Mysuru: More than 500 yoga enthusiasts of all ages and from across the State are taking part in the day-long State-level Yoga Competition, jointly organised by Datta Kriya Yoga International Centre and Mysore Yoga Okkuta as a prelude to International Day of Yoga, which began at Nadamantapa in the premises of Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashrama on Ooty Road in city this morning.

Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji inaugurated the competition. Speaking on the occasion, the Swamiji stressed on the need for teaching yoga to children at an young age. Highlighting the benefits of yoga, he said that learning a variety of yogasanas will increase memory power in children besides enabling them to stay fit  and healthy.

Emphasising on the need for learning yoga with a determined mind, the Swamiji underlined the role of parents in imparting yoga training to their wards as learning various asanas would help the children to improve their concentration in studies.

Mysore Yoga Okkuta President S.V. Venkateshaiah office-bearers M.S. Ramesh Kumar, Shantaram, T. Jalendra Kumar and others  were present.

The competition is held under 8 categories for boys and girls and men and women, based on age group. While 3 categories are meant for boys and girls aged between 8 and 18 years, the rest 5 categories are meant for men and women in the age group of 19 to  56+ years.

The contest is open to all yoga students, schools and colleges and each participants has to perform 3 compulsory asanas from the list of mandatory Asanas and two advanced Asanas of their own choice. Six toppers from each category will be awarded prizes.