Yoga for Health, Happiness and Liberation presented by Yogi Bharat Gajjar and Meeta Gajjar Parker (Part One)

My introduction to yoga was through Bharat Gajjar when he offered an evening class at the University of Delaware back in 1975/76.  As a student there at the time, I was intrigued by Bharat and his teaching of the Sivananda style of yoga.  Bharat was also a textile engineer with 20 patents in the US and abroad for the DuPont company, a prominent company in the chemical industry at the time.

He was also a family man and had two children with his wife Rupal, who was not only his wife but considered by Bharat’s teacher Swami Sivananda to be his guru as well.  His daughter Meeta continued his tradition of practicing and teaching yoga, and continues to do so at this time from her home base in Newark DE.

I am helping Meeta convert copies of a television program that Bharat and Meeta co-hosted on the local access channel of a cable television provider in the Wilmington DE area, which at one time was called Rollins Cablevision.  This began in the early 90’s just before Bharat retired from DuPont.

Bharat discussed the creation of his television program in his book “Yoga for Health Happiness and Liberation”.  During his morning meditation in front Master Swami Sivananda he received the message to go on television and spread the Master’s teachings.  Bharat overcame his misgivings about not being qualified to present such a show, and reached out to the local cable company (noted as Channel28) to discuss the show.  With support from a local Indian food vendor and the Sivananda Center, Bharat was able to launch his show.

The show was called “Yoga for Health, Happiness and Liberation”.  Bharat teaches in the Sivananda Tradition of Yoga that traces its lineage back to Swami Sivananda Saraswati (aka Master Swami Sivananda) of Rishikesh India.  Master Sivananda’s  emissary to America and the west was Guru H.H. Swami Vishnu Devananda Maharaj; Bharat states “everything I know about Yoga is through his grace”, and refers to him as “Swamiji”. Swamiji was Bharat’s guru as he developed his yoga practice.

Meeta says that there were approximately 275 shows presented through the cable affiliate.  We are presenting a number of them through this online upload to youtube, facebook, Instagram, and here on my blog I will feature some.  For the full playlist of programs converted so far, please follow this link:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDH5DRUE8aVFiW5KTZz6NPopDBw5NtWdf

References: Gajjar, Bharat. “Yoga for Health. Happiness and Liberation”. Publish America, 2007.

 Yoga for Health, Happiness and Liberation

To order this book contact Meeta Gajjar Parker through meetaparker@gmail.com

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace