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Journalism of Courage
MAY 28: No, the dimunitive septuagenarian with the Lenin beard and the villainous dark glasses, attributed to an eye infection, doesn’t try to regale you with corny oneliners and Ajeet jokes. There are enough people doing that sort of thing, he says.
Keshavlal Vithalbhai Patel goes by many esoteric sounding labels: hasya yogi, ayurvedist-researcher, laughologist and recipient of `the power of humourous attorney from Mulla Nasruddin’. This hasya guru can best be described as one who uses laughter as a therapuetic tool. He holds forth on unusual (to say the least) theories, such as “Each one of us goes through the day assuming one or all of the following roles: a peacock, a weathercock and a shuttlecock, respectively a show-off, a vacillating spirit and an energetic individual shuttling to and fro.” Reporters have the dubious honour of being described as shuttlecocks.
Earlier, Patel called his subject of study `laughology’. The numerous hordes innundating his office with calls seeking cures for cardiac problems, depression and suicidal tendencies soon changed his mind. The term by which his therapy is now known as, Hasya Yoga – the science and art of laughter – finds no mention in ancient Yogic tomes. Yet, he found it an apt term to describe a method which releases creative energy and promotes a sense of well-being. Yogic laughter works on the assumption that while we may not have the power to change our circumstances, we can definitely change our outlook towards them.
This is the point that Patel’s Hasya Yoga Kendra hopes to emphasise. Set up with the explicit purpose of researching, developing and promoting awareness on the potential of Yogic laughter, it is currently in the process of collecting information – no laughing matter as little information on the subject is available in India.
