He came, he spoke and he charmed the large gathering at greater Houston's India House, June 28, and Chinmaya Mission (Sugarland), June 27, with a talk that was full of wit and wisdom, inspiration and appeal to make the family, community, nation and the entire humanity a better place to live. Wherever Baba Ramdev spoke, he touched the hearts of his audiences. He also conducted Yoga camps and exercises at BAPS Swaminarayan temple at Stafford, another Houston area suburb.

First at India House:

Swami Ramdev, the world renowned Yoga guru respectfully called Yogrishi, in his nearly 50 minute talk - he did not want it to be taken as a lecture - exhorted his audience to work for unity, cooperation, coordination, universal love, positive thinking and creativity. He said he conveys only what he has lived.

Swamiji gave four mantras to better personal lives and community wellbeing: total energetic dedication in work, humility in dealing with people, patience in personal behavior, and consistency in rendering service to others.

Babaji, as he is also reverently called, asked his audience to take pride in the glorious cultural and spiritual heritage of India. He said in a few years people will see a revolutionary change in India's spiritual, economic, social and political life. India will regain its past glory and people will be proud to call themselves Indians. For this goal, he urged the people to bury their differences, work in close cooperation and strengthen their Motherland.

He said that Bharat Swabhiman Andolan (Self Respect Movement) has been launched with the goal to eradicate corruption from India's social and political life, and make the nation healthy and compassionate. He said our aim is to create heaven on this earth.

Babaji spoke in his intimate style with witty remarks that drew peels of laughter from the audience. He asked them to realize that as various parts of human body work in close cooperation with one another for smooth functioning, similar cooperation/coordination is essential for a family, community, nation and the entire humanity.

He also spoke about his tirade against corruption and said that trillions of dollars of India's money stashed in Swiss and other foreign banks has to return to India. He said when the king (leaders) leads an austere life, his people are happy and prosperous. When the king lives in luxury, his people suffer. This, he said, is the universal truth as enunciated in India's ancient philosophy.

Babaji warned his audience that caste system is being resurrected for the forthcoming census in India. He said caste was never a part of Vedic social and cultural systems, it was based only on the type of jobs one was doing. It was never by birth, but by profession. He deplored the move as it would further divide the people to the detriment of the nation.

He explained that the basic similarities in people are 99 percent, and dissimilarities only 1 percent. It is unfair and wrong to harp on the differences, and not on similarity, as it retards progress.

Earlier, President of India House, Jugal Malani, welcomed Swami Ramdev and said that we are honored by his presence and look forward to get his blessings. He said India House and several community organizations are represented this evening to welcome Swamiji.

Babaji in his address also spoke about Malani and commended his service to the community. He said Malani was ‘selected' and not ‘elected' as elections sometimes create other problems. He said wherever needed Malani will always be there with dedication and vigor and hoped that he will continue to ‘earn' and ‘give.'

Swamiji was given standing ovation when he came and as he ended his address. He started with Vedic mantras and ended with India's National Song, Vande Mataram, joined by the audience.

This was the first big event at India House after the new team, headed by the well known community leader and philanthropist Jugal Malani took over. It was organized in cooperation with Hindus of Greater Houston. Vijay Pallod announced that together they will organize more events and Hindu festivals.

India House secretary Col Raj Bhalla thanked Swamiji for his address and the audience for attending in such a large number. He said as desired by Babaji, only healthy snacks (catered by Madras Pavilion) were served and there was chhachh, instead of Coke or other soft drinks.

MC of the evening Ravi Raghavan introduced the Chief Guest while Hari Bhai beautifully rendered some bhajans and made the audience also join him in singing.

At Chinmaya Mission Center:

Swamiji addressed another full house, at Chinmaya Mission, June 27, and expressed his firm conviction that India will regain its past glory by 2020 given its vast material and human resources. He said his Bharat Swabhiman movement is going to relentlessly pursue the goals of awakening people to utilize their immense inner strength for bringing about the sea change.

He said India had the world's largest economy till the 18th century but was ruthlessly exploited and looted by invaders, mainly the British. Even now India's looted wealth and huge deposits in Swiss and other banks, sustains the economy of about 70 countries. That money rightly belongs to India and has to be returned.

Babaji urged the people to work tirelessly for their Matribhoomi (Motherland), Janmabhoomi (land of birth) and Karmabhooomi (the land of their activities - living) to enrich those places. They owe it to all those three, he stressed.

Swamiji emphasized the need to do exercise, both physically and mentally (by increasing knowledge) to make the family, community and the nation healthy, happy and prosperous. The people have to better utilize their energy for the welfare of the entire humanity, they can do it as they are the descendents of our ancient Rishis and other heroes, he opined.

Speaking at the large auditorium of Chinmaya Prabha he laid stress on Yoga and Pranayam, physical tasks and the willingness to ask questions with an inquiring mind. He said Yoga takes care of the body's hardware and Pranayam body's software. He later demonstrated his useful routine of a dozen yogic exercises and Pranayam; many in the audience also joined him.

At the outset, Baba Ramdev paid tributes to the memory and work of Swami Chinmayananda and hailed him as one of the foremost Rishis in the long line of India's famous sages. He said now Chinmaya Mission has been expanding under the benign guidance of Swami Tejomayananda, another great scholar of Hindu philosophy and heritage.

Swami Chinmayananda was the first President of Vishva Hindu Parishad. He began his life as a Journalist with the National Herald in India, but soon gave it up for learning and propagating Vedanta philosophy and became a sanyasi (monk). He was one of the foremost authorities on India's revered scriptures such as the Bhagvadgita and Upnishads.

Chinmaya Prabha is a lovely sprawling place that propagates India's age-old Vedant spirituality and social and cultural activities as directed by the world famous spiritual master and founder of the mission, Swami Chinmayananda who went into Samadhi in 1993 at the age of 77. There are 300 Chinmaya centers worldwide. The Houston center is run under the guidance of Acharya Gaurang Nanavaty and Acharya Darshana Nanavaty.

Among the audience was the Poddar couple from Scotland that has donated an entire island of 700 acres to Swamiji setting up Patanjali Yogpeeth, the UK Trust headed by Sunita Poddar. According to Swami Ramdev, the UK Trust, in the short period of its establishment, has been a pioneer in promoting Yoga internationally including creating a team of 2500 teachers in less than 2 years. The island of Little Cumbrae, off Scotland mainland is now known as Peace Island.

The Trust has also released a beautifully printed large size (8-1/2x11) booklet "Patanjali Yog Part -1" (second edition) within four months of the first edition. The 88-page fully illustrated booklet, printed on art paper, gives useful information on Yoga and Pranayam with full color photos of Baba Ramdev and others performing exercises.