Yoga Day should be a simple affair, not an annual tamasha

It is disheartening to see the rise in lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory problems among Chandigarh residents. This is primarily due to unhealthy eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, tobacco use, alcoholism and obesity. Attaining fitness is not an overnight affair but requires a multi-pronged approach. This needs widespread awareness campaigns via newspapers, social media, radio channels, seminars and community gatherings. These should address topics such as healthy habits in children, obesity in women, heart health, prevention of diabetes and kidney disease, healthy diet and physical activity tips. The school and college curricula must include yoga, meditation and fitness. The general public should be involved in interaction with experts and learn more about the diseases that concern them. Surveys should be done to know the most common forms of cancer prevalent in the area, which will give an impetus to initiate cancer control programmes at the local level.

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Dr Shruti K Chawla, Chandigarh

Make exercise part of your life 

Exercise is essential to stay healthy. Swami Ramdev had made yoga popular much before the Modi government came to power. Ramdev’s yoga camps at different places were regularly televised. I learnt it from there and started practising it, though partially. Foreigners have been much fitter than us as results of the Olympics, world tournaments and other international events reveal. However, the government should concentrate on actual development instead of taking care of its covert objectives. Oxford dictionary defines yoga as a Hindu system of philosophic meditation and asceticism designed to effect reunion with the universal spirit.

Dr Gurdev Singh, Mohali

Annual show just a business opportunity 

In the tricity, the annual show has both negative and positive impacts. Yoga is turning out to be a huge business globally. Earlier, it was performed in the open but now in air-conditioned rooms, houses, fitness centres or resorts. Moreover, due to government initiatives, it has become popular among the masses. If it is practised properly, it connects the body with the mind and soul through proper breathing.

Harpreet Kaur

Wastage of time, money

In my opinion, celebrating International Day of Yoga is a sheer wastage of time, energy and money. It leads to an unhealthy competition amongst various institutions to impress the higher authorities. Rather it should be celebrated in all yoga institutions and fitness centres. Secondly, special reality shows should be telecast with celebrities.

Jasbir Kaur Dham

Make it an everyday affair 

Yoga is not about a few asanas. It is a medium through which we can connect to our real self. Yoga should not gain its importance once a year. It should be an everyday affair. It is one of the tools to gain overall fitness of body and mind. Awareness and importance of this alternative therapy should be spread throughout the year. 

Kamalpreet Kaur, Mohali

Annual programmes  a mere formality

The authorities are wasting money on annual yoga programmes. These are increasingly becoming a formality. The programmes held to teach yoga to people in green belts around the city are useful for people as these help people learn right steps. But these programmes are becoming a mere formality.

Pradyumn Gupta, Chandigarh

Reduce spending

It feels good to see so many people participating in the annual yoga event. But, the authorities should reduce expenditure on it. Otherwise, after some years, it will become a ritual only. No one can deny that yoga is a healthy practice, which should be popularised in a simple way as pomp and show cannot be sustained for long. However, efforts of organisers are commendable.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

Yoga need of the hour

Yoga is a way of life. The power of yoga lies in its simplicity, flexibility and diversity. In today’s fast-paced era, when a majority of population is falling prey to sedentary lifestyle, yoga is certainly a need of the hour. The yogic philosophy and its various techniques can be followed by everyone. Yoga can be adopted and merged into any lifestyle with ease.

Vineet Kapoor, Panchkula

Political gimmick 

Like other hollow slogans framed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the annual yoga programme is also a political gimmick.  Actually, yoga is a physical and mental practice, which originated in India. It is a holistic approach to stay healthy. Yoga gurus from India introduced it to the West in the late 19th and early 20th century.  It can be practised by anybody at any time.   But to divert the attention from the real problems faced by people and to befool them, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it as a political gimmick, resulting in a wastage       of money.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Help maintain good health

Yoga is not a religion. It is a way of life that aims at a healthy mind in a healthy body. With this end in view, the Indian Prime Minister suggested the United Nations in September 2014 to celebrate June 21 as International Yoga Day. Yoga asanas build strength, flexibility and confidence. Its regular practice can help lose weight, relieves stress and improves immunity.

Harish Kapur, Chandigarh

Hold seminars, contests 

Celebrations at the international-level give a big boost to the cause of yoga. Now, throughout the year, one can see people performing yoga in the morning at many parks in the tricity and their number is increasing every year. Seminars and competitions can also be introduced during winter as June 21 turns out to be a hot day. Short yoga sessions can also be introduced in Parliament, state assemblies, offices and educational institutions. Baba Ramdev may offer yoga packages.

Tejinder Singh Kalra, Mohali

Annual programme motivates people

June 21 is very important day in our life because everyone knows that we celebrate World Yoga Day on this day every year. Still many people think it is a useless function. In fact, Yoga Day is useful and helpful for us in many ways. It motivates people to think about their health, having a positive impact on their lives. 

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Need to adopt it wholeheartedly  

Yoga is good for health if performed daily. With yoga and meditation, we can train our mind to stay calm, happy and relaxed. Yoga is considered as a physical exercise but it is just the beginning. Physical exercise is just a part of it. Yoga is never complete without meditation. Now, International Yoga Day is observed on June 21. Central and state ministers relating to the BJP have been directed to perform it on this occasion. It is nothing but a wastage of money and time if yoga is done half-heartedly. It becomes the compulsion of officials to go to these functions as a formality.

M Lal Garg, Chandigarh

Hold such events regularly 

Yoga is now being performed across the globe as the entire world is looking upto us as a leader. How can it be just a formality? In my opinion, every official takes it gracefully and it is useful and meaningful.  The Administration should hold such functions on a regular basis because it helps achieve a balanced life. 

Vidya Sagar Garg, Chandigarh

Aping asanas won’t    serve any purpose

Practising and aping yoga en mass irrespective of age with great fanfare at the cost of the state exchequer and that too only once a year will not serve any purpose. It should only be done under the guidance of a fully qualified trainer. It can be introduced in schools and colleges to have a long-lasting impact. Previously, even physical trainers were recruited from amongst the ex-military personnel but now the story is otherwise.

Sham Murari Sharma, Chandigarh

Teach it in schools

June 21 every year is celebrated as International Day of Yoga with pomp and show. It is unfortunate that we forget about it after the annual programme. Every school principal should direct physical education teachers to impart its training to students to keep them mentally and physically healthy.

Nikita Kapur, Chandigarh

Don’t link it with religion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the public aware about benefits of yoga to maintain a good health and a fresh mind. The purpose of the celebrations is to make it a routine affair in people’s life. But this event should not be linked to any particular religion or community. Instead, it should be promoted to maintain the communal harmony. 

Sukhpal Singh

Just an event for media

Actually, the countrymen have taken it as a physical exercise whereas yoga it is for the complete transformation of one’s life.  What can we do when we are crippled by egoism, materialism, enmity, anger and other vices? Moreover, annual yoga shows have been reduced to just an opportunity for the media. 

MPS Chadha, Mohali

Just a one-day spectacle

Yoga is a part of our life. Yoga enthusiasts can be spotted  every morning in public parks in  addition to those doing  it in cozy  corners of their homes. Such dedicated persons are hardly impressed or amused. All those who are coaxed  by government  agencies to  participate in the annual tamasha and turn up in large numbers in search of free scarfs, caps and other freebies are  only keen to be photographed by the media  with  a  possible glimpse of the  visiting  VIP. Such a tamasha in  every  major city with a Central Minister attending to it is just a mockery of it besides a wastages  of  the public money. But who cares?

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

Rope in local bodies

Celebrating International Day of Yoga on a large scale is just a wastage of money. Instead, the day should be celebrated by local associations in each corner of the city. It is good from health but to celebrate it on a day dedicated to it on a large scale at a particular place in   the city is like an advertisement. So, I am of the opinion that local associations be encouraged to celebrate it.

Tarlok Singh, Mani Majra

Invaluable gift to world 

Yoga is an invaluable gift from India to the world. It ensures the unity of mind, body, thought and action. It ensures the harmony between the man and the nature. It is not about a physical exercise but to discover oneself. So, even if it is for a day, it is worth doing.

Sehajnoor Singh, Patiala

Change mindset

We can adopt it only if we change our mindset. This can be possible if it is introduced in schools, colleges and universities. Otherwise, celebrating it for a day is only a wastage of resources. It is like a  well-planned drama, staged by the Union Government. No doubt, every programme becomes a mega event if conducted by a great event manager.

Parveen Patpatia, Ambala

Good initiative

It is a good initiative by the Union Government as India is the originator of yoga. If the day is celebrated at the international level, it may have several results. By practising it, people will be able to recognise its importance. The peace of mind, the ability to endure and the power to love oneself is possible only through yoga. 

Umang, Ambala

Shun tokenism

Ever since the saffron party gate-crashed into the corridor of power, it has been going hammers and tongs by renaming landmarks, roads and even educational institutions across the country. The much-hyped International Yoga Day on June 21 was more like a PM Narendra Modi-centric event. The  media went bonkers over it, telling people as to how the PM did yoga asanas. This was nothing more than a perfunctory ritual to grab the public attention besides scoring some brownie points. We need to stop splurging crores of rupee on such events. We need to shun tokenism. 

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

Utilise funds for  people’s welfare  

It is an irony that International Day of Yoga has been reduced to an opportunity to show-off by spending tax payers’ money. This practice must be shunned immediately under strict directions of the PMO. Funds should be utilised for the welfare of weaker sections of society. Yoga should be introduced in schools as a subject. Regular yoga camps should be held with the help of NGOs and mohalla welfare bodies.

SS Arora, Mohali

Has served as propaganda tool

Celebrating International Day of Yoga is nothing but a wastage of money. Its a propaganda to please the PM. Instead of spending lakhs of rupee on it, the government should provide funds to education institutions like Panjab University. Such propaganda should be stopped.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

Great move

International Day of Yoga is a powerful move to make the youth realise the need for physical and mental fitness. It’s an initiative to wean them away from mobile phones and television. It’s a great move by the PM, which boosts the morale of the youth. 

Prachi Utreja, Ambala