New Delhi: It was a sheer coincidence that one had landed in Ahmedabad on June 21, the day observed across the globe as International Day for Yoga.
Talk to Yoga enthusiasts about the day’s events in various parts of the city, and everybody seemed to have developed a new thrill towards yoga. It is largely seen by many as alternative ways to achieve well-being.
“The enthusiasm towards Yoga has increased manifold in recent times as many Covid patients got benefits of Yoga. Doctors started advising and the word spread fast that Yoga has helped some patients,” says 34-old businessman Ibrahim Sulema, who runs a bakery outlet in Lal Darwaza locality of the city.
“My family members are today regular with Yoga, children love it and we have relatives who claimed to have saved themselves from Covid19 pandemic. Thanks to Yoga, there is nothing about religion or Hindu Gods involved in Yoga,” he says.
Others also readily endorse it. In the Navrangpur area, former gym trainer Pulak Sen Desai now is also
a Yoga guide. “My experience is people are linking yoga to health more than they used even five years back. I have people coming and telling me that ordinary pranayam asanas helped people with lungs and breathing problems. The keenness to learn Yoga increased especially after the pandemic,” he says.
Some say, Yoga helped them to prolonged stress and anxiety. These problems had increased during Covid and even post-pandemic as jobs were affected. But locals say – “we benefited from yoga”.
A BJP supporter in another busy commercial area of the city says – “In many parts of Ahmedabad, there was a large scale Yoga enthusiasm on June 21 as happens every year. But today, people said adolescents use yoga to bring back focused attention”.
Experts also say about ‘yogic breathing’ can bring overall improvement in the functioning of body systems. Moreover, the ‘cardiovascular system’ also get support from Yoga issues like arterial pressure, and contractility of the heart helped people.
A mega Yoga was organised at the Sabarmati River Front on June 21 early morning, and on June 20,
the previous day, Chief Minister Bhupendra Parl released a booklet ‘Vishwa Yog Diwas- Smanya Yog Abhuaskram’.
Among the neo-Yoga enthusiasts in the traders’ paradise, Ahmedabad is a mother of three children and her age 58.
“I am preparing for retirement soon. But there is stress and sleep disorder. So I was advised Yoga. I admit, I started it with reluctant keenness. But I was impressed, I found Yoga brought in quick sleep and also deep sleep. This was due to the aftereffects of exercise and the mental calming. I got stress relief and sound sleep. I am a new person now,” she adds.
Dr Hemlata Roy says, “Biggest contribution Yoga can make is in your mind. It sharpens concentration and regular yoga practice helps create mental clarity and calmness. The increase in number of enthusiasts in today’s ruthless competitive world is therefore not surprising”.
According to a state government official, on many things, Gujarat is showing an example to the rest of India.
It is time, people’s experience with Yoga in cities like Ahmedabad and Surat too is compiled and shared effectively.
Yoga is certainly not a one-day event. One is convinced about this more from the experience of Ahmedabad citizens.
