An 18-day train journey, 14,000 kms across India, and yoga talk — that’s the mission of a 14-member team from Coimbatore, led by social worker N. Nithyanandam. They board the train at Coimbatore today and kick start a historic and one of longest train journeys to spread the word on yoga. From Coimbatore, they reach Chennai, and then cover Bhubaneswar, Andhra, Kolkata, Bihar, Varanasi, Jammu & Kashmir, Ahmadabad, Mumbai, and Bangalore before concluding the journey at Delhi on June 21 just in time to ring in the World Yoga Day.
From this year, June 21 is declared as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal. Says Nithyanandam, “The recognition is a matter of pride for India and we have to celebrate it. We chose train journey to spread the awareness as people are in a more relaxed mindset. They are willing to listen as they have more time. When you are travelling to places like Guwahati you have to spend three days in train!.”
All the 14 members are in the age group of 35 to 45 and are a part of Thiyana Pothu Sevai Maiyam social work organisation. The team is accompanied by two yoga teachers. “After we board the board the train, one of our members will beat the thappattai to announce our arrival in various compartments. We will distribute pamphlets, printed in English and Hindi, on the benefits of yoga, the do’s and don’ts. We perform skits too and give demos. We will be dressed in uniform to stand out,” says Nithyanandam. He has made six trips to the U.N. to speak on a variety of social issues.
The journey criss-crosses 18 states and a Union Territory and reaches out to a whopping 50,000 people in 18 days. “The journey touches 600 main railway stations and halts for 20 minutes in over 250 stations. In such stations, we plan to give a demo of surya namaskar, yoga postures, and pranayama. One of our members is well-versed in over six languages including Gujarati and Bihari. This will help us overcome the language barrier,” he says.
The objective is to sow the seeds to promote holistic health. “Good health is an asset which any power or money can’t buy. Yoga helps one achieve a healthy body, and purifies mind. Once there is a general sense of well-being, it paves the way for peace. We want to achieve that.”
