Suttur: The early morning winter chill did not deter more than 2,000 people including women and children to gather at this picturesque free residential school in Suttur Sri Kshetra at Nanjangud to learn yoga asanas from the internationally renowned Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev.

Inaugurating the three-day Yoga Chikitsa and Meditation Shivir organised by the Patanjali Group of Institutions, this morning at 4.45, Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji said that Suttur Mutt is known for its spiritual, religious and educational focus and service.

“When Baba Ramdev was here during the Suttur Jathra early this year, he had promised to hold a special yoga camp for the school children of Suttur and also others who were willing to participate. He conducts the workshop every year in Haridwar and this is the first time that Baba is holding it in Suttur,” he said.

Lauding the Yoga Guru for his achievements in promoting yoga internationally, the Swamiji said that he has blended the Indian culture and health seamlessly. “His Ayurveda medicines have become very popular all over the world,” he said.

Baba Ramdev, who will turn 52 on Dec. 25 and runs a Rs.5,000 crore business empire, in his address in Hindi said that Suttur Mutt was known for its contribution in the education field and in dharmic traditions. “Suttur Kshetra has grown and is now known internationally,” he said.

Dwelling on the health benefits of yoga, Baba said that yoga is practised all over the world as people have come to realise the benefits on their health. “If everyone practises yoga for an hour then the country will become a healthy society. It will help one turn spiritual and face the problems in a calm state of mind,” he said.

Later, he began demo of yoga asanas and beginning with Surya Namaskar, he performed yogic jogging, Mandukasana, Vakrasana, Mayurasana, Padmasana, his most popular Nauli Kriya (abdominal massage), Kapali Bati and a few other asanas for nearly two hours.

Nearly 1,200 delegates from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Goa will be participating in the three-day Shivir along with 4,000 students from the Suttur Residential School.

Today, the school children performed the acrobatic Mallakhamb which drew loud applause from the people gathered and Baba Ramdev was all praise for their skills and prowess.

There will be closed-door activities including meditation, spiritual and Swadeshi Jagran camps throughout the day. The delegates had turned up in whites and only Satvic food is served.

Tight security arrangements  were in place and no one was allowed near the Yoga Guru as gun-toting security had cordoned off the area. Baba’s devotees from Mysuru presented him a portrait of Mysore Palace.

Baba presented Patanjali products to a few kids and  beads to the remaining children.