Wee Cumbrae is set to be re-named 'Peace Island' by a controversial guru - amid a mass pilgrimage from India.
Internationally renowned Yoga teacher Swami Ramdev Maharaj - who has millions of followers and is a household name in South Asia - will join the island's new owners, Sam and Sunita Poddar, for a special inauguration ceremony of his charity's new headquarters on Sunday 27th September.
Hundreds of Indian visitors are expected to join him for the September weekend open day as they commence plans for the Patanjali Yog Peeth Trust centre, set to be opened on the island at a future date.
The charity's website states: "Following on from his highly successful UK visits in 2006, 2007 and 2008, Swami Ramdev will once again be visiting the UK in Sept 2009.
"He will inaugurate PYPT's new International Headquarters on the island of Wee Cumbrae, meet and address PYPT Yog Teachers, members and the public in Scotland and England. As always, he will be promoting good health, prosperity and peace in the community."
Glasgow care home owners Sam and Sunita have both trained under the controversial guru, whose claims that Yoga can cure cancer and AIDS have led to clashes with health authorities in India.
The couple bought the island in July for a figure reported to be in the region of £2 million - and immmediately expressed their hopes of opening it up to public access.
****** Unregistered User Sep 2 09 20:05
Comment: 4658
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Rajesh Unregistered User Sep 2 09 20:09
Comment: 4659
What a biased and sick news reporting. Why you have to add controversial to every time you write guru. Even though you may wish he's not controversial at all. His claim of curing cancer is true and thousands of patients have recovered from cancer. Even the Indian Health minister who used send him notices for these claims has agreed that Guru is right and now he's promoting to teach yoga in schools.
People make up their opinion of him by not reading your kind of biased news but by tying the yoga themselves or seeing some family member getting cured of diseases. This is the reason he has 50 million followers in India and other parts of the world. Report this comment
yoga teacher Unregistered User Sep 3 09 01:00
Comment: 4680
I agree with you Rajesh about the tone of this article. I make no claims that yoga can cure serious illness but what it will do is bring physical body and spirit into union. It is a science/art/philosophy and way of life that has a proven track record of over 5000 years. To anyone who doubts yoga's benefits I say give it a try. The worst that will happen is that you will become more flexible/happy/calm/peaceful - I can't see anyone having a problem with that?? Report this comment
Rajesh Unregistered User Sep 3 09 04:07
Comment: 4683
@yoga teacher
Asanas which are considered yoga don't cure serious diseases however pranayam which is relatively unknown and also part of yoga does cure diseases.
I became believer after my father was saved from knee replacement surgery after doing pranayam for 9 months, 1-2 hours every morning and evening. His cartilage came back, the fluid filled in the knee was gone and now he walks without crutches. He even had the fluid removed by the doctor but it came back. The key is pranayama which give more oxygen to cells and cells come to their normal state curing all diseases. I'm also doing it now and first benefit I've is that now I can read without glasses :) Report this comment
****** Unregistered User Sep 3 09 05:59
Comment: 4685
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Stan Unregistered User Sep 3 09 10:35
Comment: 4698
I've been considering breast enlargement for sometime now (my missus knows nothing about it yet!) Unfortunately, we don't have the 5 grand required however we could stretch to a wee jaunt over to wee Cumbrae if you thought it'd work.
Pushkar Unregistered User Sep 3 09 11:37
Comment: 4706
Ramdev ji has done so phenomenal work in India and world in general I suppose if writer dose even 0.000001 % of that his life would successful. Report this comment
Pushkar Unregistered User Sep 3 09 11:37
Comment: 4707
Ramdev ji has done so phenomenal work in India and world in general I suppose if writer dose even 0.000001 % of that his life would successful. Report this comment
Pushkar Unregistered User Sep 3 09 11:38
Comment: 4708
Ramdev ji has done so phenomenal work in India and world in general I suppose if writer dose even 0.000001 % of that his life would successful. Report this comment
****** Unregistered User Sep 3 09 11:38
Comment: 4709
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****** Unregistered User Sep 3 09 11:38
Comment: 4710
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****** Unregistered User Sep 3 09 11:38
Comment: 4711
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Jim Unregistered User Sep 3 09 14:00
Comment: 4720
The use of the Island for such a worthy cause is to be applauded. The new owners have a very successful track record for operating professional care homes. They should be commended for encouraging visitors to Largs and Millport. Report this comment
Ravi Unregistered User Sep 3 09 15:44
Comment: 4725
It seems the article reflects the local opinion if not the popular opinion. Mentioning of some of his achievements in this article would have been good. Report this comment
Marco Unregistered User Sep 3 09 17:38
Comment: 4739
Kundalini yoga focuses on pranayam energy as well. That's my favorite yoga. Report this comment
Barry Unregistered User Sep 3 09 20:55
Comment: 4759
R Bell Unregistered User Sep 3 09 23:56
Comment: 4764
If Ramdev has any respect for Scottish culture he shall retain the name "Wee/Little Cumbrae" and not give it some cheesy new name.
I notice Ramdev's followers are all following this page... Report this comment
J Brown Unregistered User Sep 4 09 16:57
Comment: 4806
If Adam McNaughtan had bought Wee Cumbrae would he have renamed it Jeely Peace Island? If Mr & Mrs Poddar are seeking peace and serenity they should start by accepting it is Wee Cumbrae. Report this comment
Janice Lamb Unregistered User Sep 6 09 08:17
Comment: 4860
I'm only a recent incomer, but have tried to gain as much knowledge as possible about the Cumbraes. I gather the official name of the island is "Little Cumbrae Island" but have also seen it on older documents as "Lesser Cumbrae". Wikipedia also gives the Gaelic name of "Cumaradh Beag." "Wee Cumbrae" is what we call it, and I'm sure we always will. Incidentally your paper is always refereed to as the "Wee Paper". Have you ever thought of changing the name to what we affectionately call it? Report this comment
chris Wright Unregistered User Sep 6 09 13:26
Comment: 4864
I understand that Mr and Mrs PODDER are professional business people,who own countless Care Homes in the Glasgow area.We have been told that they both care about the future of WEE CUMBRAE and would like the residents to be assured that the purchase of the Island will bring business to the community of Millport. On 27th August 2009 I attended the open meeting in the Garrison,along with approximately 100 other persosns. Mrs PODDER was due to attend,but as we all know,failed to attend,because 'something came up'. If she is the CEO of her 'Empire' does she not have staff to deal with such matters. Her non attendance shows a lack of repect for the people of Millport and is extremely rude and unprofessional.Her lack of attendance,only fuels the anger and concern felt by the people of this wonderful Island. Come on,Mrs PODDER when are you going to tell exactly what your 'Peace Camp' will bring to us - I fear that it will be very little. Report this comment
Humble Manager Unregistered User Sep 7 09 23:41
Comment: 4887
Hi Chris,
I understand Mrs Poddar was once very ill.Although
her family runs Care Homes ,now she thanks Swami Ramdev for curing her.
She and her Husband have now devoted them selves to promoting self management of health through self effort, iernMore Fruits and Vegetable diet in Balanced Diet.
Some exercises. Yoga Poses for spine, Breathing exercises a Yoga relaxation postures.
She is Jet setting teaching teachers of Yoga world over.
Believe me Chris Wee Cumbrae will have the same name but the whole project will be called Peace Island retreat.
You can take a ferry to Wee Cumbrae all agitated and Negative and stressed and tired in life and come back all peaceful with your self. Report this comment
Robina McLaren Unregistered User Sep 10 09 03:05
Comment: 4944
Reading some of the comments on Wee Cumbrae aka Peace Island I would like to say that some of my happiest childhood memories were of my days there in the early 60's ( my dad was a lighthouse keeper there)
It was a peaceful/happy place to live and I do hope that the familiar name Wee Cumbrae will not be lost as a result of this project.
Now living in Australia I still take interest in the news of home and pray that the new owners will respect the views of the local community.
Simon Unregistered User Sep 28 09 16:10
Comment: 5401
This is to be applauded. I spent 3 weeks doing yoga and pranayama in India earlier this year and I felt fitter and more lively as a result. I hope many others will take the opportunity to allow a positive influence into their lives.
You can bet the Podders will run it as a business enterprise though. That's just the Indian mentality. Report this comment
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