Mysore/Mysuru: With COVID having forced yoga practitioners to rely on social media and online tutorials, this year’s International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21 will be celebrated on Zoom, Google Meet and Instagram, as no formal face-to-face programme is arranged anywhere in Mysuru. 

This will be the seventh edition of IDY and last year too, the sixth edition was celebrated with Mysureans performing Yogasanas within the confines of their homes. The concept of IDY was floated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first term at office in 2014. 

Ahead of IDY falling on Monday (June 21), various institutes have already started organising online workshops, sessions and webinars imparting training to the youths and encouraging them to adopt these exercises in their daily routine for stress relief, especially in COVID times.

Speaking to SOM this morning, Yoga Guru R. Sharath Jois, grandson of legendary Yoga Guru K. Pattabhi Jois, said that since last one-and-a-half years, he has been training candidates from Mysuru through online medium mainly due to COVID-induced travel restrictions and like last year, this year too, celebrations will go virtual on June 21.

Sharath, who runs Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Institute (KPJAYI), said that training will be imparted through technology and many organisations in Mysuru have approached him for online sessions on IDY. 

Yoga Guru Dr. K. Raghavendra Pai, Secretary of Sri Vedavyasa Yoga Foundation, said that they have already prepared a platform for online sessions. “Yoga helps people to stay healthy and get rejuvenated. They can fight social isolation, anxiety and depression that have been commonly witnessed during the pandemic. In fact, ‘Bhramari Pranayama’ or Bumblebee Breath is a powerful weapon to beat COVID blues,” he said. 

Dr. Pai noted that online sessions will be helpful to all those people who are already familiar with various postures. “It will be easy for me to correct wrong postures. Virtual sessions are inevitable and people have accepted the new reality and we have got good results too. None of the Vedavyasa Yoga Foundation members have contracted COVID as Yoga has boosted their immunity,” he said. 

Dist. Administration’s move

Mysuru DC Dr. Bagadi Gautham has stated that District Administration, in association with Zilla Panchayat, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), Department of AYUSH, Government Nature Cure and Yoga College, Department of Public Health, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mysuru Yoga Federation and others, is organising International Day of Yoga (IDY) from the confines of homes and no public programmes will be organised. 

Joining hands with the Administration are Patanjali Yoga Shikshana Samithi, GSS Yogic Research Foundation, Yoga Sports Federation, Bharat Swabhiman Trust and other branches of Mysuru Yoga Federation. 

Participants can register their names on website https://forms.gle/A4RJ5XQCMuW2xj8QA and the photographs of their Yoga session can be WhatsApped to 96115-91119 or e-mailed to [email protected] before 11 pm of June 22. E-certificates will be issued to all participants.

District AYUSH Officer Dr. Seethalakshmi said that while no formal programme is organised by the District Administration for the general public on IDY, special Yoga sessions will be organised at COVID Care Centres in Mysuru city and district. 

NCC Cadets to perform

NCC cadets of Mysuru too will perform Yoga to make it a grand success. Col. Rajesh Kumar, Commanding Officer of 13 Karnataka Battalion NCC, said that virtual events include mono-acting on Yoga, practice of Yogasanas by Cadets at home, virtual debates at school and college-level, online quiz and yoga session organised by Ministry of AYUSH. 

Online Yoga session by Columbia Asia Hospital

In order to spread awareness among people about the benefits of Yoga, Columbia Asia Hospital, Mysuru, is organising virtual Yoga session on June 21 from 7 am to 8 am. Noted wellness consultant and life coach, Supriya Dutta will be guiding people on different types of yoga and the right way to perform it. 

The Hospital has organised this event to reach everyone with the intention of spreading the benefits of Yoga to promote wellness. Participation to this online session is through registration and interested people can call Mob: 94803-63494 or 78291-28776 to register. Limited slots available and no registration fee.

Link for the virtual session: https://meet.google.com/ hux-afhc-tbp

Highlighting the importance of organising such sessions Dr. Upendra Shenoy, Chief of Medical Services, Columbia Asia Hospital, said: “Keeping the well-being of the public in mind, we have decided to organise this session during these Covid times.” 

On the occasion, Hospital is providing complementary health check-up packages for the participants and 15% discount on the comprehensive health check-up. Walk-in with a screenshot of the session.