Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, on trial for breaking the terms of her house arrest, has told a court she committed no crime, her lawyer says.
She spoke after five days of evidence from prosecution witnesses.
The UN Security Council has renewed demands for all political prisoners to be freed and called on Burma's military rulers to open talks with Ms Suu Kyi.
She had been due for release on 27 May, but the charges she faces carry a maximum of five years in jail.
The authorities say she breached the conditions of her latest period of house arrest by allowing US national John Yettaw to stay in her home.
Observers say Burma's military rulers are using the charges as a pretext to keep her in jail during a general election scheduled for next year.
Rapid prosecution
In a press statement, the Security Council called for all political prisoners to be freed and to "create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue" with Ms Suu Kyi and other political groups.
"The members of the Security Council express their concern about the political impact of recent developments related to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," the statement said.
Ms Suu Kyi's lawyer, Nyan Win, said the presiding judge officially accepted the charges against her at the end of the prosecution case - which came much more rapidly than people had thought it would.
Prosecutors had been expected to call 22 witnesses, but the lawyer told the BBC's Burmese service that in the event far fewer had actually taken the stand.
He said the judge asked Ms Suu Kyi whether she was guilty, and she replied: "I have no guilt as I didn't commit any crime."
The trial, which is being held behind closed doors at Rangoon's Insein jail, is expected resume on Monday when her defence will present its case.
'Assassination dream'
Mr Yettaw, who swam across a lake to reach her house, is also on trial in Insein jail.
He is reported to have testified that he made the visit because he had dreamt that she was going to be assassinated.
Ms Suu Kyi's lawyers say she tried to send the man away but he refused to go.
He was then allowed to stay only because he said he was exhausted.
The ruling generals say the incident was a stunt designed to embarrass the government.
Foreign Minister Nyan Win was quoted as saying the incident had been fabricated by "internal and external anti-government elements" to "intensify international pressure" on the regime.
International condemnation
Ms Suu Kyi's trial opened on Monday behind closed doors.
Burma's ruling junta allowed some diplomats and journalists into the proceedings on Wednesday, only to bar them again the following day.
Governments and rights groups have condemned the trial - and diplomats have said they expect Ms Suu Kyi to be found guilty.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years.
The party she leads, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won the country's last general election in 1990 - but she was never allowed to take power.
The ruling generals have scheduled an election for next year - but have written a new constitution which carves out a major role for the military in any new government.
Friday, May 22, 2009
How Sri Lanka's military won
Few believed him when Sri Lanka's powerful defence secretary said he required three years to defeat the once invincible Tamil Tiger rebels.
When Gotabaya Rajapaksa made the assertion, the Tamil Tigers, or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam [LTTE], controlled nearly one third of the country, had a well-organised, ruthless fighting unit, sufficient stocks of heavy weapons, a small navy and a rudimentary air force.
They had no problems of fresh supplies as they had enough resources pouring in from their supporters abroad and through their commercial ventures.
Only a handful of military analysts believed that the rebels could be wiped out completely.
Today, Sri Lanka is among the few nations that can say it has successfully quelled a nearly three-decade insurgency by military means.
The entire rebel-held territory has been captured, huge caches of weapons have been recovered and destroyed, and the entire Tamil Tiger leadership is thought to have been wiped out.
So what led to the military success of a force that had been at the receiving end for many years?
'No ambiguity'
"So many factors have contributed to the success of the Sri Lankan forces. There was a clear aim and mandate from the political level to the official level and to the military level to destroy the LTTE at any cost. There was no ambiguity in that," Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the BBC.
When the current president, his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, came to power in 2005, he made it clear that he would go all out against the rebels if they were not sincere in peace talks.
Once the peace process failed, he gave the go ahead for the war to his brother and the hard line army commander Gen Sarath Fonseka.
A massive recruitment drive for the armed forces was launched (it increased from about 80,000 to more than 160,000). New weapons, including fighter jets, artillery guns and multi-barrel rocket launchers were bought from countries like China, Pakistan and Russia and new military strategies and tactics were evolved.
"That was the time when the international community was totally disappointed with the rebels because of their insincerity in peace talks. So countries like India and the US gave their tacit support for the all-out offensive against the LTTE," says Sri Lankan analyst DBS Jeyaraj.
Hostilities between the two sides broke out first in Eastern Province in August 2006. After months of intense battles, the government declared it had completely dislodged the rebels from the east.
One of the main reasons for the rebels' eastern debacle was the split in 2004 - when the Tigers' influential eastern commander, Col Karuna, broke away because of differences with the leadership.
"The LTTE could never recover from that. Thousands of fighters went away with Karuna and the LTTE could not recruit fresh cadres from the east, dealing a severe blow to their manpower. They struggled hard to replace fallen cadres in the subsequent northern battle," says Col R Hariharan, former chief of military intelligence of the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka from 1987 to 1990.
It was only a matter of time before the Sri Lankan military launched the second phase of its offensive to recapture the rebel strongholds in the north.
In the meantime, the Sri Lankan navy had also hunted and destroyed many Tamil Tiger supply ships in deep seas, dealing a crucial blow to the rebels.
Battlefield plans
The army also changed its tactics and became better able to cope with the kind of warfare waged by the guerrillas.
Small teams of commandoes were sent behind enemy lines to carry out attacks against rebel leaders and key defence lines.
The military also started to stretch them thin by opening up a number of fronts in the north.
The Tamil Tigers had no answer to the bombing missions by air force jets.
"The rebels never knew about the battlefield plans. We surprised them in many areas. For example, they didn't expect me to capture the strategically important town of Paranthan, near Kilinochchi, by outflanking them," Brig Shavendra Silva, commander of the Sri Lankan army's 58th division, told the BBC in a recent interview from the frontline.
The capture of Paranthan forced the rebels to withdraw from the strategically important Elephant Pass, a small land bridge that connects northern Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the country.
From Paranthan, Sri Lankan security forces battled their way into the Tamil Tiger de-facto capital of Kilinochchi.
The 58th division, which is credited with a series of military successes against the rebels, battled hard to forge ahead from Mannar up to Matalan beach on the eastern coast in Mullaitivu district.
"It was not an easy walk. But we went ahead with a huge momentum and kept our pace and there were clear-cut instructions and leadership from our superiors," Brig Silva said.
But many argue that the military's success has come at an enormous humanitarian cost.
The UN believes that nearly 7,000 civilians may have been killed and 13,000 injured in the conflict since January.
Aid agencies say around 275,000 people have been displaced.
A number of villages and towns have either been damaged or destroyed.
Both the military and the rebels are being accused of gross violations of international humanitarian law. The two sides deny the charges.
"The Sri Lankan military juggernaut cruised ahead despite mounting civilian casualties. The rebels thought the international community, especially neighbouring India, would intervene looking at the civilian suffering and bring about a ceasefire in the final stages. When that did not happen, they ran out of options," says Mr Jeyaraj.
When Gotabaya Rajapaksa made the assertion, the Tamil Tigers, or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam [LTTE], controlled nearly one third of the country, had a well-organised, ruthless fighting unit, sufficient stocks of heavy weapons, a small navy and a rudimentary air force.
They had no problems of fresh supplies as they had enough resources pouring in from their supporters abroad and through their commercial ventures.
Only a handful of military analysts believed that the rebels could be wiped out completely.
Today, Sri Lanka is among the few nations that can say it has successfully quelled a nearly three-decade insurgency by military means.
The entire rebel-held territory has been captured, huge caches of weapons have been recovered and destroyed, and the entire Tamil Tiger leadership is thought to have been wiped out.
So what led to the military success of a force that had been at the receiving end for many years?
'No ambiguity'
"So many factors have contributed to the success of the Sri Lankan forces. There was a clear aim and mandate from the political level to the official level and to the military level to destroy the LTTE at any cost. There was no ambiguity in that," Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the BBC.
When the current president, his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, came to power in 2005, he made it clear that he would go all out against the rebels if they were not sincere in peace talks.
Once the peace process failed, he gave the go ahead for the war to his brother and the hard line army commander Gen Sarath Fonseka.
A massive recruitment drive for the armed forces was launched (it increased from about 80,000 to more than 160,000). New weapons, including fighter jets, artillery guns and multi-barrel rocket launchers were bought from countries like China, Pakistan and Russia and new military strategies and tactics were evolved.
"That was the time when the international community was totally disappointed with the rebels because of their insincerity in peace talks. So countries like India and the US gave their tacit support for the all-out offensive against the LTTE," says Sri Lankan analyst DBS Jeyaraj.
Hostilities between the two sides broke out first in Eastern Province in August 2006. After months of intense battles, the government declared it had completely dislodged the rebels from the east.
One of the main reasons for the rebels' eastern debacle was the split in 2004 - when the Tigers' influential eastern commander, Col Karuna, broke away because of differences with the leadership.
"The LTTE could never recover from that. Thousands of fighters went away with Karuna and the LTTE could not recruit fresh cadres from the east, dealing a severe blow to their manpower. They struggled hard to replace fallen cadres in the subsequent northern battle," says Col R Hariharan, former chief of military intelligence of the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka from 1987 to 1990.
It was only a matter of time before the Sri Lankan military launched the second phase of its offensive to recapture the rebel strongholds in the north.
In the meantime, the Sri Lankan navy had also hunted and destroyed many Tamil Tiger supply ships in deep seas, dealing a crucial blow to the rebels.
Battlefield plans
The army also changed its tactics and became better able to cope with the kind of warfare waged by the guerrillas.
Small teams of commandoes were sent behind enemy lines to carry out attacks against rebel leaders and key defence lines.
The military also started to stretch them thin by opening up a number of fronts in the north.
The Tamil Tigers had no answer to the bombing missions by air force jets.
"The rebels never knew about the battlefield plans. We surprised them in many areas. For example, they didn't expect me to capture the strategically important town of Paranthan, near Kilinochchi, by outflanking them," Brig Shavendra Silva, commander of the Sri Lankan army's 58th division, told the BBC in a recent interview from the frontline.
The capture of Paranthan forced the rebels to withdraw from the strategically important Elephant Pass, a small land bridge that connects northern Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the country.
From Paranthan, Sri Lankan security forces battled their way into the Tamil Tiger de-facto capital of Kilinochchi.
The 58th division, which is credited with a series of military successes against the rebels, battled hard to forge ahead from Mannar up to Matalan beach on the eastern coast in Mullaitivu district.
"It was not an easy walk. But we went ahead with a huge momentum and kept our pace and there were clear-cut instructions and leadership from our superiors," Brig Silva said.
But many argue that the military's success has come at an enormous humanitarian cost.
The UN believes that nearly 7,000 civilians may have been killed and 13,000 injured in the conflict since January.
Aid agencies say around 275,000 people have been displaced.
A number of villages and towns have either been damaged or destroyed.
Both the military and the rebels are being accused of gross violations of international humanitarian law. The two sides deny the charges.
"The Sri Lankan military juggernaut cruised ahead despite mounting civilian casualties. The rebels thought the international community, especially neighbouring India, would intervene looking at the civilian suffering and bring about a ceasefire in the final stages. When that did not happen, they ran out of options," says Mr Jeyaraj.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Varun Gandhi 'misbehaves' with journalists
Controversy is not leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) poster boy Varun Gandhi. Hogging the limelight for sometime for his alleged anti-Muslim speeches, the young Lok Sabha MP is now caught in a row with journalists.
A group of Uttar Pradesh scribes Thursday accused Varun Gandhi, the BJP MP from Pilibhit of "misbehaviour" and sought security from the Pilibhit district administration while covering his programmes.
About 30 journalists from different media houses submitted a memorandum at the district magistrate's office.
"We have asked the district administration to provide security to media persons during programmes of Varun Gandhi," president of Pilibhit Journalist Association Mohan Kumar told IANS.
Kumar alleged that Varun Gandhi misbehaved with some reporters May 19 when they approached him for his comments over the BJP's poor performance in the state.
"Varun got angry and he along with his security personnel even attacked journalists of some TV news channels. Varun also damaged the camera of a TV journalist," Kumar said.
District magistrate Ajay Chauhan said he was yet to receive the memorandum. "From local newspapers I have come to know that Varun Gandhi allegedly manhandled some journalists," Chauhan told IANS.
"We will take steps accordingly after going through the memorandum," he added.
A group of Uttar Pradesh scribes Thursday accused Varun Gandhi, the BJP MP from Pilibhit of "misbehaviour" and sought security from the Pilibhit district administration while covering his programmes.
About 30 journalists from different media houses submitted a memorandum at the district magistrate's office.
"We have asked the district administration to provide security to media persons during programmes of Varun Gandhi," president of Pilibhit Journalist Association Mohan Kumar told IANS.
Kumar alleged that Varun Gandhi misbehaved with some reporters May 19 when they approached him for his comments over the BJP's poor performance in the state.
"Varun got angry and he along with his security personnel even attacked journalists of some TV news channels. Varun also damaged the camera of a TV journalist," Kumar said.
District magistrate Ajay Chauhan said he was yet to receive the memorandum. "From local newspapers I have come to know that Varun Gandhi allegedly manhandled some journalists," Chauhan told IANS.
"We will take steps accordingly after going through the memorandum," he added.
Two held for corporate blackmail
Two commoners tried to blackmail a Rs 150,771-crore corporate giant. They demanded Rs 50 lakh – Rs 10 lakh of that as initial payment.
The deal they offered in exchange: an affidavit in Mumbai High Court against Reliance Industries Ltd’s merger with Reliance Petro-leum Ltd would be withdrawn.
Jayendra Shah and Dilip Motwani are now in police custody.
The Reliance Group flagship, RIL, is India’s largest private sector enterprise and a Fortune Global 500 company.
An RIL spokesman told HT, “As this is corporate blackmailing, we filed a police complaint. They have arrested these two people.”
The police also suspect the two are not petty fortune hunters. Shah used to say during his threat calls to RIL officials that as he was assigned by some Mumbai-based people, he would need to consult them before withdrawing the petition.
“It seems a perfectly worked-out game plan. First file a petition, follow it up with letters to the Registrar of Companies and then leak the details to the media,” said the RIL spokesman. “Somebody is definitely trying to malign the group.”
The duo was produced in a local court and remanded to two-day police custody.
The deal they offered in exchange: an affidavit in Mumbai High Court against Reliance Industries Ltd’s merger with Reliance Petro-leum Ltd would be withdrawn.
Jayendra Shah and Dilip Motwani are now in police custody.
The Reliance Group flagship, RIL, is India’s largest private sector enterprise and a Fortune Global 500 company.
An RIL spokesman told HT, “As this is corporate blackmailing, we filed a police complaint. They have arrested these two people.”
The police also suspect the two are not petty fortune hunters. Shah used to say during his threat calls to RIL officials that as he was assigned by some Mumbai-based people, he would need to consult them before withdrawing the petition.
“It seems a perfectly worked-out game plan. First file a petition, follow it up with letters to the Registrar of Companies and then leak the details to the media,” said the RIL spokesman. “Somebody is definitely trying to malign the group.”
The duo was produced in a local court and remanded to two-day police custody.
'Dowager's hump' may bode early death
Technically, it's called hyperkyphosis; untechnically, it's called dowager's hump.
Whatever you call the condition -- an excessive forward curve of the upper spine often seen in elderly women -- it appears to be connected to a higher rate of earlier death in those who also have vertebral fractures.
In a study published in the May 19 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers at UCLA found that the greater the curvature, the higher the risk of death within the study period. This held true regardless of age, the problems caused by the basic spinal osteoporosis or the severity of the fractures.
Here's the release from UCLA;
the abstract from the journal;
basic information about the condition from osteopenia3.com;
and a blog, Dowagers Humps, that though not especially active, does appear to target folks looking for practical solutions and support.
As for what women can do to improve their quality of life, a small unrelated pilot study, also from UCLA and published in the American Journal of Public Health a couple of years ago, found that yoga might help produce better posture in women with hyperkyphosis.
Those researchers said such improvements could have included "increased strength and flexibility (attested to by improvements in physical function measures) and heightened attention to alignment (as reflected in women’s diary entries)."
Whatever you call the condition -- an excessive forward curve of the upper spine often seen in elderly women -- it appears to be connected to a higher rate of earlier death in those who also have vertebral fractures.
In a study published in the May 19 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers at UCLA found that the greater the curvature, the higher the risk of death within the study period. This held true regardless of age, the problems caused by the basic spinal osteoporosis or the severity of the fractures.
Here's the release from UCLA;
the abstract from the journal;
basic information about the condition from osteopenia3.com;
and a blog, Dowagers Humps, that though not especially active, does appear to target folks looking for practical solutions and support.
As for what women can do to improve their quality of life, a small unrelated pilot study, also from UCLA and published in the American Journal of Public Health a couple of years ago, found that yoga might help produce better posture in women with hyperkyphosis.
Those researchers said such improvements could have included "increased strength and flexibility (attested to by improvements in physical function measures) and heightened attention to alignment (as reflected in women’s diary entries)."
Two American 17-year-olds summit Everest, a third turns back
Two out of three 17-year-olds is not bad for Mt. Everest. In fact, it's an outstanding ratio.
Earlier this week, Johnny Collinson of Snowbird, Utah, made it to the top of the world's tallest peak, becoming the first Westerner to do so. A day later, Johnny Strange of Malibu reached the summit. Their view from 29,035 feet: absolutely stunning.
More recently, though, Erica Dohring of Paradise Valley, Arizona, abandoned her quest during what was to be the summit push.
This dispatch from Rainier Mountaineering team member Dave Hahn: "... Subtly at first, and then a bit more obviously as we came into our first rest break, Erica’s pace began to falter and things didn’t seem quite so easy any longer. This was perplexing at first, since conditions were perfect, the terrain was relatively easy and Erica’s health was excellent.
"As planned at this point of the climb, where the [Khumbu] Icefall steepens and the avalanche hazard to a group increases, I asked Seth, Melissa and Kent, along with Ang Kaji, to go slowly ahead. We’d stay in contact by radio. Erica and I finished our rest and moved upward, but by then it had become clear that Erica was losing confidence in her ability to climb the mountain
"Such moods come and go for climbers and I hoped this one would go soon. We determined to climb on up through the “Popcorn” section of the glacier and to reevaluate our situation at the Icefall’s midpoint. Through the Corn, I was happy to see that Erica’s strength and skills were intact… but clearly she had the weight of the world on her shoulders with some heavy decision-making going on. Her million dark thoughts were spawning a hundred or so in my own less nimble mind.
"I stifled the urge to `argue' Erica into an Everest summit attempt as we walked. I wouldn’t do such a thing for an adult… I certainly couldn’t begin anything of the sort for a seventeen-year-old. Everest is too dangerous a game… I’ve seen too many people die here."
Hahn concluded that the mountain had simply become too big for Dohring, and that she should be proud for trying rather than ashamed for turning back. She has vowed to return, though, and someday, most likely, she too will enjoy that splendid view.
Earlier this week, Johnny Collinson of Snowbird, Utah, made it to the top of the world's tallest peak, becoming the first Westerner to do so. A day later, Johnny Strange of Malibu reached the summit. Their view from 29,035 feet: absolutely stunning.
More recently, though, Erica Dohring of Paradise Valley, Arizona, abandoned her quest during what was to be the summit push.
This dispatch from Rainier Mountaineering team member Dave Hahn: "... Subtly at first, and then a bit more obviously as we came into our first rest break, Erica’s pace began to falter and things didn’t seem quite so easy any longer. This was perplexing at first, since conditions were perfect, the terrain was relatively easy and Erica’s health was excellent.
"As planned at this point of the climb, where the [Khumbu] Icefall steepens and the avalanche hazard to a group increases, I asked Seth, Melissa and Kent, along with Ang Kaji, to go slowly ahead. We’d stay in contact by radio. Erica and I finished our rest and moved upward, but by then it had become clear that Erica was losing confidence in her ability to climb the mountain
"Such moods come and go for climbers and I hoped this one would go soon. We determined to climb on up through the “Popcorn” section of the glacier and to reevaluate our situation at the Icefall’s midpoint. Through the Corn, I was happy to see that Erica’s strength and skills were intact… but clearly she had the weight of the world on her shoulders with some heavy decision-making going on. Her million dark thoughts were spawning a hundred or so in my own less nimble mind.
"I stifled the urge to `argue' Erica into an Everest summit attempt as we walked. I wouldn’t do such a thing for an adult… I certainly couldn’t begin anything of the sort for a seventeen-year-old. Everest is too dangerous a game… I’ve seen too many people die here."
Hahn concluded that the mountain had simply become too big for Dohring, and that she should be proud for trying rather than ashamed for turning back. She has vowed to return, though, and someday, most likely, she too will enjoy that splendid view.
K. Pattabhi Jois, leading teacher of Ashtanga yoga, dies at 94
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the leading teacher of Ashtanga yoga who is credited with bringing the practice to a mass audience and introducing it to the West, has died. He was 94.
Jois died Monday at his home in Mysore, India, after a short illness, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
Considered one of the most physically demanding of yoga practices, Ashtanga presents six increasingly challenging sequences of poses. A student must show proficiency in one sequence before going on to the next. Only a small number of practitioners have achieved every level.
"The goal of yoga is to create a unity of mind, body and spirit, and each system has a different quiver of tools to get there," said David Swenson of Austin, Texas, who studied with Jois for more than 34 years and has written books and produced videos on the subject. "Some have likened it to meditation in motion."
Swenson described Ashtanga as "an ancient system that involves sequences of movement combined with breath."
"It is similar in some respects to tai chi in that it involves a set sequence of movement that you learn and practice for the rest of your life. Ashtanga has these different levels, six sequences; it is through the repetition of study that the magic [from within] is forced to arise," Swenson said.
Jois, known to his disciples as Guruji, or respected teacher, taught Ashtanga for more than 75 years after studying with Sri T. Krishnamacharya, who had learned the practice from his guru in Tibet, Yogeshwara Ramamohan Brahmachari.
According to a biography on his website, Jois was born in July 1915 in the village of Kowshika in India's Karnataka state. His father was an astrologer and priest. At age 12, Jois attended a yoga demonstration conducted by Krishnamacharya and asked him to be his teacher.
Teacher and student ended up in Mysore, where Jois had gone to study Sanskrit. Jois taught yoga at Maharaja's Sanskrit College for many years and later started the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, which is in Mysore.
In 1958, he wrote his only book on yoga, "Yoga Mala," which was published in India in 1962 but didn't find an English-language publisher until 1999.
His yoga classes drew a relatively small number of students until 1964, when Andre Van Lysbeth, a Belgian citizen, became the first Westerner to study with Jois in Mysore.
The first American students were Norman Allen and David Williams, who studied with Jois in the late 1960s and early '70s. In 1975, Williams and another early student, Nancy Gilgoff, brought Jois to Encinitas in northern San Diego County to teach. His four-month stay there is considered by many to be the true beginning of the practice of Ashtanga yoga in the United States.
Over the next 20 years, Jois taught widely in this country and returned frequently to Encinitas. It was not uncommon for hundreds of students to show up for his classes. Ashtanga has become popular among celebrities, with Sting, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow among its practitioners.
Jois is survived by his son Manju, daughter Saraswathi Rangaswamy and two grandchildren, all of whom are yoga teachers.
Jois' funeral took place Tuesday. A memorial service is scheduled for May 31 in Mysore. According to Swenson, it will be attended by practitioners from all over the world.
"There is pain in losing him, as one would feel with a family member, but joy and revelation in the time we spent with him," Swenson said
Jois died Monday at his home in Mysore, India, after a short illness, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
Considered one of the most physically demanding of yoga practices, Ashtanga presents six increasingly challenging sequences of poses. A student must show proficiency in one sequence before going on to the next. Only a small number of practitioners have achieved every level.
"The goal of yoga is to create a unity of mind, body and spirit, and each system has a different quiver of tools to get there," said David Swenson of Austin, Texas, who studied with Jois for more than 34 years and has written books and produced videos on the subject. "Some have likened it to meditation in motion."
Swenson described Ashtanga as "an ancient system that involves sequences of movement combined with breath."
"It is similar in some respects to tai chi in that it involves a set sequence of movement that you learn and practice for the rest of your life. Ashtanga has these different levels, six sequences; it is through the repetition of study that the magic [from within] is forced to arise," Swenson said.
Jois, known to his disciples as Guruji, or respected teacher, taught Ashtanga for more than 75 years after studying with Sri T. Krishnamacharya, who had learned the practice from his guru in Tibet, Yogeshwara Ramamohan Brahmachari.
According to a biography on his website, Jois was born in July 1915 in the village of Kowshika in India's Karnataka state. His father was an astrologer and priest. At age 12, Jois attended a yoga demonstration conducted by Krishnamacharya and asked him to be his teacher.
Teacher and student ended up in Mysore, where Jois had gone to study Sanskrit. Jois taught yoga at Maharaja's Sanskrit College for many years and later started the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, which is in Mysore.
In 1958, he wrote his only book on yoga, "Yoga Mala," which was published in India in 1962 but didn't find an English-language publisher until 1999.
His yoga classes drew a relatively small number of students until 1964, when Andre Van Lysbeth, a Belgian citizen, became the first Westerner to study with Jois in Mysore.
The first American students were Norman Allen and David Williams, who studied with Jois in the late 1960s and early '70s. In 1975, Williams and another early student, Nancy Gilgoff, brought Jois to Encinitas in northern San Diego County to teach. His four-month stay there is considered by many to be the true beginning of the practice of Ashtanga yoga in the United States.
Over the next 20 years, Jois taught widely in this country and returned frequently to Encinitas. It was not uncommon for hundreds of students to show up for his classes. Ashtanga has become popular among celebrities, with Sting, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow among its practitioners.
Jois is survived by his son Manju, daughter Saraswathi Rangaswamy and two grandchildren, all of whom are yoga teachers.
Jois' funeral took place Tuesday. A memorial service is scheduled for May 31 in Mysore. According to Swenson, it will be attended by practitioners from all over the world.
"There is pain in losing him, as one would feel with a family member, but joy and revelation in the time we spent with him," Swenson said
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