Spirituality

Uttarakhand orders Rishikul rebuilt as hub for Ayurveda, yoga and astrology studies

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed a master plan on Friday to rebuild Shri Madan Mohan Malaviya Prachya Shodh Sansthan, Rishikul, in Haridwar, into a major centre for Ayurveda, yoga and Indian knowledge traditions, Hindustan Times reports.

Dhami told officials that Ayurveda, medical tourism, yoga, astrology and Vedic mathematics should get special priority in the campus plan, according to Livemint.

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A two year deadline for the Haridwar campus#

Dhami directed officials to break down the project into distinct stages and finish all construction within two years, with regular reviews of the work, Hindustan Times reports.

The chief minister said the campus architecture should follow eastern and traditional styles on the outside, with modern facilities and amenities built inside, Livemint reports, describing it as a blend of antiquity and modernity meant to give the institution its own identity.

Hindustan Times reports Dhami said Haridwar's religious and spiritual significance, tied to the Ganga river, should stay central to the development concept, and that the project should let visitors experience Indian culture, knowledge and spirituality.

What the institute is meant to teach#

The proposed master plan envisions Rishikul as an integrated centre covering yoga and meditation, academics, Ayurveda and holistic health, Indian philosophy, Vedic studies alongside creative pursuits and scholarly inquiry, Hindustan Times reports.

Dhami said Ayush, yoga and Sanskrit are among Uttarakhand's distinctive identities and should be prominently reflected in Rishikul's development, aiming to make the institute a bridge between traditional Indian knowledge systems and modern research, Livemint reports.

Where Rishikul fits regionally#

Nearby Rishikesh, on the Ganges in the same Dehradun district, already hosts an annual International Yoga Festival each March and is known as the Yoga Capital of the World, according to Wikipedia.

Indiatimes reports the plan is intended to strengthen Rishikul's role in Ayurveda and yoga study while giving the campus a distinct character through the mix of traditional and modern building elements, with all works to proceed within the two-year target.

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