As the city celebrated International Yoga Day on Tuesday, thousands bent and twisted their bodies, formed mudras, practised pranayama and meditated for the greater good. Governor K. Rosaiah led the State in performing asanas at an event organised by Department of Yoga, Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University at Raj Bhavan.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rosaiah said that yoga harmonised the soul, mind and body and refines the inner self. He appealed to the public to take up the practice of yoga daily. Terapanth Jain Vidyalaya students presented yoga books to the Governor.
At Sri Sairam Group of Institutions in Tambaram, Minister for External Affairs V.K. Singh and BJP State president Tamilisai Soundarajan participated in the Yoga Day celebrations. The meeting was presided over by J. Saiprakash Leo Muthu, CEO, Sri Sairam Group of Institutions. Mr. Singh said that yoga was beyond all religions.
At the YMCA grounds in Nandanam, over 15,000 NSS and NCC students and members of the public, wearing pyramid-shaped hats, participated in a demonstration of yogasanas, pranayama and meditation.
The event was organised by Chennai Pyramid Spiritual Trust and Exnora International.
Students of Meenakshi College for Women, S. Rekha, B. Lavanya, P. Soundariya, D. Racika and S. Arthi said they had been learning yoga from their school days and had participated in a special camp last year.
“We want to continue practice regularly,” said Ms. Rekha. Yoga teachers C.V. Jayanthy and S. Natarajan said people of all ages could practise yoga. Mr. Natarajan said workplace yoga was gaining popularity.
Music Day
Eminent musicians S.R. Krishnamurthy and Gayatri Shankaran, mridangam artist Erode Nagaraj and morsing artist R. Raman were felicitated at the World Music Day and International Yoga Day event organised by Carnatica and Samudhaaya Foundation. Mylapore MLA R. Nataraj said the musicians had contributed immensely to the field of Carnatic music. Vocalist Sudha Raghunathan, M. Murali of Sri Krishna Sweets and V.V. Sundaram of Cleveland Tyagaraja Aradhana were among those who spoke.
Events at PSUs
Several events were organised by public sector undertakings, Chennai Port, schools and colleges. At Indian Oil Bhavan, U.V. Mannur, Executive Director (Tamil Nadu and Pondy), led a team of employees in performing yoga. About 150 CISF personnel at the Chennai Port Trust participated at an event that was led by Anand Mohan, Inspector General (South Sector).
At the Indian Institute of Technology – Madras, the celebrations were presided over by Dean of students M.S. Sivakumar. Tamil Nadu Open University held talks about the benefits of yoga. In Sir Theagaraya College, the events were inaugurated by Principal G. Ravichandra Babu and later students were taught yogasanas by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad. Sri R.K.M. Sarada Vidyalaya Matric HSS, T. Nagar and Exnora Greater Chennai conducted a seminar on yoga for student development. At Sevalaya’s Mahakavi Bharathiyar HSS., a mass yoga was performed with all its 2,000 students participating. At KRM Public School, (CBSE) Perambur, ASI Superintendenting Archaeologist K. Lourdusamy and Assistant Archaeologist Neeti Anil Kumar inaugurated a photo exhibition of yogic postures.
Southern suburbs
About 250 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and residents in and around Pazhavanthangal and Meenambakkam participated in a ‘Yoga for Health’ programme organised under the aegis of CISF Chennai Airport at CISF Barrack at Pazhavanthangal. Deputy Commandant, CISF Chennai Airport, Lalit Panwar participated. At the National Institute of Siddha at Tambaram Sanatorium, more than 500 participants, including staff and students, participated in various programmes.
Free yoga centres
As part of its celebrations, Neyveli Lignite Corporation Chairman and Managing Director Sarat Kumar Acharya unveiled the plaques of 17 free yoga training centres with gym equipment in and around Neyveli under its CSR initiatives, including one at Barsingsar Project, Rajasthan and one at NTPL Project, Thoothukudi.
Rakesh Kumar, Director (Finance), Subir Das, Director (Mines), V.Thangapandian, Director (Power) and S. Sridhar, CGM (PR, Edn) of NLC graced the occasion. The yoga centres will function for three hours in the morning and evening.
