Pilgrim city stretches on Yoga Day

Tirupati: There was increasing Yoga activities in the pilgrim city this year, on the occasion of International Yoga Day in tune with growing worldwide popularity of Yoga. Mass yoga sessions and awareness meetings were conducted in various institutions to mark the 4th International Yoga Day in the city on Thursday.

Speaking at a well-attended Yoga session at SV Ayurvedic College, TTD Joint Executive Officer (JEO) Pola Bhaskar said Yoga relieves the youth from the stress filled atmosphere which is predominantly prevailing today.

Yoga is the best source of energy for both mind and body, he said in the Yoga meet jointly organised by TTD Ayurvedic College and Sri Venkateswara Vedic University at Ayurvedic College grounds.

JEO said, India pioneered practicing Yoga and meditation in their daily lives to live healthy and strong some thousands of years ago. However, the practice of Yoga was declining day-by-day owing to fast growing technological environment. Especially, Yoga is very much required for today's generation to have a balance of body, mind and soul.

At Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (RSVP), the programme was started with floral tributes to Maharishi Patanjali. After that, a common Yoga protocol practice at the indoor stadium was held in which the staff, students of RSVP participated. Later, a rally through the streets of Tirupati was also conducted.

Addressing the Yoga assembly, RVSP Vice-Chancellor Prof V Muralidhara Sharma said that ‘Maharishi Pathanjali, has given a boon to the universe 3,000 years ago i.e., Yoga School, which is a feather in cap of Sanskrit. He said the Vidyapeetha will be starting BSc (Yoga) and MSc (Yoga Therapy) as a regular course from this academic year.

TTD Projects Special Officer N Mukteswara Rao, who was the chief guest, also spoke. Dr Rajendra Reddy, Director of Yoga Therapy Centre, has highlighted about the 40-day Yoga therapy camp, which was concluded today.

The Yoga Day was celebrated with enthusiasm in the Sri City as the employees and executives joined in the Yoga session. Yoga masters Vinay Kumar and Purushotham of Pranava Institute of Yoga and Wellness, Nellore acted as instructors. On the occasion, Sri City Managing Director Ravindra Sanna Reddy said Yoga is an invaluable gift of India to the world and it is a must to bust stress.

Yoga Day was celebrated with vigour and enthusiasm by the medical students of Sri Padmavathi Women Medical College run by SVIMS. Dr TS Ravikumar SVIMS Director and Vice-Chancellor led the yoga session in which doctors and staff also took part. Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) scientists and staff along with agriculture polytechnic students held Yoga practice to mark the Yoga Day.

Regional Science Centre (RSC), Tirupati celebrated the International Yoga Day which started with a Yoga session followed by a contest and later an open house quiz on Yoga in which public and children participated. A poster exhibition on Yoga in the management of diabetes inaugurated by Dr Alladi Mohan, HoD (Medicine) at SVIMS.

Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan’s Sri Venkateswara Vidyala also celebrated Yoga Day in which students participated with a lot of zeal and performed different asanas with utmost discipline and great skill. Yoga, Pranayama and Jyothi Dhyanam was observed by Srivari Seva volunteers in Srivari Seva Sadan in Tirumala.

The Sevakulu expressed their immense happiness for having performed Yoga in Srivari Seva. Jamuna Rani from Salem, said, I am a housewife and a trained Yoga instructor. I am happy that I participated in International Yoga Day in Tirumala while I am in Srivari Seva.

Another volunteer, P Subhash, B Tech student from Proddatur said, from the past two years I am taking part in Yoga Day in our college. “Today, I am overwhelmed, that I took part in Yoga Day in Srivari Seva Sadan,” he stated.