Guruji and Arunji

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In India, the relationship between a ‘Guru’ (Teacher) and his ‘Sishya’ (Pupil) is a very unique one where the Guru leads his pupil from darkness towards light. When the seeker of knowledge meets his master and the master recognizes the sincerity in the pupil, it is the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship between the Guru and the Sishya.

It is never easy for a pupil to talk about his relationship with his guru. Sri Arun says, “It is not easy for me to compress in a few sentences my relationship with Guruji. As Guruji himself says, it is the duty of a pupil to see the best in his master, and try to gain maximum knowledge. I can only say that I have tried my best to follow the path shown by Guruji”.

So, how did he meet Guruji?

It’s a trip down memory lane with him as he recollects incidents leading to his meeting with Guruji and life thereafter. He started learning Yoga from late Sri. Janakiraman in 1974, who was a source of great inspiration to him. Intense and grueling practice of Kundalini Yoga gradually helped him in overcoming his health problems at the end of three months. He accompanied Sri. Janakiraman in his lecture-demonstrations. Soon, at the request of the institute’s management, he started teaching Yoga in the year 1976, which marked the beginning of his life as a Yoga teacher. At the end of a yoga demonstration session at an institution, one of the organizers gave him a copy of Sri B.K.S.Iyengar‘s “Light On Yoga”. He says, “When I saw the photographs in the book, I was highly impressed with the perfection in the postures and felt strongly compelled to learn”. Fortunately one of Guruji’s senior students Late Sri Ajith Kumar, from Rashtrotthana Shareerika Siksha Kendra, recognized his interest and initiated him into Iyengar Yoga.

He met Guruji at that institution in 1978, then he went to Pune for the first time in 1979 where he met Sri Prashantji and Gitaji.When Guruji came for inaugural function of Prashant Yogashraya in 1985 and suggested him to attend four weeks intensive classes held at Pune RIMYI. He was lucky and blessed to attend to attend such four intensive classes at Pune, which are usually conducted for senior foreign students.