126 Year Old monk Sivananda Baba,the happiest and the oldest man in the World was felicitated in the City of Joy
By Bornali Biswas-Editor in Chief
The devotees of Sivananda Ashram have organised a grand Ceremony to felicitate the reverend 126 Year Old Padma Shree Swami Sivananda Baba,the happiest and the oldest man in the World, who has a philosophy of simple living and Yoga being the secret of his longevity. Sivananda Baba has exemplified the art of living in his successful long life which will show light like a pole star to not only the present but also to the future generations.
Citizens of Kolkata honoured and gathered together to seek the blessing of such a pious and simple soul. Minister for Agriculture of West Bengal Mr. Sovandeb Chattopadhyaya felicitated Swami Sivananda Baba on behalf of Government and People of Kolkata and West Bengal. Religious leaders of various faiths were present to greet and felicitate Swami Sivananda Baba and were surprised and impressed by the simple and natural living of this old monk.
Swami Suparnananda, Head of Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, Kolkata spoke on the life of Swami Sivananda. Senior monks from various branches of Ramakrishna Mission graced the occasion. People from all walks of life came to the Citizens’ Reception to honour as well as to have a glimpse of the world’s oldest and happiest living man and yogi.
Grand cultural program was organised in honour of Swami Sivananda Baba. Children and women performed various forms of yoga demonstration. Dancers and singers presented a medley of song and dance including a grand Odisi dance performance.
126-year-old yoga guru from Kashi,Swami Sivananda Baba was conferred Padam Shri at Durbar Hall, Rashtrapati Bhawan by our honorable President of India Ram Nath Kovind on 21st March 2022 for his contribution to the field of Yoga. After the announcement of his name, Swami Sivanand baba bowed down in front of the President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi making the entire hall moved by the gesture of respect and simplicity.
Looking remarkably unlined for his claimed 126 years, a Hindu monk says he is the oldest man to have ever lived and puts his longevity down to no oil or spices and daily yoga.
Swami Sivananda Baba was born on August 8, 1896, according to his passport. If true, his life would have spanned three centuries, but despite his apparent age he remains strong enough to perform yoga for hours at a time.
He is now applying to Guinness World Records to verify his claim. It currently lists Japan’s Jiroemon Kimura, who died in June 2013 aged 116 years and 54 days, as the oldest man to have ever lived.
India’s passport authorities confirmed Swami Sivananda’s age from a temple register, the only record many Indians even decades younger have of their date of birth.
However it would be extremely difficult to independently verify his age.
Sivananda, from the holy city of Varanasi, grew up in extreme poverty and chose to become a monk, saying he owed his age to “yoga, discipline, and celibacy”.
“I lead a simple and disciplined life. I eat very simply — only boiled food without oil or spices, rice and boiled daal (lentil stew) with a couple of green chillies,” Standing 1.58 metres (five feet two inches) tall, Swami Sivananda Baba sleeps on a mat on the floor and uses a wooden slab as a pillow.
“I avoid taking milk or fruits because I think these are fancy foods. In my childhood I slept many days on an empty stomach,” he said.
Swami Sivananda Baba said he had not previously come forward to claim the record because he did not seek publicity, but was eventually persuaded by his followers to apply.
The elderly man lost both parents before he was six and was given away by his relatives to a spiritual guru, whom he travelled with around India before settling in Varanasi.
Fit and without any medical complications, he lives independently and even travels alone on trains and flights.
Swami Sivananda Baba, who was born in colonial-era India without electricity, cars or telephones, says he is not enthused by new technology and prefers being on his own away from rich technology.
“Earlier people were happy with fewer things. Nowadays people are unhappy, unhealthy and have become dishonest, which pains me a lot,” he said.
“I just want people to be happy, healthy and peaceful.”
Swami Sivanand was born at Haripur village of Srihatta District(Sylhet ) in British India currently in Bangladesh in 1896. Swami Sivananda’s guru was the late Sadguru Omkarananda Goswami of Nabadwip in Nadia district of West Bengal.
Swami Sivananda Baba has followers from across India and in many European countries as well as in the USA. Sivanand Ashram has its headquarter at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Sivananda Ashram organises a lot of charitable programmes throughout the year in different places including in Puri, an iconic pilgrimage town in Odisha.
May your life’s journey be bestowed and accurate with divine health that leads to happiness forever and render your blessings on us ……….
News Mania Desk
Old Photo collected by Ashim Krishna Pyne
Photo Source : Event and Internet
