YOGNAT celebrates 30 years of service to the community.
Three decades is a long time in the life of any institution and it is only the grace of the Guru Parampara that has enabled Yoganjali Natyalayam, popularly referred to as YOGNAT, to flourish with childlike enthusiasm and abundant exuberance over the past 30 years.
YOGNAT was conceived as the City Centre of ICYER at Ananda Ashram and established by our illustrious Guru Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri and Param Pujya Ammaji Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani on March 27, 1993. It has ever since functioned as the cultural wing of Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International), an International Organization founded in 1968 with centres all around the globe.
With the blessings of Param Pujya Swamiji who was hailed by many as the ‘Father of Scientific Yoga’, YOGNAT has brought national and international fame to Puducherry. The immense interest locally in Yoga, Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Music is largely due to the noble efforts of Swamiji and Ammaji over the last five and a half decades. YOGNAT is the continuation of the Sri Kambaliswamy Yoga and Fine Arts Programme for Youth started by Swamiji and Ammaji in 1975. Since then, more than 50,000 youth of Puducherry have received training in Yoga and the Fine Arts through the efforts of Swamiji, Ammaji and now Dr Ananda and the YOGNAT Team.
This flourishing centre of Classical Rishiculture Yoga, Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal Music with hundreds of active students and nearly 50,000 alumni is located in Central Pondicherry, behind the Main Bus Stand and next to the Arulmigu Vellanthangi Iyyanar Temple. It caters to the needs of the local populace through Yoga education and therapy programmes as well as providing special individual and personally-tailored lessons for passing tourists and those visiting Pondicherry on a short term basis.
YOGNAT has developed a world-famous troupe that appears regularly in prestigious festivals all over India and also stages spectacular Bharatanatyam and Yoga performances yearly in Puducherry. YOGNAT is the only institute in Puducherry that has presented more than 50 full-length and mini–Bharatanatyam Dance Dramas.
Param Pujya Ammaji as the Director brings six decades years of personal Sadhana and teaching experience into all activities, and is the guiding force behind every success. The brainchild of Ammaji, YOGNAT was founded to give Pondicherrians a chance to imbibe the wonderful Indian cultural arts of Yoga, Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Music in a modern Gurukula setting. Following Ammaji’s health challenges in the past two years, our beloved Chinna Ammaji Dhivya Priya Bhavanani is currently spearheading the youth activities as Deputy Director. Shakti Ma Yogacharini Devasena Bhavanani continues to support each and every member of the YOGNAT family with her motherly love and care that is much appreciated by every child and parent of the institution.
Yogathilagam C Shanmugam and Yogathilagam Lalitha Shanmugam are to be highly commended for their active service for the institution right since its inception. Their benevolent presence and loving guidance at all times has been a source of support and motivation to the whole YOGNAT family. We applaud their dedication and commitment to the Rishiculture Ashtanga, Gitananda Yoga Parampara.
At YOGNAT the emphasis is on the process and not just the outcomes. Hence through many learning situations such as regular classes, summer intensives, camps, competitions, group activities, performances, conferences, seminars, lecture demonstrations and excursions the students imbibe the greatness of these arts. Children are not forced into premature stage performances under the guise of Arangetrams and are allowed to blossom at their own pace. Emphasis is on the all-round, holistic personality development and blossoming into a noble human being rather than on results, prizes and performances. Health, positive attitudes, peace of mind, skilled, strong bodies, quest for excellence and perfection are qualities YOGNAT strives to inculcate.
YOGNAT conducts Summer Intensive Yoga and Bharatanatyam Courses every year in May that also features a 3 day Residential Camp at ICYER for selected students. This gives the children an opportunity to practise Yoga in a natural setting on the beach at sunrise and sunset as well as to enjoy the pleasure of a bonfire on the beach under the moonlight. Classes, games and group discussions help the children to learn about Yoga as a way of Life.
Yogachemmal G Dayanidy, Yogachemmal Dr Balaji, Yogachemmal Reena Joseph, Yogachemmal Kanimozhi Setishkumaran, I Krishnaveni, I Balasundari, S Vidyashankari and so many other star alumni continue to serve the institution with gratitude and devotion. They are our “life support system” at all times. They are the best role models for the young ones who find in YOGNAT a place where they have the chance to express their inner creative urges and at the same time, learn a unique discipline of body, emotions and mind.
We must not forget that YOGNAT also has an active Adult Yoga Education Programme for gents, college students, housewives and working women with more than a hundred adults registered at any time. Spectacular performances by the dynamic YOGNAT Shaktis are always valued on many cherished occasions.
YOGNAT follows the Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga tradition as propagated by Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj and the Kalakshetra Tradition of Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale as propagated by Natya Kalanidhi Padma Shri Adyar K. Lakshman in the Bharatanatyam training. Carnatic vocal music is taught in the tradition of Kalaimamani SrirengamThiru R. Ranganathan and his disciple Nada Yoga Shironmani Smt Jothirmayi Shastri continues to guide the musical development of all students as envisioned by our illustrious Sangeeta Guru.
Over the years YOGNAT has instituted various awards such as the Sangeetha Samrat Vijaya Bhaskar Awards for Excellence in Carnatic Music, Michel Danckwerts Yoga and Cultural Excellence Award to honour students for their dedication to Yoga and the fine arts. Nearly 600 students have received silver medals for completing at least five years of training.
With the blessings of our illustrious Gurus, we hope that we will have the courage, wisdom and ability to continue our service to the community through YOGNAT. May we all grow and glow through a “Life of Seva”.
