Peace, love and Raageshwari
Laaleen Sukhera Khan
http://tribune.com.pk/story/456359/peace-love-and-raageshwari/
ISLAMABAD:
Raageshwari Loomba has moved on siginicantly from her chirpy 90s persona as
Bollywood actor, pop singer and VJ. Overcoming Bell’s Palsy with great courage
and determination, she is today a sagacious motivational speaker and yoga devotee
who surrounds herself and others with positive affirmation.
“Pakistan is my largest fanbase outside of
India,” says the elfin Ms. Loomba in an exclusive interview in the capital city.
“I am honoured to be here. My father’s father died with the dream of visiting
Lahore and Karachi, and my mother’s family had their home in Lahore.” The
multifaceted star is currently on her first trip to here and has visited
Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib gurdwaras
with her parents. 
Back In India, Raageshwari is an ambassador for
AIDS awareness and leads a choir for vision-impaired children. Her trip across
the border has highlighted causes including the Pakistan Sweet Home for
children orphaned from terrorist attacks and natural disasters as well as SKMCH,
where she taught ‘mirror therapy’ techniques to a group of young cancer
survivors.
Known as ‘Ragz’ to her friends, she reveals how
her ‘peace, love and harmony’ mantra has formulated her journey from
entertainer to healer and how it isn’t necessary to be a “yogi in the
mountains” to “heal the world together.”
“Spiritualism is about great balance,” she
says. “I need to pay my bills too. I felt I should go out of my comfort zone to
see if I could stick to my beliefs and lead my example on reality TV. Bigg Boss opened avenues for me and I
now deliver motivational talks to thousands in corporate circles.” Raageshwari
has also appeared in a children’s TV show for ARY which she scripted with her
father and recalls various characters whose role was to encourage healthy
eating and outdoor play.
Referring to her yoga workout DVD, ‘5 Ancient Tibetan Rites: The Secret of
Eternal Youth,’ she says, “Every word has an energy. Cells react at great
speed with endorphins and heal. ‘Dis-ease’ is a body not at ease.” She refers to
her holistic side in collective terms, as in ‘we,’ explaining, “I feel odd and
immodest to use ‘I.’ So many wonderful people are all healing the world, like
Jack Canfield (author, Chicken Soup for
the Soul) and Louise L. Hay (author, Heal
Your Body).”
Raageshwari has a nurturing aura that strikes one
immediately in her presence. Her eyes sparkle with keen observation while her
speech is peppered with traditional references such as “Allah ka shukar” and “riyaaz
karna.”
LSK: What brought you into the
entertainment world?
LSK: How did such diverse inspiration
for your musical career come about, from Hindi pop to Sufi music and Tibetan chants?
RL: “All my pop music was been composed and
written by dad (award-winning musician Trilok Singh Loomba). HMV Saregama asked
me to be the face of their yoga album as Rekha ji couldn’t do it. Lorraine More taught me postures formulated by
the monks about the 7 energy vortexes scientifically proven in our bodies. There
are whirling dervish moves that centre your body, help with nausea, indigestion
and headaches, and then a stomach crunch and so on. You’d find that namaz also has yogic postures because
Islam is a religion of peace and science. I have great regard for the Muslim community and made the
Sufi album for this community.”
LSK: How do you manage to still look
17? You look even better now than you did in the 90s…
RL: “I’m 36. The Internet calls me younger but
I have great pride in my age! I want women to realize there’s so much more than
trying to work at being young. Your biological age doesn’t matter. At Bigg Boss I was with girls who were
younger than me but they couldn’t bend down and sweep the floor or clean the
bathroom. Physically, I’m 16. Spiritually, I could be 500.”
LSK: How did you completely overcome
Bell’s Palsy in your 20s? Is this how you were introduced to yoga?
RL: “I speak openly about it because real
stories inspire us. I woke up one day to brush my teeth and couldn’t hold the
water in my mouth. One side of my face and chest was numb so when I spoke, my
lips reached my ear. I couldn’t recognize myself, couldn’t talk, and had no
voice. Doctors were amazed that I recovered perfectly without steroids, it was
all yoga and self affirmations. Yoga pumps more blood into parts of your body and
paralysis is a nerve related illness. Bell’s Palsy is for people who fail to
express anger. I suppose I’d had spiritual arrogance! Now I let it out through
meditation.”
Raageshwari’s Picks
Fave Bollywood star: “Govinda. I learned from his great love for his art. He has unbelievable timing in comedy and dancing.”
Trickiest dance move you’ve had to
master: “With Govinda and Chunky Pandey, I had to do a
dance move where my hand was between their thighs in Aankhen and they jerked back and forth. At the time I was horrified
even though it was considered cool. No wonder people get backaches after all those hip thrusts!”
Genre of TV you’d like to try next:
“A cookery show. Something progressive for children. Alternative healing.”
The most difficult yoga move you’ve
achieved: “A headstand.”
Your most memorable music video:
“Duniya, directed by my brother,
where I was a knapsack-wearing young traveller on the beach with children.”
Favourite fashion designers: “My
designer friends dress me up but I’ll never indulge in criminal expenses. I’m
wearing Annie & Nimmu today”
(she’s dressed in a blue A-lined kameez with shawl-style embroidery).
Fave cuisine:
“Everyone asks me if I’m vegetarian and I’m not! I love biryani and Mughalai
food.”
Recent fave film:
“I really liked OMG.”
Last mp3 you played?
“I listened to Paradise by Coldplay
on the motorway between Lahore and Islamabad.”
Some yoga poses to try out:
http://www.zimbio.com/Yoga/articles/xr6FtUSYRtF/Surya+Namaskar+by+Raageshwari
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