Impressed by the energy of the Indian prime minister, American president Obama plans of starting to do yoga
by Bogdan Radu
The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, left the American president Barrack Obama in awe during a work visit in the United States during october 2014.
At his 64 years of age, Modi was in a Hindu religious fasting for nine days, during which he only consumed hot water. During his visit to Washington he had a five days program packed with over 50 high-ranking meetings, visits and speeches, including a speech before the UN. Although he had not eaten for four days when he arrived in the United States Modi amazed Obama with his ingenuity and vigor.
On the second day of Modi’s visit to the US, the US president offered a dinner at the White House in honor of the Indian guest. The guests were entertained with an appetizer of avocado, goat cheese, peppers and Indian bread, then halibut fish in ginger and carrots sauce, along with saffron basmati rice and at dessert the enjoyed some mango creme brulee. Modi drank a glass of water.
According some officials who were present at this supper, Obama was very surprised that the Indian prime minister is going through the extremely busy schedule with nothing more than… warm water and yoga. While being a fervent Hindu, Narendra Modi is fasting two times a year, for nine days and he’s been doing this for forty years. He wrote on his blog that this practice is “a source of strength, power and inspiration for him”.
It’s interesting that the US media said no word about any of this. Most of the publications only wrote that the only interaction between the two officials regarding Modi’s fasting was the encouragement that the prime minister gave to the American president: “Please do not feel discomfortable in any way and enjoy your meal!”. The dozens of articles in the American press (having quite some entertaining titles, for example: Obama is feasting while Modi is fasting; At the White House supper, Modi who was fasting, is encouraging the hosts to “dig in” the dishes) say that there were some political conversation after the meal, which lasted for the whole duration of the work dinner.
Obama was criticized by some publications that he invited a man who was fasting to dinner, while other news reports say that the guest might have felt offended if he weren’t treated to a state dinner, as his predecessor.
But the Indian press wrote different things about this event. With titles such as Four days into fasting, prime minister Modi amazes Obama with his vigor, the Indian newspapers say that the American president was in awe upon seeing the ease with which the Indian leader made his visit in the USA. Moreover, some officials quoted by the Indian press say that Obama was interested in beginning to practice yoga himself.
His wife, Michelle Obama, is already practicing some yoga techniques; she even introduced this practice into the greatest holiday hosted by the White House – The Easter Egg Roll, wanting to transform the sedentary American lifestyle in a more active lifestyle. Since 2009, over 30.000 American families have practices yoga techniques within this event.
yogaesoteric
decembrie 2014
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