Indian monk Swami Sivananda who claims to be 120 years old, smiles ahead of performing his morning stretches and yoga in Kolkata; Inset: the swami in a yoga position. (Source: AFP photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar)

Yoga, simple disciplined life, rice & boiled food, no spices, got him to age 120, was born into poverty & parents died before age 6.

IMMORTALITY

Key to long life: 120-year old Indian man says yoga & no sex

18/08/2016

AFP News agency

KOLKATA, India - Looking remarkably unlined without wrinkles for his claimed 120 years, an Indian monk who says he is the oldest man to have ever lived puts his longevity down to no sex or spices in his food, and daily yoga.

Indian monk Swami Sivananda, who claims to be 120 years old, holds up his passport in the house of one of his followers in Kolkata. (Source: AFP photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar)

BORN IN 1896

Hindu monk Swami Sivananda was born on August 8, 1896, according to his passport.

If true, his life would have spanned three centuries.

Despite his apparent age he remains strong enough to perform yoga for hours at a time.

CURRENT WORLD RECORD: JAPANESE MAN LIVED 116 YEARS

Swami Sivananda is now applying to the Guinness Book of World Records to verify his claim to the world record.

The book of world records currently lists Japan's Jiroemon Kimura, who died in June 2013 aged 116 years and 54 days, as the oldest man to have ever lived.

Indian monk Swami Sivananda reacts after his followers presented him with a birthday cake in Kolkata. (Source: AFP photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar)

DIFFICULT TO VERIFY AGE

India's passport authorities confirmed Sivananda's age from a temple register, the only record many Indians even decades younger have of their date of birth.



However it would be extremely difficult to independently verify his age.



Sivananda was featured by local media earlier this summer.

The Times of India noted that the Swami looked 50 years younger than his apparent age but took his claims at face value.

Indian monk Swami Sivananda, who claims to be 120 years old, practises yoga in Kolkata.(Source: AFP photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar)

YOGA & SIMPLE DISCIPLINED LIFE

Sivananda, from the holy city of Varanasi, grew up in extreme poverty.

He chose to become a monk, saying he owed his age to "yoga, discipline, and celibacy".



"I lead a simple and disciplined life," he said.

SIMPLE BOILED FOOD WITHOUT SPICES, RICE & LENTIL STEW

I eat very simply -- only boiled food without oil or spices, rice and boiled daal (lentil stew) with a couple of green chillies."

He shared his secrets of a long life with AFP after a two-hour yoga session in Kolkata, the eastern Indian city where he had come for a short visit.

Indian monk Swami Sivananda, who claims to be 120 years old, practises yoga in Kolkata.(Source: AFP photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar)

SLEEPS ON FLOOR WITH WOODEN SLAB AS PILLOW

Standing 1.58 metres (five feet two inches) tall, Sivananda sleeps on a mat on the floor and uses a wooden slab as a pillow.



"I avoid taking milk or fruits because I think these are fancy foods."

"In my childhood I slept many days on an empty stomach," he said.



Sivananda said he had not previously come forward to claim the world record because he did not seek publicity.

He was eventually persuaded by his followers to apply for the world record.



The elderly man lost both parents before he was six.

He was then given away by his relatives to a spiritual guru.

The Swami then travelled around India with the guru before eventually settling down in the holy Indian city of Varanasi.

FIT WITHOUT MEDICAL PROBLEMS, NOT A FAN OF TECHNOLOGY

Fit and without any medical problems, he lives independently and even travels alone on trains.



Sivananda, who was born in a colonial era India without electricity, cars or telephones, says he is not very enthusiastic about new technologies and prefers being on his own.

Indian monk Swami Sivananda(C), who claims to be 120 years old, sits with followers on board a train from Howrah station on his way to Varanasi from Kolkata. (Source: AFP photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar)

JUST WANTS PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY, HEALTHY & PEACEFUL

"Earlier people were happy with fewer things."

"Nowadays people are unhappy, unhealthy and have become dishonest, which pains me a lot," he said.



"I just want people to be happy, healthy and peaceful."

Indian monk Swami Sivananda, who claims to be 120 years old, practises yoga on a bed in Kolkata. (Source: AFP photo by Dibyangshu Sarkar)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/1064976/oldest-man-ever-says-yoga-celibacy-key-to-age

-- This story accompanies a photo essay by Dibyangshu Sarkar --