 - “The measure of a man is what he does with power.’’

— Plato

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Mayapur Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piLqC6jEJOc, around 1 hr.

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Video is around 2 minutes. Jai Jagannath!

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/himantabiswasarma/posts/10158630383523983

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Perhaps if Ramana Maharshi were in physical body in our times now, he would say married man or married woman.

I am certain that married women can realize the self, though family life may raise challenges in terms of time for contemplation/meditation and also for detachment (vairagya) (for both married men and women).

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/RamanaMaharshi/posts/10159184692739631 has following Q & A:

Q.: Is celibacy then not indispensable? Can a married man realize the Self?

M.: Certainly, it is a matter of fitness of mind. Married or unmarried, a man can realise the Self, because that is here and now.  ~ Talk 17.

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My meditation approach is different but it was interesting to see this video of spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar: The 7 Chakras A complete guide & meditation World Meditates with Sri Ravishankar Guruji, (in English & Hindi) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOKDOgFkBtg , 47 min. 38 secs.

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Very well said, IMHO!

Shared post: https://www.facebook.com/poets01/posts/148168710714737 - “Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.’’

— Friedrich Nietzsche

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Interesting view! Perhaps that's why some say: Ignorance is bliss! 🤪

Shared post: https://www.facebook.com/poets01/photos/a.102296028635339/146227214242220/ - “If a man knows more than others, he becomes lonely.”

— Carl Jung

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Lovely quote/tweet of Pope Francis: "Charity is the beating heart of the Christian: just as one cannot live without a heartbeat, so one cannot be a Christian without charity.", https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/1408386992384229387, 25th Jun. 2021.

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The video says it shows the path to, and the holy shrine of, Mata Vaishno Devi with the famous 'Tune mujhe bulaya sheriwaliye' Hindi song playing in the background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w59XdxHme3I, 6 min. 45 secs.

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Body is within self (or projected by the self) and not self within the body! I believe it to be true but I have not had any mystical experiences (like an out of body experience) to ***know*** it to be true. Thus, as of now at least, it (body being projected by self or being within self) is only a matter of belief for me.

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/RamanaMaharshi/posts/10159155594229631

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Laudable achievement of Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini team and Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust which supports it: https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/sri-sathya-sai-vidya-vahini-program-improviing-teaching-methodologies-using-technology .

The intro section of the UN article states: "In addition to providing the highest quality free education, the Founder, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, also wanted to ensure that teachers everywhere were adequately empowered with teaching methodologies using the latest technological advances to enhance the learning outcomes desired. In furthering these ideals, the Trust developed an innovative program that augments learning outcomes across all critical domains that comprise effective learning, by empowering rural teachers with three key components required for the highest level of effective teaching: Content, Training and Teaching Aids. The program is called the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini program (“Vidya Vahini”)."

I think it is great that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's name and one of his key visions of free education of high quality, are mentioned in this context in this UN Sustainable Development Goals website.

Congratulations to Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini team on this great achievement of having Bhagavan's name and education mission mentioned in UN SDG website.

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One of the great things of Ramana Maharshi, from my perspective at least, is the 'tell it like it is' honesty that shines through in the answers that he gave to questions.

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/RamanaMaharshi/posts/10159145199879631 - has the following Q & A:

Q.: Have you seen Shiva, Nandi and Kailas?

M.: No, never. But the Self I see every moment.

~ Ramana Smriti, Pg. 211, 14.

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What I think is that many founders of Hindu spiritual ashrams in India are very frugal in their initial days though Bhagavan Ramana seems to have maintained that frugality throughout. From a traditional Hindu path spiritual aspirant point of view, I think frugality is a very, very important virtue. 

Once moneyed people who flaunt and use their money power to get special treatment (I am not including all moneyed people), get into the ashram system, I think the great power that money has to corrupt and dilute an ashram system, has its sad effects which then become very, very difficult to reverse.

So this post about Bhagavan Ramana's frugality is wonderful and inspiring for me. I think Bhagavan Ramana continued to be frugal throughout his life. That is a great achievement I think, as he surely could have led a more luxurious life as he become famous.

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/RamanaMaharshi/posts/10159143779379631

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My rough translation of the Marathi in the pic to English (there may be some mistakes): Getting the company of saints is a matter of great good fortune. Loving God (falling into love with God) or God's name always coming on our lips, this is what we have to acquire by staying in the company of saints. - Sri Maharaj.

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Note that the quote is attributed to Sri Gondavalekar Maharaj (also known as Brahmachaitanya), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmachaitanya , who is well known in Maharashtra.

https://www.facebook.com/amit.joshi.509/posts/4321911444526434

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In response to comment on above FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3150317178518171, I wrote: Shukriya sir! ... Maharashtra hi santancha bhumi aahe! Gondavlekar Maharajancha vakya mala translate karaychi avasar melaali, he majha bhagya aahe!

In response to another comment, I wrote: Thank you sir for confirming the translation.

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On https://www.facebook.com/alienmksai/posts/4203125636393574 I wrote: Sairam sir, your post does not have Share button. I would have liked to share this. Could you consider changes in your settings so that public posts of yours like the above can be shared?

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In response to comment-response, I wrote (slightly edited): I just browsed for the matter. Facebook help pages seem to say that if the post is public then the share button will be available! But your post is public yet the share button is not seen! I had presumed that there was some setting where you had disabled ability for others to share. I think I was under the wrong impression. ... To conclude, I don't know what the issue is. As per my understanding of Facebook help, any public FB post should show share button.

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I was able to share this post by sharing the link of the post - a more complicated way. But that's a workaround. If you did not understand what I said perhaps watching this video will help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g4APNZLXC4 , 3 min. 10 secs.

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Very good initiative.

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ssssomg/posts/1694616164073526 - ... SaiRam

By the Sheer Grace and Divine Will of Bhagwan , a total of 208 devotees were vaccinated today at Sushruth Hospital,  Chembur. More than 80% were in the age group of 18-44yrs. Despite all the odds and heavy rains lashing  90% of the registered got vaccinated. Our thanks to hospital staff for their cooperation. 

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Very interesting quote! It indicates that a person who gets established in the 'Self' (Atma) will not be affected by bodily pain. Given the many limitations that the human body has, with bodily pain being a common source of suffering to all humans, I think, at some point or the other (e.g. toothache), I think it would be a significant achievement for a person to be so established in the 'Self' that he/she is above pain.

Sadhguru Vasudev has claimed in a book that I read of his, that he was able to chat normally with a doctor while the doctor was making multiple stitches to a wound that he (Sadhguru Vasudev) had, without anesthesia (as the doctor did not have anesthesia with him then). I think Sadhguru Vasudev was able to rise above the pain due to his mystic prowess.

So I think some mystics do achieve such states/such prowess. I think that is a great triumph that these mystics achieve over the limitations of the human body.

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/RamanaMaharshi/posts/10159115644219631 - Sri Ramana Maharshi

Pain and pleasure are to the ego, which is itself imagined. When the ego disappears through a constant enquiry into its nature, the illusion of pleasure and pain also disappears, and the Self alone remains. ~ Face to Face, 37.

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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3141466392736583 shares another post: https://www.facebook.com/raja.chowdary.180/posts/1922894687860083 which has a pic of Puttaparthi town.

In response to a comment, I wrote (slightly edited): Rapid growth like some settler town in USA's frontier days 😀e.g. Oklahoma city after land run of 1889! Of course, there are some differences. But I think there are many similarities as well.

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https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php... : "Oklahoma City sprang into existence on April 22, 1889, when approximately fifty thousand participants of the Land Run of 1889 claimed town lots and quarter sections in the area known as the Unassigned Lands. On that date an estimated four to six thousand settlers came to Oklahoma Station (later Oklahoma City) to establish homes and businesses."

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I should add that the buildings shown in the pic are almost all, if not all, in outside ashram Puttaparthi. The building I live in (a six storey one), and from where I am currently typing in this comment, is also shown in it. The dark green patch in the lower side of the pic are the trees and other greenery of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) owned area just behind Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's parents' samadhi.

But, I repeat, almost all, if not all, of the buildings shown in the pic are in outside ashram Puttaparthi. In other words, they have been developed by private enterprise. Outside ashram Puttaparthi life has this mix of SSSCT provided vital free services (e.g. medical services and vital assistance provided to municipal water supply services), municipal and state government provided services (usually for some reasonable/low charge) and private enterprise (usually medium to high charges with apartment flats falling in the high charges category).

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In Telugu, 1 min. 18 secs, about appreciation and donation for Auto Driven Hussain who is doing a great service to Puttaparthi public by offering free auto service to COVID patients to COVID care centers/hospital.

Shared FB post: https://www.facebook.com/raja.chowdary.180/posts/1921980987951453

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On FB post: https://www.facebook.com/saidurgesh.sunny/posts/316909219923679 , I commented: This is shocking! May Bhagavan shower His Grace on brother Prasanna Naik's soul. I have great respect for him as a disciplined Sai worker and as a helpful official of SBI, Puttaparthi.

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Seems to be quite an impressive achievement: Yoga, ayurveda and strict protocols: How 3,000 volunteers at Isha ashram fought Covid-19, https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/yoga-ayurveda-and-strict-protocols-how-3-000-volunteers-at-isha-ashram-fought-covid-19-1809335-2021-06-01 , 1st June 2021.

"As the western region of Tamil Nadu experiences a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Isha Yoga Centre located in Coimbatore with over 3,000 volunteers has remained untouched. The volunteers reveal their mantra of success."

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