(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners participated in “Happy Street” events in two different locations. One was held on January 8, 2023, in Kothrud the largest suburb of Pune. The other was held on December 18, 2022, in the town of Baner, the residential and commercial hub of Pune.
During these events, one side of the road is closed to vehicles from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., creating a precious free space for pedestrians amid the bustling city life. Locals are allowed to use that part of the street to display their artworks, present traditional culture and music, showcase paintings or pottery, or just walk around and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. The “Yoga Arena” is especially visited by many residents. Practitioners took the opportunity to tell people about Falun Dafa.
Practitioners demonstrate the exercises during “Happy Streets” in Pune
Practitioners talk to people and distribute information about Falun Dafa
Practitioners demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises and many were attracted to the soothing exercise music. Some recorded videos of the exercise demonstrations, and several people learned the exercises.
One of the residents who visited the booth had already heard about Falun Dafa. He was curious to know how the practice has been spreading in India. A family was interested in learning the health benefits of the exercises for senior citizens. Practitioners answered their questions and distributed flyers so that those interested could learn more about the practice.
The practitioners also guided the visitors to the online Indian webinars at www.LearnFalunGong.in, where they can attend the free sessions every weekend. They explained the profound health benefits of Falun Dafa, and its guiding principles of Truthfulness - Compassion - Forbearance.
A couple was very much interested in learning more about the Falun Dafa meditation and planned to return the next week. A few young people working in IT also registered to learn the exercises via the online Falun Dafa webinars.
Practitioner Sandesh Lohar, a 49-year-old software architect from the city, recalled a memorable experience of meeting an 85-year-old woman, whom he described as “a lady with an amazing heart.” She was very active due to her healthy lifestyle, which included walking daily.
“She often prays to God to purify her mind so that she can meditate in tranquility,” Sandesh said. “She told me that she has been trying to achieve tranquility for quite a long time but was unsuccessful. When I explained the reason behind it based on the principles of Falun Dafa, she felt very good. I encouraged her to read the Falun Dafa books.”
Practitioner Anand Pophale, a 46-year-old IT professional from Pune, said, “‘Happy Street is a very good opportunity to expose the Chinese regime’s brutal persecution of Falun Dafa. Because the event happens in different parts of the city every weekend, we can raise awareness in prominent areas of the city. Also, this event is an opportunity for practitioners to meet every Sunday and share experiences with each other.”
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology, and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 24 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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