Pagla Baba emerges from 216 hour samadhi

Ardh Kumbh Nagar, Jan 24: After Japanses yogmata, it was time forPagla Baba to emerge from a 216-hour samadhi here last night.

The Baba had undertaken samadhi on Makar Sakranti in a 12-footdeep pit to propagate 'gau raksha'. His followers opened the pit withfanfare here as the baba emerged from the samadhi.

Soon after Shyamanand Saraswat alias Pagla Baba emerged, hisfollowers cheered him and distributed 'bhibhuti' and 'prasad' to peoplewho had gathered to witness the event.

The Baba had undertaken the samadhi for the sake of cowprotection. ''My aim is to set up a Gaushala at Vrindavan...I am madabout protecting cows, hence the name Pagla Baba,'' he said.

He was also conferred upon the title of 'yogeshwar' by his followers.

On January 21, Keiko Aj-kawa, a Japanese woman and a follower of'Pilot Baba' completed her 72-hour-long Samadhi, which she undertookfor world peace.

Dressed in light clothes, Keiko was pulled out of the tin boxwhich was placed in a pit and covered with sand. Cheers by Indian andforeign followers of the Baba filled the atmosphere. Soon after her72-hour penance, she was conferred with the title of 'Mahamandaleshwar'by the Baba. This was reportedly her 24th samadhi.

The Baba said Keiko underwent intense meditation inside a nine bynine feet pit for the last three days in her bid to achieveenlightenment.

The Yogmata, as she is popularly called, was given half an hour to control her breathing before being covered inside the pit.

In this process, one has to turn inwards. The breathing processneeds to be controlled by changing it from exhalation to inhalationonly, the Baba had said. In her mid-forties, she had spent the last 72hours without food and water.

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