123 YO Kolkata Man Born In 1896 Might Be World’s Oldest Man Ever To Live

The world’s oldest man may just have been found and he is from India itself!

According to a report by Mail Online, a man named Swami Sivananda from Behala, Kolkata, was travelling to London and the flight had to halt in Dubai. After he was asked to show his passport at security, officials were shocked to find his date of birth dated back to August 8, 1896, thereby making him 123 years old!

If the date of his passport is correct, he might just be the oldest man ever to have lived. However, there is no exact proof of his birth year besides a record inside a temple register.

Swami Sivananda lost both his parents by the time he was 6 years old and was then given up by his relatives to a spiritual guru. He travelled around the world with him and finally settled in Varanasi, reveals The Sun.

He is 5 feet 2 inches tall, lives independently, and often travels alone on trains. He sleeps on a mat on the floor and uses a wooden slab as a pillow.

He has been trying to have his name recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records but is unable to do so because of the lack of proper documents.

Even though he claims to be 123 years old, he looks much younger. However, there is a major reason behind this. He claims yoga, discipline, and celibacy are his secret for a long and healthy life.

According to Mirror UK, in a 2016 interview, Swami Sivananda said:

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

He went on to say, “I lead a simple and disciplined life. I eat very simply – only boiled food without oil or spices, rice, and boiled daal with a couple of green chillies. I avoid taking milk or fruits because I think these are fancy foods. In my childhood, I slept many days on an empty stomach.”

“Earlier people were happy with fewer things. Nowadays people are unhappy, unhealthy and have become dishonest, which pains me a lot. I just want people to be happy, healthy and peaceful,” he said.

We really hope the Guinness Book of World Records looks into his claims and officially gives him the title of the oldest man ever to live!