A host of events like Suryathon, Yogathon, Yoga Olympiad and a seminar on Yoga marked the World Yoga Day at BMS College of Engineering at Basavanagudi here on Saturday.
Yoga enthusiasts turned up in huge numbers from across the City and various parts of Karnataka to make the event a grand success.
The programme started with Suryathon at 6.30 am, where about 2,000 people including Ananth Kumar, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya and Chikpet MLA R V Devaraj performed Surya Namaskara. The organisers told the gathering that the 12 steps of Surya Namaskara comprises all the basic Asanas that unifies mind, body and soul and makes a person stronger, physically and mentally.
The event was followed by Yogathon at 8.15 am, where scores of people participated to spread awareness about the benefits of Yoga. At the end of the event, Ananth Kumar said he has been performing Surya Namaskara for the last many years. This has kept him healthy and active, which helped him a lot in public life. On the occasion, he announced a grant of Rs 25 lakh from the MP’s local area development fund for the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA).
A Yoga Olympiad was also held, where people from different parts of the country, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa participated.
At the national-level seminar, Dr B N Gangadhar, Dean of the Division of Yoga and Life Sciences of S-VYASA, said the study conducted by his team showed that Yoga is like a brain tonic, which not only repairs the damaged portion of the brain, but also strengthens mental health. Speaking about the therapeutic effect of Yoga, he said the ancient Indian technique brings down depression level.
“There are medicines to reduce depression, but they come with a lot of side effects, whereas Yoga has a positive effect on health,” said Gangadhar.
The Yoga exhibition, organised on the occasion, showcased various Mudras, Asanas and the positive effect of Yoga on the body.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks