Second VPS Yogathon of 2005

Barely three months after the immensely successful first VPS Yogathon of 2005, the members of the Vrindavana Preservation Society produced a sequel Yogathon that was equally spectacular.It was held on the 21st of May. The free event featured a variety of Hatha Yoga instructors, some ‘neo’ Yoga practitioners, a slide show on VPS Tsunami relief efforts in South India. It ended with a session of chanting. Over 200 people attended the event.

Rajiv Ramaratnam opened the program with a brief introduction on VPS
and the Yogathon. He also presented a brief eulogy and held a moment of
silence for the late Chitra Parayath of Lokvani, his friend and mentor. The
morning session of the event featured a deluge of Yoga practitioners. 
Jay Gupta led a session on Sukshama yoga and Hatha yoga kriyas that he learned at the Vishwayatan Yogashram in India. Following this, John Calabria  presented a  Vinyasa yoga session of asanas. Next, Lauren Toolin led a session on Pranayama and Mudra, with assistance from Ann Ramsey and Amy Yanover.  Santosha then led an asana session of subtle body postures with internal focus.
 

After the attendees were energized by the numerous sessions of Hatha yoga,
 it was time for the neo or non-traditional forms of Yoga. These included a
 session of ‘Laughter Yoga’ and ‘Dance Yoga’. The power of laughter to
boost the immune system and cure diseases is well known. Thomas Varkai
of Laughter For Life conducted a session where the participants experienced
 the benefits of laughter, first hand. This event was a blast! Next the creative
Roger Mckeever and Tara Nieves presented a program ‘Kripalu Danskinetics and 100 Breaths of Joy!’  which was a combination of aerobics, dance, breathing and fun. Participants were led through a session of graceful dance that was excellently choreographed, extremely empowering and very relaxing. 
 

The participants then took a late lunch break and reconvened for a touching slide presentation presented by Nick Cavallo on Tsunami relief efforts by VPS members in South India. Keshav Shukla, Nick Cavallo and Cheta Guru, all members of VPS made a trip to South India earlier in the year to South India,. The focused on a village, Oyali Kuppam. This was a village neglected by the government and by bigger organizations but as badly devastated as any other. During the time the members visited, they did all they could to transform grief and despair into hope and faith. Working with Chennai resident and VPS member Venkat Dayanandan, and the Hope foundation, they organized a day with a free meal and presented sarees to women of the village. They also organized Kabaddi(an Indian game) for the male villagers and musical chairs for the women in an attempt to restore happiness. The villagers also witnessed a play performed by a nomadic group of actors, thanks to arrangements made by VPS members. VPS has spent almost $20000 on restoration efforts of Olayi Kuppam , its schools and medical facilities. The proceeds of this Yogathon will go towards more relief efforts. 
 

The event ended with a session of Bhakti Yoga that included traditional Vaisnava Song and Dance. Hats off to VPS for pulling off yet another successful event. In the wake of this event comes the third VPS Cricket Tournament, which will be held from the 18th of June through the 25th of July. For more information on VPS and VPS events, please visit www.vps-international.org.

 

VPS Annual Cricket Tournament

The Vrindavana Preservation Society will usher in this summer with its Third Annual Cricket Tournament, the most prestigious Cricket tournament in the New England area. This tournament has roused widespread interest in the New England area and has been covered in several newspapers and online magazines in its previous years. Last year, the highlights of the games were shown on Quincy Access TV. This year’s tournament promises to be bigger and better.
 

All matches will be played at the Joy Hanlon Fields on Mount Street in Quincy. The tournament will be spread across four weekends from June 18th through July 25th. (There will be no matches played on the 4th of July weekend.) Each team must have 11 players.
 

All matches will be limited to 12 overs until the quarterfinals. Each game will be played with a hard tennis ball. We will provide the balls and stumps. Participating Teams must bring their own bats and  other equipment. The entry fee is $108 per team. As VPS is a non-profit organization, the entry fee is 100% tax deductible.

Interested individuals and teams are encouraged to contact Nikhil Wadwa, Keshav Shukla or Rajiv Ramaratnam either by phone or email at as soon as possible to book your slot as the number of slots for participating teams is limited, and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Their numbers are listed below. We try to keep down the number of teams to focus on the quality of the tournament. Last year, Team UMass Lowell beat Team Baba in the finals to win the coveted championship trophy. Who will it be this time? May the best team win. There may also be women’s and children’s tournaments if there is adequate interest.

The venue is a picturesque ground overlooking a pristine beach and makes for an excellent picnic spot. Bring your friends and family to this fun filled event. Last year we had a carnival on the final day of the tournament. We expect to do the same this year.

Tournament Details
Deadline for team Enrollment: June 7th
Tournament Venue: Joy Hanlon Fields, Mound Street in Quincy
Entry Fee: $108 per team (100 % tax deductible.)
Lunch and beverages: Last year a few neighborhood restaurants provided food and beverages at the tournament for a nominal fee. We expect the same this year. Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited at the venue.
Tournament Dates: June 18th, 19th, 25th, 26th, July 9th 10th 16th 17th

 

For more information, please visit www.vps-international.org or contact:Nikhil Wadhwa by phone at 781-608-0879 or by email (nikpriya@hotmail.com),Keshav Shukla at 617-471-0129 or by email keshav@vps-international.org,Rajiv Ramaratnam by phone at 781-466-3325 or by email at RajivRamaratnam@yahoo.com

 

 

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