People from different walks of life thronged playgrounds and open spaces to perform yoga asanas across south coastal Andhra Pradesh to mark International Yoga Day on June 21 (Wednesday).
In Nellore, Lieutenant Commander Vinay Ramachandran led members of the 10 (A) Naval unit NCC in performing yoga asanas at the sprawling V.R. College grounds.
In Ongole, Bharatiya Janata Party State president Somu Veerraju led the students of QIS College to perform various sitting yoga asanas. ‘‘I am a regular practitioner of yoga, the gift of India to the world,” said Mr. Veerraju. ‘‘Yoga is considered the panacea for all illnesses, including dreaded cancer,” he added. He was joined by the college chairman N. Surya Kalyan Chakravarthy, and others.
Prakasam Principal District Judge A. Bharati led district judges and staff in performing yoga asanas. She exhorted people to make yogas asanas part of their daily routine to lead a healthy life.
‘’More and more people are setting aside time for yoga, of late, despite their busy schedules after realising the health benefits of it,” said Patanjali Yoga Peetam State vice-president G. Balasubramanium after guiding young and old to perform asanas.
They also performed ‘Surya Namaskaram‘ (salutation to the Sun) at the picturesque Rangarayuducheruvu.
One can keep lifestyle diseases including diabetes and hypertension by practising yoga regularly, he said after teaching the gathering ‘Pranayama’, a breathing technique in yoga which acts as a stress buster. There are special asanas in yoga which help to get rid of obesity, he added.
