The 'Kevela'

Pradeep Krishnan speaks to Dr Pradeep Ullal about Kundalini, Himalayan Kriya Yoga, and liberation, and the motivation behind his Kevala Foundation

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The biggest disease is worrying about what others think of us.

The spiritual journey of Dr Pradeep Ullal—the founder of Kevala Foundation, Chikmagalur, Karnataka—is remarkable. He was born on November 20, 1969, to Shri Rammohan and Smt Vinaya in Bengaluru. His family and social circle were not spiritually inclined, and he had a carefree early life: making friends, enjoying music, and aimlessly roaming around. However, a fortuitous introduction to the teachings of Ramana Maharishi and Osho “seeped into my veins, nerves, and nadis (energy channels) and urged me to take the plunge into the path of surrendering to enlightened awareness within,” he recalls.

After dropping out of college, Pradeep joined the Indian Air Force (IAF). While in service, fascinated by the pull of the Himalayas, several times, he wandered the snowy mountains, often spending days in contemplation in remote caves, receiving glimpses of spiritual life. Feeling utterly dissatisfied, he quit the job after seven years and returned home, got married, and did odd jobs to survive. In 1999, the young couple left for Dubai, where Pradeep got a job. Four years later, when everything looked promising, events unfolded one by one, compelling him to change the course of his life.

Gradually, he started sharing the wisdom of yoga with seekers and became a popular teacher. After the Yoga Alliance, USA, conferred on him a doctorate in 2006, the drawing room of Dr Pradeep’s house, Shiva-Shakti Kutir, served as a spiritual centre for the next seven years. One day, when he suddenly got the