Shree Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara
Yoga and Moral Education Project

Dr.Veerendra Heggade’s dream, to mould the budding generation to become strong, well educated and cultured through imparting Yoga and Moral Education and other activities, has won the public admiration. This project, which sprouted in 1990 has spread its ramification beyond words.

Mobile Yoga Unit

Today Yoga science has got wide publicity and conformity throughout the length and breadth of the world. But the importance attached to it in India seems to be scanty. Dr.Heggade’s dream came into reality when he set to mobilize this dream through Mobile Yoga unit with an intention to reach the benefit of Yoga for all in the nook and corner of the state. Shanthivana Trust(R) world answer the call of seekers or any request made by the organized body to impart Yoga Science in no time by making arrangements to provide Yoga teachers. More than 150 camps were conducted in various parts of the state. It is noteworthy that in Bangalore legislates expressed their candid and best opinion for arranging two camps for them, they derived much benefit.

Besides this mobile unit with a view that children should get this education, our venerable Dr.Veerendra Heggade chalked out this five year project to put in to practice in the field of Education.

In this project 50 teachers in a year, for five years, are given training in Yoga and Moral Education. It is intended that after their training for 21 days in camp training in this field, pertaining to personality development through syllabus arranged; the teacher has to impact yoga school Yoga training and moral education as taught in the camp, in their respective school for minimum 199 students. This is the gist of the project,

There was commendable and good response from all quarters to the intention of Dr.D.Veerendra Heggade, the reversed. The training class commenced in 1991 for the first time. This five years projects was extended to eight years.

Next training by the co-operation of Zilla Panchayath’s Govt. and D.S.E.R.T. Total number of trained teachers in all campus is 1231.

After their training, they have to put into practice in their respective school. Regular education after 5th standard. In case there is short fall of students, education for the existing number of students will be kept up. In big schools all students are made toinvolve in Yoga practice, where they will find peace and solace. Every year more than 1 ½ lacs of students get Yoga training and its benefit in two districts. Special periods have been allotted to practice this yoga Education in Udupi and S.K as circular has been issued by Zilla Panchayath’s authorities, which enabled us to handle the classes smoothly.

Follow up and feed back: Reports of the schools performance and progress pertaining to Yoga are scrutinized.

Yoga anniversary: Inviting local important persons, Yoga anniversary iscelebrated in schools, where Yoga classes are conducted.

Yogotsava: Yoga festivals are arranged with an intention to bring about uniformity and conformity in Yoga education of schools where different teachers are training students in different schools. This festival is arranged at Taluk level by the co-operation of the public as well as contribution of Shirkshetra.

Educational Yoga conference:

 This programme is arranged at Dist.Level.Limited numbers of students are invited to participate in the activities for 3 days as determined already. Before the arrangements of this festival, local welcome committee is formed in order to keep up orderliness of the conference. Thousands of students participate in this conference to achieve uniformity in this Yoga education besides they learn value of life along with other valuable information. This is a great feast on their part as well as the public.

In the yester years this was conducted every year. At present one year Yogotsava and educational Yoga Conference are conducted in another.

The publication of value based books and competition

Competitions for teachers

Here all Yoga teachers involve in competition arranged by the cooperation of Ramakrishna  Ashrama, on the basis of value based books supplied by them.

In 2004-05 specially for teachers “Prathibha Karanji” ( The fountain of talent) will be conducted at Taluk and Dists. Level by the Trust.

Refresher camps for teachers

Every year trained Yoga teacher will have to attend camps for five days in which resourceful persons give the teachers training to refresh their knowledge.

Cultural training for teachers

Teachers, who are interested in the subject, are invited in order to give them special training in cultural activities by resources persons in folk dance, yakshagana etc., and also competitions will be conducted, to display their talents. This is a matter of pride for us to express that these teachers had excelled in the performance and bagged various prizes at Dist level competition for students.

Yoga classes where there is no yoga teacher

Arrangements of training in schools where there are no trained teachers. One day’s Yoga and moral education (camp) is conducted, as to the subject, various activities are undertaken in the camps and teachers of such schools are enthused to participate in this field

Interchange of Cultural programme

Students, from schools where yoga education is imparted, will display their talents in other schools through activities in which they are adept. This programme will provide room for students to express their talents in other schools.

Camps to be carried on by teachers

Experienced teachers trained in Shanthivana  Trust carry on Yoga and Asana camps in their localities. There are teachers in this institution who conducted more than 100 camps. Teachers of this institution are invited to conducts summer camps of Bharat sevadal and N.S.S. etc. in such places camps are conducted.

Competitions in yogasana

Recently this trust not only lends it hand to conduct yogasana  competitions arranged by education Dept. but also the fact, that specially well trained students won laurels in competition at Taluk, Dist. State and participated in national levels, is to be mentioned and recorded. The fact, that in 2005 Yogasana competition has been conducted at Dharmasthala by the co-operation of D.P.I. in which more than 550 students participated is noteworthy.

Personality Evolution camps for children

Trained teachers of this institution have conducted 10 days camps. These camps are conducted from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. attaching much importance to all round personality development along with activities which are supplementary to it.

State level activities
Yoga Sangama: (Yoga convention)

Every year Yoga sangama activities are conducted for 12 days in several cities with an intention that Yoga should reach to all classes of society by making the best use of vacation of the trained teachers. During this period one of the cities will be selected to be the centre to other colonies and suburb area, where Yoga camp is organized through which training in Pranayama and Yogasana’s is imparted. In the end all are brought under one umbrella where ceremony is celebrated with pomp and splendour. In several centers like Shimoga, Davangere, Mysore, Chikkamagalore, Dharawad, these activities have been conducted. During this period, personality evolution, special discourses, picnic for children, introduction of ‘Natural therapy’ for the public, activities are conducted, where more than 30,000 people got benefit of Yogasangama

Anchekuncha-Competition

Here artistic genius of children is made to express in postal card with brush, by drawing delectable and beautiful pictures. This competition is conducted at state level under four categories, namely, primary school, High school, College section and the public. This competition is being conducted for the last 6 years with a view to draw out the dormant state of artistic talents of children and the winners are duly honoured. 6444 numbers have participated in this competition for past 6 years. The fact, that one of such honoured pictures, which was enlarged in size, has been highly esteemed and has got its place in our President’s Bhavan at Delhi, is note worthy. Every year different subjects are given to artists, and collection of those cards will be completed at the end of December which will be judged by judges, later winners are honoured in the ceremony.

Soorya Namaskara yoga yajna: ( Yoga of the salutation sacrifice to the sun god)

This is a state level programme. Special training is given to students and the public in connection with the subject. This programme is conducted for 108 days daily 14 times, along with the recitation of the mystic words by which they are enthused to perform this Soorya Namaskara next ceremony is arranged where opportunity for group exhibition is given to display their performance and in the end certificates are given away in this programme. Once, if abybody is accustomed to the practice of this programmed, participating in it, participants would get inspiration for continuous practice, by which one can achieve sound health, mental equipoise, memory power, will power, knowledge, volition etc., which will bring about all round personality reconstruction. This yoga yajna programme has been conducted in various parts of the state namely in Hubballi, Davanagere, Mysore etc The fact more than one lacs participants actively participated, is a matter of pride.

Other activities

Every year children’s literary conference is conducted at Vivekananda Kendra Barkoor by the co-operation of Shanthivana Trust®. Data Sahithya conferences were successfully conducted by the co-operation of Hampi university. Karnataka music camps(conforming to shastras) were conducted by the co-operation of Mangalore Bharathiya Viday Bhavana and Sangeetha Parishath. Under the able guidance of Bhadragiri Achyutha Das, the revered “Harikatha” camp(workshop) has been conducted by our trust. By the cooperation of Rural development scheme ‘Bhajana training work shop’ has been conducted successfully for the last four years. A programme under taken by Mangalore Samskara Bharathi, under the title “Dharmasthala Varna Vybhava” ( “The glory of picturesque of Dharmasthala”) in which thousands of artists were brought together to exhibit their artistic genius by drawing beautiful pictures of delectable and lovely places of Dharmasthala. By the cooperation, Moodabide Ramanjaneya Vyayama Shala ( Trust) Yogasana competition was conducted at state level. By the cooperation of yoga teachers “Bhakthi Mala” ( the garland of devotional songs) cassette, consisting of patriotic songs and Singing of god was brought to light. ‘Bhakti Sourabha’ Book also released. All trained yoga teachers were invited to Kshethra where “Yoga inspiration conference” was conducted with pomp and splendour. Thus a good number of activities have been conducted in the name of “Shanthivana Trust” which is extending its scope.

In the practical approach of the project:

In the beginning of the scheme Shri Anantha Padmanabha Bhat, next Shri A.V.Shetty were secretaries. At present Shri B.Seetharama Tholpadithaya, as secretary of the Trust is guiding all affairs. Shri K.Raghavendra R. Pai was the Director of this project. Now Shashikanth Jain is working Director. Shri M.S.Nagaraja Rao is Dist. Yoga Resource person, Shri Ashoka Poojari as the organizer of Udupi Dist. Shri Narendra Kamath as organizer of South Canara were appointed as permanently by the Dept. of education who are rendering yeomen service at their best. Organizers have been appointed through the Education Dept. in all Taluks.

Shriguru Yoga Sangha

All the trained Yoga teachers formed an association called ‘Shriguru Yoga Sangha’ with service mindedness under the guidamce of Dr.D.Veerendra Heggade, which appointed officials to carry out all the activities of the trust at the hour of need at their best. A great deal of positive results have been achieved by the implementation of this project. Good results in schools, improvement in health, transformation in their behaviour, positive thinking augamentation of memory power and concentration, so also good achievement in teachers profession, association of the good, for the public, as result of this contract with the center of pilgrimage( Dharmasthala) etc., thus, have been witnessed by one and all if all these activities are extended through out the length and breadth of the state, by the cooperation of the govt, and the public, Dr.D.Veerendra Heggade’s dream to build up strong and cultured future generation in the days to come will be doubtlessly be materialized.