What are these happy 60-plus men and women doing enthusiastically? On getting closer, we see that they are spending over an hour in aerobics, yoga, pranayam, clapping and laughing enthusiastically in a park!
And why do these members of the Delhi Laughter Club (DLC) do it? “We want to be mentally, physically and emotionally fit and happy,” says Durga Dass, who is the secretary of club. “Laughter helps body and mind and has helped many ways with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, insomnia and other problems significantly!” he claims.
He is a retired PSU official, who has started more than 35 branches of the Laughter Club in Delhi. The lanky ‘laughtarian’, as he likes to call himself, says that laughing for enjoyment and health must continue for life.
“Laughter is a mood uplifter, boosts quality of life, creates happiness and makes one hopeful and optimistic. The laughtarians’ bonding is to be seen to be believed,” says Durga Dass adding that both natural and forced laughter have the same effect. “Both release good chemicals into the system,” he stresses. The ancient hasya yoga therapy is famous for its benefits.
Dass recently opened the New Moti Nagar Branch in a park where 40 to 50 people come every day. More branches in Delhi and nearby towns are planned. He with two others of his group give lectures at the Tihar Jail.Inmates come out of their sessions feeling fresh, relaxed and happy.
Dass became a passionate laughtarian when depression and its side effects hit him hard. Medication didn’t prove as useful as going for the morning sessions of DLC in a park, and his family noticed the change from the first day. After this, as the proverb goes, there was no looking back and today he wants everybody joining the DLC.
The “miraculous cure” gave him a mission in life – to spread the awareness of laughter as medicine! He has given lecdems with his laughtarian colleagues at parks, corporate offices, educational institutions and even in a chartered bus. Teams of Laughtarians have celebrated Christmas at the Indian Red Cross Society and with some blind students.
The Laughter Club movement started originally on 13th March 1995 with 5 people and today has over 15,000 branches in 72 countries! There is even a Laughter Yoga University in Bengaluru, and a few abroad.
By 6 a.m. every day, Dass reaches his park and goes through his daily DLC routine. He is internally strong and happy, and wants you and me to be the same way.
