On Sunday morning, all roads in Kollam city appeared to be taking people to venues where gatherings were organised to observe the 1st International Day of Yoga. The response to celebrate the day was overwhelmingly positive.
The biggest gathering to celebrate the event was seen at the Kollam beach.
The programme there was organised by the NCC Directorate (Kerala and Lakshadweep). About 6,000 NCC cadets participated.
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There was also a large gathering of people too to take part in the event with the NCC cadets.
The cadets performed a sequence of yoga exercises to the imparted by yoga instructors.
The exercise was for about 30 minutes. NCC officers said that about 55,000 cadets in Kerala alone joined the celebration by doing yoga.
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72 venues
The NCC Directorate had organised the celebration of the day at 72 venues in Kerala.
The celebration organised by the district unit of the Nehru Yuva Kendra was held at the Kollam Railway station on platform number 5.
The programme in association with the Railways was inaugurated by N.K. Premachandran, MP, at a function presided over by Mayor Honey Benjamin. A large number of youngsters took part in the programme by doing yoga there under the guidance of trainers.
After the programme, footballs were distributed to the participants.
The programme organised by the district administration was held at the Asramam Adventure Park in the city and the yoga class there was led by instructor Priya Antony.
Government employees based at the civil station complex took part in it.
The Kollam chapter of the Art of Living celebrated the day by organising a yoga programme at the Quilon Athletic Club grounds in the evening..
In Pathanamthitta
Special Correspondent writes from Pathanamthitta:
The Central Travancore district of Pathanamthitta celebrated International Yoga Day in all towns and village headquarters on Sunday. Hundreds of people, including women, children and senior citizens, took part in the yoga sessions held across the district.
Mass yoga sessions
The local self-government institutions and various socio-religious organisations led the mass yoga sessions at different places.
Municipal chairman A. Sureshkumar inaugurated the International Yoga Day celebrations at the Catholicate College here in the forenoon.
Addressing the meeting, Mr. Sureshkumar said yoga contributes not only to the physical development of the child but also has a positive impact on psychosocial and mental development as well. Yoga and Ayurveda were India’s rich contributions to the world and every Indian should practice and propagate it, he said.
M.S. Sunil, National Service Scheme co-ordinator, presided over the Yog aDay function.
Addressing a yoga session in Thiruvalla, Yogacharya Sreekumar said that the practice of yoga has got a significant impact in maintaining holistic health as a whole. According to him, yoga is the way of life that benefits human mind and body.
Mr Sreekumar stressed the importance of practicing yoga regularly to keep oneself fit, energetic and stress-free.
The Pathanamthitta unit of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti also launched yoga training for merchants and their family members on yoga day.
The KVVES will organise yoga classes from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Mambra Heights near KSRTC bus depot in the town every Friday.