Health is wealth – this has now become the only mantra of the city people.

Health is wealth – this has now become the only mantra of the city people.

Though people in this industrial city are busy with their hectic day to day schedule, various career option, proper education of their siblings, family pressure and of course to maintain sociability, yet a good number of people are utilizing their time for keeping their health fit. Now groups of people are going to different centers at the predawn hour to practice yogasana or pranayama with the help of veteran instructors there. In Durgapur Steel City the rapid growth in number of various yogpits, gym centers and spas rightly proclaim so and the craze for pranayama – the art of breathing and the art of living – the packages of Swami Ramdev’ji and Shri Shri Rabi Sankar’Ji is high now in this city. Even the kids, the housewives and the school and college goers are practicing pranayama regularly. Age is no bar. Today Pranayama has entered every drawing room of our country and people from every corner of our society irrespective of age, sex and profile are getting wrapped up in the newly found meaning of health.

Pataki Chowdhury, 75 of Indraprastha, Amrai says, “I am practicing such pranayama since five years and in my late seventies still I am energetic and young. I keep myself busy from dawn to late night. A few years ago I was suffering from several ailments but after practicing such pranayama and asanas I am quite fit and energetic. I do not like to miss a day be it a stormy or frosty. ”

            In Sarada Nagar groups of women are performing such activities since a few years. The instructor,  Biswanath Acharjee says, “After having a training in this field I teach this technique to the interested people here. In my group more than 35 people come here regularly and all are very particular and punctual. I feel proud of my team members.  

Uday Chatterjee, who has recently taken over the charge as Instructor of Amrai Yoga Shibir says, “A few years ago I was suffering from many ailments. I consulted a good number of renowned doctors for my problems but to no effect. After that I started to follow the instructions of Ramdev’ji wholeheartedly and now I am leading a healthy, happy and peaceful life. In my team there are nearly 50 members and all are very particular in this respect. I pay hearty attention to all the participants here. ”

Shibdas Banerjee of this shibir says, “A year ago I was so ill that I had to go to Vellore for my treatment. My wife and son became hopeless with me. But after joining this shibir and doing such activities now I am free from all such problems. I remain active throughout the day. Thanks to our senior instructor and adviser Gouranga Chandra Sikdar whose personal care and instruction/advice helped me a lot. Only for his active endeavour this shibir was started in our village  a few years ago and now gained much popularity. Today it has given a new life to lots of those who had given up the least hope of survival and their life was engrossed with morbidity, melancholy and mood of hopelessness & feelings of inadequacy. ”

At the predawn hours before the early rays of sun kisses the industrial town and when the maximum are still enjoying the last hours in their cozy bed, ignoring the severe cold and rain they gather in this holy place and under the banyan trees and start practicing yoga, exercise and pranayama in the serene atmosphere.

Amar Saha, Naru Gopal Dutta, Mithu Rajak are to name a few who were suffering from obesity, hypertension, insomnia and some other problems and could not even dream to pass a day without popping pills and medicine are now leading a healthy life.

Even the women folk are also in no way lagging behind. Though they are typically not quite inclined towards joining such activities because of their domestic drudgery; yet the number of female participants in these two camps is in no way less appreciable. “Pranayama makes us doubly energetic and has given us a new blend of life” states the housewives who are staunch members of the camp. Even the working women and the college girls also manage to cut some time to attend the pranayama session by compromising with their busy and hectic schedule.

‘The benefits of pranayama need no recommendation. The only thing that needs a hearty commendation is the effort and the enthusiasm and that only has made these shibir a frontrunner in this noble mission. Yogic principle is now considered as the highest form of purification and self discipline covering both mind and body. I would be happy if more people join here. ’ said GC Sikdar further.

Kanchan Kumar Chatterjee (Published in TOI)

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