People of all ages and from all walks of life in the city joined the nation in reiterating the role played by yoga in disciplining the body and mind on the occasion International Day of Yoga on Tuesday.
Led by the Collector, K. Veera Raghava Rao, a mass yoga demonstration was organised in the morning at the Race Course Stadium by the Nehru Yuva Kendra, in association with Madurai Arivu Tirukkoil. This was followed by a series of events, which included an awareness rally, a youth convention and yoga demonstration in various institutions.
A district youth convention on ‘Yoga for healthy life’ was conducted by the Nehru Yuva Kendra at Ambika College of Arts and Science for Women in which experts spoke about the role of yoga in wellness of the body and mind. Students of Madurai Kamraj University College participated in the yoga awareness rally flagged off by Mr. Veera Raghava Rao. The International Day of Yoga was celebrated at a function organised by the South Zone Cultural Centre and Tamil Nadu Folk Arts Development Centre at Nirmala Girls Higher Secondary School in which the importance of practising yoga was highlighted.
The Confederation of Indian Industry and Madurai chapter of Young Indians organised yoga training sessions in association with The Art of Living for students, teachers and parents at Mahatma Montessori Matriculation Higher Secondary School and Sitalakshmi Girls Higher Secondary School. Rachna Binani, chair, Yi Madurai chapter, addressed the participants. T. J. Tharanidharan and Alamelu Mangai Dharanidharan of Art of Living conducted the yoga sessions.
The Vivekananda Kendra organised yoga demonstration at K. A. C. A. Arunachalam Higher Secondary School, Sethurajan Padma Matriculation Higher Secondary School, TVS Higher Secondary School and Indian Oil Corporation depot at Kappalur. Volunteers of Prajapita Brahmakumaris Ishwara Vishwa Vidyalaya conducted yoga awareness programmes for the public at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. A mass yoga demonstration was organised at S. D. H. Jain Vidyalaya in which about 250 students participated. A group of five students performed 25 asanas at a stretch in one minute and 27 seconds and 50 asanas in three minutes 50 seconds. Principal R. Swarna Geetha spoke on the importance of Yoga. Teachers and students of Mepco Schlenk Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Maravankulam, participated in a yoga awareness programme in which the Principal, A. Veliman, spoke about the need to practise yoga.
In neighbouring Sivaganga district, the Recruit Training Centre of Indo-Tibetan Border Police organised a yoga camp at Government Higher Secondary School, Thirumanjolai. Austine Eapen, Deputy Inspector General, who addressed the students, said that yoga brought great synchronisation between the mind and the body.
