A240507: In the heart of violence-hit Baghdad for a three-day visit, Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been urged by Iraqi leaders to reform prisoners in the city's jails through yoga and meditation. The request came from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Malaki at a meeting with Ravi Shankar shortly after he flew into Iraq from Jordan late Tuesday and drove into Baghdad protected by US and Iraqi troops, a spokesperson said.

It took the guru, whose Art of Living Foundation enjoys a large following in India and abroad, two and a half hours to cover the short distance from the main airport in Baghdad to his hotel in the US-protected Green Zone area. "Non-violence should be given a chance," the guru pleaded. In response, Prime Minister al Malaki urged Ravi Shankar to start in Baghdad's prisons meditation and yoga techniques that seek to kill negativity, anxiety and depression among prisoners.

The Art of Living Foundation, which has been active in Iraq for the last four years and has many Iraqi volunteers. Ravi Shankar is the first Indian spiritual leader to visit Iraq. He is to meet government and religious leaders in Iraq and a cross section of the society in Jordan during the May 21-25 visit. Earlier Jordanian Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit met Ravi Shankar in Amman, where the guru presided over a meeting of 1,000 people eager to learn yoga, meditation and breathing techniques, his spokesperson said.

Ravi Shankar is to visit the Art of Living trauma relief centre in Baghdad and then return to Amman where he will talk at the University of Jordan and attend a VIP reception thrown in his honour. Since 2003, the Art of Living and its sister concern, The International Association for Human Values, have been working under difficult circumstances in Iraq to help people overcome their deep pain and suffering.

The volunteers have also conducted trauma relief courses in various parts of Iraq, especially in Baghdad. Medicines, food and clothes have also been offered. At a time when most NGOs were compelled to evacuate their volunteers from Iraq following violence and kidnappings, Art of Living has stayed put.

Last year, 43 Iraqis, mostly women, graduated to be Art of Living teachers. So far, 5,000 Iraqis have undergone the Art of Living trauma relief workshops apart from attending ayurvedic training camps.

Ravi Shankar's followers have also initiated a women empowerment project under which Iraqi women get vocational training such as tailoring and computer skills. Over 500 women have benefited from the programme. Also, some 20,000 Iraqis have benefited from the assistance offered by medical personnel providing free consultations and medicines while 420 community leaders have been trained in providing trauma relief skills.