Swami Ramdev, India's most popular yoga guru, plans to set up a Yoga and Ayurvedic research centre in Houston, USA based on the model of Patanjali Yoga Peeth in Haridwar.
The proposed centre will be the first international centre based on the model of Pathanjali Yog Peeth in Haridwar, founded by Swami Ramdev 15 years ago.
Members of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust Houston, led by Swami Ramdev, sanctified a 94-acre ground in Rosenberg near Sugar Land last year for the proposed Yoga and Ayurvedic research centre.
During his stay in Houston, Swami Ramdev will conduct yoga sessions at the Safari Texas Ranch, with Patajali Yogpeeth members, sponsors and Yoga teachers.
Last year over 3000 people attended his camp in Houston. No camps are planned this year. People suffering from cancer and incurable ailments with utmost faith in Yoga and Pranayam will be able to meet him.
Swami Ramdev had recently acquired an isle in Scotland for two million pounds to set up a Yoga Wellness Retreat.
The Little Cumbrae Island, off the fishing town of Largs in Scotland, will also serve as the guru's base overseas, where his teachings of yoga as a means to cleanse the body and mind are gaining popularity.
The acquisition itself was carried out by a Scottish couple of Indian origin, Sam and Sunita Poddar, who saw recession and the resultant fall in property prices as an opportunity to expand the base of Patanjali Yogpeeth — the institution founded by Ramdev for scientific research and treatment in yog, spiritualism and ayurveda.
The island property inaugurated on September 27 with a ‘hawan' will be administered by the Patanjali Yogpeeth (UK) Trust.
"The island base is not about property as much as it is about spreading Indian values," Ramdev said/
"My aim is to turn this island into a peace haven," said Ramdev, who joins a handful of gurus to have set up international bases.
One of them was the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who shot to fame because of his association with The Beatles. He had shifted from Rishikesh to Vlodrop in Netherlands. Ramdev will not move in to Scotland just yet.
The conch-shaped island, spread over 1.25 sq km and home to a 13th century castle, was put on the block, according to a source familiar with the deal, by its previous owner due to developments related to the credit crunch. Local media reports on the buyout were rife with taunts on Ramdev's move to set up the health retreat and rechristen it.
