There will remain those, though, who will remain in opposition to this massive endeavour for world peace with an aim not to improve, but to scuttle the project. But for the rest of us, a cultural and spiritual event of this significance and scale is a feast for the mind and soul, say Sankrant Sanu.
The Art of Living foundation will hold a three-day World Culture Festival in New Delhi (March 11-13), a mega event celebrating the foundation's 35 years. It hopes to bring together 3.5 million global citizens
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shares the stage with spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and other world dignitaries at the World Cultural Festival.
Seen as one-of-its-kind event, the festival offers a platform for spiritual and religious leaders, politicians, business leaders, peacemakers and artists to spread the message of global peace and harmony in diversity.
Based on his '12 years of Yamuna activism', he hit out at people 'who believe' that the river can be revived by 'keeping it untouchable'.
Uttam Ghosh On the controversy surrounding Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival.
The Art of Living is all set to host The World Culture Festival on July 2 and 3 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin to celebrate its 30 years of service.
According to reports, the MHA is worried about a stampede-like situation at the event as there is 'no evacuation plan' in case of an emergency.
'Delhi's river has once more been thrown under the bus, by a happy godman backed by a godman-happy government,' says Mitali Saran.
Gangs from across the country targeted visitors at three-day World Culture Festival in the New Delhi amid high security and made away with valuable articles like laptops, jewellery and cash, leading to at least 70 FIRs and the police apprehending about 30 persons.
Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra had written a letter to the defence ministry requesting the army to build an additional pontoon bridge, which he said was "imperative" for safer movement of people while crossing the Yamuna to attend the 'World Culture Festival'.
The 'World Culture Festival' extravaganza organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living on Yamuna has "completely destroyed" the riverbed, an expert committee has told by the National Green Tribunal.
'The size or economic potential of no event can be a valid excuse to break the law of the land.'
Demanding a fresh probe by an "unbiased" panel, AOL lawyer Kedar Desai and environment expert Prabhakar Rao told a press conference in Noida that "no damage" was caused to the environment due to the event held in March.
The stage for the VVIPs also did not have the mandatory structural certificate, following which police communicated the matter to the ministry of urban development.
Admitting that a large scale event as World Cultural Festival organised by the Art of Living foundation could have an impact on the environment, Minister of State for Tourism Mahesh Sharma on Friday said that a solution can always be procured if such a problem crops up.
The NGT, however, refused to impose any further environment compensation on the AoL.
The expert panel has suggested that there would be two components of rehabilitation plan -- physical and biological, and they would cost Rs 28.73 crore and Rs l3.29 crore respectively, besides additional ancillary expenses.
The tribunal also refused to give an urgent hearing on a fresh plea seeking stay on the three-day event on the banks of river Yamuna from Friday, alleging that AOL has not taken permissions from the competent authority as directed by the tribunal.
'Why did they not raise their voice against the pollution in the Yamuna earlier?' 'Why were they quiet for so long against construction and encroachment on the flood plains.'
'When you go to the root cause of any strife or violence, you find an agitated mind. If this agitation is not dealt with, then any other solution will be temporary and not as effective.' 'This is where meditation and the breathing techniques play a crucial role in creating a crime-free, violence-free society.'
It refuted the allegations that its three-day mega event had damaged Yamuna floodplains and hinted that it may approach the Supreme Court against the NGT's order which asked it to pay Rs 5 crore as compensation.
The Art of Living Foundation chose to hold the World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplains in spite of being aware of the environmental, legal consequences, letters exchanged between it and the Delhi Development Authority show.
The Art of Living case will go down as a test for environment activism in the country, notes M Rajaque Rahman.
The observations came after advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for petitioner Manoj Misra, informed the bench about Ravi Shankar's recent statement blaming the government and the NGT for permitting his NGO to hold the World Culture Festival on the floodplains of river Yamuna.
The water resources ministry told the NGT panel it has not granted permission for 'World Cultural Festival' being organised by Art of Living foundation.
The tribunal said the AOL has been engaging in multiple litigations in order to not pay the fine.
The green tribunal has diminished itself in growling when it needed to bite at the Art of Living show
Major arterial roads in south and east Delhi are expected to witness severe traffic snarls for the next three days in view of the 'World Culture Festival', events hosted by the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, and more than 20,000 weddings scheduled in the city on Friday.
The stage is now set for the controversial three-day cultural event opening on Friday on the Yamuna flood plains even as Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar struck a defiant note that he will not pay Rs 5 crore fine imposed by Green Tribunal and would rather go to jail.
Many senior officers believe the chief should have taken a stronger stand against using army resources to help what one officer calls "a government-friendly godman".
Ravi Shankar mulls taking his products, available at 600 outlets, to 2,500 stores by 2017; others have plans, too.
Army gave three good reasons why it could not build the bridges for Ravi Shankar's event. Defence ministry overruled the army's objections, reveals Ajai Shukla.
Despite the presence of mosquitoes and reeking fields, workers continue to give shape to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's event where 3.5 million people are expected to convene.
The foundations of the army's own peculiar secularism are potentially being destabilised
In an attempt to corner the Centre, the Opposition raised the issue of the Indian Army's involvement in the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living event.
'Does the government help ordinary citizens like you and me with our marriages, birthdays and anniversaries?' Rashme Sehgal reports on the controversy over the the Art Of Living Foundation's plans for a cultural festival on the Yamuna floodplains.
He claimed that his foundation has already received invitation from Australia, Mexico and other nations for holding the next edition of the event.
Congress on Sunday expressed surprise over the Modi government's "inability" to rein in affiliates of Sangh Parivar "brewing communal hatred and mistrust" for electoral gains.
Yoga, wellness, meditation, Ayurveda, software and ... toothpaste - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has successfully merged business with spirituality
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