Talk on the benefits of yoga and demonstration of asanas in various educational institutions marked the celebration of International Day of Yoga in Virudhunagar, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts on Wednesday.
At Ramco Institute of Technology in Rajapalayam, Principal R.V. Mahendra Gowda stressed that yoga helped people in the harmonious functioning of body and soul. Trainers from Rajapalayam Manavalakalai Mandram, Venkat Raja and Murugesan, taught yoga postures to students.
In a similar event held at Virudhunagar S. Vellaichamy Nadar Polytechnic College in Virudhunagar, scores of children and adults participated in a yoga session. The polytechnic secretary, T. K. SP. A. Shanmugamoorthy, and patron of Sri Ambal Ramasamy Yoga Centre R. Muthumani spoke about the importance of yoga. They said that yoga would give good health and a sound mind.
More than 400 NCC cadets practiced yoga at G. T. N. Arts College near Dindigul in a session led by yoga teacher Rajesh Kumar. In Dindigul, more than 1,200 students and yoga practitioners presented a mega yoga show. Dindigul District Yogasana Association secretary V. Rajagopal said that special yoga practitioners too performed asanas before a huge gathering. Yoga contributed much in achieving an equilibrium between mind and body, he added. DDYA president G. Soundararajan inaugurated the session. Students of Gandhigram Rural Institute in Gandhigram and children of Theni schools participated in yoga demonstration in their institutions.
Collector S. Natarajan and Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena led hundreds of school students and yoga enthusiasts in performing different types of asanas at the Seethakathi Sethupathi Sports Stadium in Ramanathapuram.
Addressing the yoga session organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Mr Natarajan exhorted people of all walks of life to practise yoga to lead stress-free and disease-free life. Dharani Agro Research and Rural Empowerment Foundation Managing Trustee R. Murugesan taught yoga postures to the students. He also taught asanas to students at Anna University Engineering College and Syed Ammal Engineering College in two separate events. In the evening, hundreds of school and college students took out a rally, highlighting the importance of yoga. Film director Kasthuri Raja was the chief guest at the yoga demonstration held after the rally.
Students should make it a habit to do physical exercises, including asanas at a young age, to lead a life without disease and stress in future, said Inspector of Police Muthukumar, while speaking at the International Day of Yoga function organised at Chairman Manicka Vasagam Middle School in Devakottai. L. Chokkalingam, Headmaster, presided over the function. Students Ranjith and Vignesh spoke about the importance of yoga. Muthulakshmi welcomed the gathering and Sridhar proposed a vote of thanks.