Lakshman and Anita Khurana have been waking up at the crack of dawn for the past 20 years to practise yoga in their colony park.
As they walked out of their house, yoga mats tucked under their arm, on Sunday morning, they had lot more company as many gathered to observe the International Yoga Day. The group that assembles at the park was pleasantly surprised by the turnout, as the occasion brought out many who practice yoga in the privacy of their homes as well as some who decided to kick-off Sunday the healthy way.
Unlike the grandiose event at “Yogpath”, celebrations at parks and colonies across the city were less synchronised but equally effective as they brought together people looking to celebrate what has become a routine and to motivate each other to continue doing yoga.
“Yoga for me is about personal discipline and today was no different from any other, but it feels nice to have a sense of occasion and bond with others who share a positive attitude towards yoga,” said self-confessed yoga addict Sanjay Singh.
Some residents’ welfare associations turned the event into community bonding exercise, just like during Holi or Diwali celebrations. An RWA in a condominium complex in Gurgaon encouraged people to do yoga together and even organised breakfast so that discussions on leading a healthy lifestyle continued.
Moving beyond Sunday’s event, some RWAs have decided to make it a routine affair.
“We have decided to conduct special morning sessions of yoga only for senior citizens. It is very heartening to see all of them together as they end up sharing their worries and joys,” said Pitampura resident Rosie Mehra.
Even those denied entry into the “invite only” event at Rajpath failed to let the same dampen their enthusiasm as they spread their mats in open spaces around India Gate.
Students and NCC cadets could be seen walking with a spring in their step after the event, a green “goody shoe bag” in their hands. “We’ve got a brand new yoga mat, a jersey and a water bottle. We were taught asanas for two weeks at our camps. The last three days, we practiced here at Rajpath,” said 14-year old Vishal, who wore the white jersey with his NCC khaki pants.
Days of debate on yoga and how it was being forced on Muslims were put to rest as many from the community participated in the event.
Shoeb Khan, who was at Rajpath with his father, brought his namaaz mat to perform yoga. “We had sehri and then came here. I prayed in the garden and only then did I perform yoga. Controversies around Muslims and yoga is just for political parties to gain mileage over others. Everyone should practise yoga as it has to do with personal well-being and not religion.”
The event saw a lot of foreigners joining in as well. Christie Molly, a social anthropologist from the Netherlands, said: “In the history of the world, nothing has as much potential to bring the world together on a mat as yoga. The art or exercise can be used to heal the world, resulting in a healthy mind.”
Unlike the grandiose event at “Yogpath”, celebrations at parks and colonies across the city were less synchronised but equally effective
