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This is the first person account of Acharya Balkrishna of Patanjali Ayurved
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The tragedy of the Nepal earthquake was witnessed by many pilgrims and tourists who were visiting the historic sites of the country. Swami Ramdevji and I were also destined to see this fearful calamity. Fortunately Swamiji and I miraculously escaped. On the fateful day of April 25, there were discussions on meditation, discipline, and stability in the midst of life’s highs and lows (in the yoga camp). Approximately 4,000-5,000 people took part.
When the earthquake stuck, the programme had just ended and I saw Swamiji and others holding on to a tree. We could not keep our feet on the ground. I saw the Bal Mandir (a well-known ancient temple of Kathmandu) half fallen. If the programme had ended even 10 minutes earlier, many people would have gone to the dining hall and they would also have lost their lives as the building had also collapsed. Everything seemed like a dream, or perhaps a nightmare. We were grateful to the Almighty that all attending our camp, our volunteers and we, were safe.
As evening came, frightened and injured people were coming to the Tundi playground, where for the last two days the yoga camp was being organised. Matting of almost 5 lakh square feet was spread there, for people to practice yoga. Now people gathered there for shelter. Assuming that it was reserved for them, people began to make shelter of that matting. When Swamiji realised this, he was glad that the matting could give the people temporary shelter. In the evening hundreds of our volunteers visited many places in Kathmandu and made arrangements for distribution of water, beaten paddy (chiwda), potato curry, fruits and biscuits.
At Patanjali, we began to make both short and long term plans. Acknowledging the needs of the people, Swamiji said that everyone should continue the relief activities even if the organisation had to stop other important work. First we spoke to Bharatji in Hardwar about the quickest way for relief material to reach us. After this, we talked to O.P. Shrivastava and Alakhji for the immediate arrangement of seven trucks of relief material consisting of three trucks of potable water and one truck each of fruit, potatoes, biscuits and tarpaulin.
A list of medicines was made by an expert team known to Patanjali doctors and medicine worth approximately Rs 1 crore was ordered immediately. Children orphaned by a calamity are terribly vulnerable. Swamiji announced that our organisation would adopt at least 500 orphaned children and provide them with quality education and higher education, accommodation, clothing and all necessities by Patanjali Yogpeeth. We request you to come forward in this tragedy to support the affected.
