120-year-old virgin says celibacy responsible for his long life

An Indian man, Swami Sivananda, who is reportedly 120 years old, has said his celibacy status was the reason for his long life.

Sivananda, a resident in Kolkata city, India, believes he is the oldest person after Japan’s Jiroemon Kimura died June 2013, at the age of 116 years and 54 days.

Mirror UK is reporting that Sivananda, born August 8, 1896, according to details in his passport, is now applying to Guinness World Records to verify his claim.

He attributed his long life to food with no spices and no sex, saying he lives with no help and no medical aid and performs yoga for hours every day.

The Hindu monk said, “Discipline is the most important thing is life. One can conquer anything with discipline in food habits, exercise, and sexual desires.

“Control over your needs is the biggest gain in life. I have lived for so long because material things don’t make me happy and I have never had sex.

“Because I was born in poverty, I have never had great demands from life.

“Nowadays, people are unhappy, unhealthy and have become dishonest, which pains me a lot. I just want people to be happy, healthy and peaceful.

Standing 1.58 metres tall, Sivananda added that he has never slept in a bed or used a pillow in his life.

“I sleep on the floor with a jute mat beneath me and I use a stone brick as a pillow.

“I travel to give interviews and lectures on life and people from all over the country flock to me in search of peace and the secret to my longevity. My followers persuaded me to come forward to claim the record.

“Previously I was worried about inviting publicity into my life as these things don’t serve any purpose in life.

“Though my followers would be happy to see my name in the Guinness Book of World Records,” he noted.