JOIN USOne can be free of diseases, even if he or she practises Yoga thrice a week, with 15 minutes of pranayama, said actress Shilpa Shetty on Sunday.
She was addressing a gathering of more than 2,000 yoga enthusiasts at Kanteerava Stadium in the city, on the occasion of International Yoga Day. Advocating Yoga for a healthy living, the actress called upon everyone gathered to realise that nothing was more important than one’s health. She told the participants, “It is cool to do yoga. But do not do it only because it is cool or only because you want to lose weight. Do it because it will bring a change in your life. It will keep you focussed.”
In response to criticism about Yoga Day that it was promoting religion, she said, “There has been lot of discussion and debate on the religious aspect of Yoga. If it were religious, it would not have been observed across the world. Yoga is pure science. I practise it to lead a disciplined life. If I am healthy and happy today, all credit goes to Yoga”. Shetty said that while most people assume that Yoga was only for old people, she had sought to change the myth.
For health
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who inaugurated the event, said, “Yoga is not just exercise. It is a means to keep one's mind and body healthy. It does not matter how many years one lives. But what matters is how many years one stays healthy”.
The event was attended by hundreds of schoolchildren and other yoga enthusiasts.
Swami Vachanananda instructed the gathering on several Aasanas, to mark the day. Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande, Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof B Thimme Gowda, registrar (administration) K K Seethamma and registrar (evaluation) Prof B Ninge Gowda were among those present.