Kimberly Rodrigues / Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 21: International Yoga Day is celebrated every year on June 21 to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga. This year marks the 9th International Day of Yoga, with the theme ‘Humanity’.
Yoga is an art and science for healthy living, bringing together physical and mental disciplines to achieve a peaceful body and mind. This day celebrates the physical and spiritual prowess that yoga has brought to the world stage. It is an important source of exercise and healthy activity practiced by millions on a daily basis. For many, these routines are a way to connect the body, mind, and soul in a way that has existed for centuries.
Many have been incorporating yoga into their everyday regimen to keep their mind and spirits uplifted. Practicing yoga has bought success for many. Rama Varadaraj, Disharag Shetty and Karthika B are some of those who practise yoga every day.
Rama Varadaraj
Rama Varadaraj, a yoga instructor and fitness enthusiast, was formerly a nurse with over 35 years of experience working at hospitals in Abu Dhabi and Manipal. She started her journey with yoga after the age of 60, merely 5 years ago. While most people of her age take the opportunity to retire, Rama decided to practise yoga. She pursued a year-long course at the Patanjali Yoga Academy, Dongerkery, where she learnt and perfected various pranayamas and asanas. She is now teaching yoga to several enthusiastic students.
At the age of 66, this remarkable woman can perform nearly all yogasanas in perfect form with astonishing ease. She has trained 40 students till date, out of which, a few of them are over the age of 60, and the others are around 40-50 years of age. Rama also trained a 76-year-old woman, who had no prior experience with yoga, to perform most of the yogasanas.
Rama states, “I never did yoga in my life. I started only after I was 60. Initially, it was very difficult, but later I was able to perform nearly all the asanas. All my students are very happy and yoga has improved their health and helped a lot in their ailments.”
Rama observed that most children of today’s generation do not understand the significance and benefits of yoga and mostly think of it as a type of leisure activity. She believes that, if children start practicing yoga from a young age, their health and immunity will be much stronger as they grow older.
Rama also emphasizes that there is no right age to start practicing yoga. “The earlier you start, the better it is for your health and body. Yoga helps in controlling an individual’s mind, body, and soul, therefore increasing metabolism, and managing stress and anxiety, which will help your body in the long run. Yoga is a way to simultaneously purify both the body and the mind,” she says.
Disharag Shetty
Disharag Shetty from Mangaluru is a certified yoga trainer who has received several awards like Yoga Kalanidhi, Yoga Kala Prathibha and Yoga Kala Siri. Disharag had trained under Gopalakrishna Delampady. She won the 3rd place in an international yoga competition in 2023 and has been selected for an international yogasana championship in Cambodia.
She is now a PhD scholar at SDM College Ujire and currently working as a consultant psychologist in an IT company MResult Services Private Limited and also at SCS Hospital, Mangaluru. In addition, she is also a freelance trainer. She has worked as an assistant professor, in the department of psychology at St Aloysius College.
On the eve of International Yoga Day, Disharag spoke to Daijiworld on her journey in yoga.
Disharag said, “As a young girl, I had seen my dad practicing yogasanas. Though I had not begun practicing yoga back then during my childhood, the root of my inspiration to practice yoga comes from my family. And my yoga teachers also motivated me into the practice of yoga. To name them, the late Satishchandra Aggitaya sir inspired me to practice yoga and to participate in a yogasana competition. And the one who is continuing to inspire me now in the recent years is Yogarathna Gopalakrishna Delampady, who has guided me with regular practice, helped me to learn more about yoga and supported me to accomplish greater success. I started practicing yoga at the age of 22, during my master’s degree in psychology at SDMC Ujire. Dr Shobhith S Shetty helped me start my journey in yoga.
The advice of Disharag to the youngsters getting into stress, suicidal tendency, lack of motivation and confidence is, “All that I want to tell the youngsters and the general public is, when your situation goes beyond your control, remember that your mind and breath is always in your control. How you want to feel is your choice. Practice yoga, even the simple asanas/pranayama/mudra yoga or any forms of yoga that you find interesting can eventually lead you to live a healthy lifestyle.”
On this year’s yoga day theme ‘Humanity’ Disharag said, “Yoga unites and connects our body and mind. The practice of yoga can lead us to experience better health and make us feel more confident in our abilities to protect and help one self and the others. With the regular practice of yoga, we will be able to connect better, reach out and serve others around us. Yoga can help us build a healthy relationship and it can certainly bring down violence and instill humanity in us. After all, humans are meant to be humane.”
Karthika B
Karthika B is an international yoga player, presently working as yoga coach in Bengaluru having 15 years of experience in yoga practice. For two years, Karthika has been serving as a team coach for Karnataka state team.
Karthika used to practice yoga by watching Aastha TV channel. Later, he trained under Hema Chandrahas and Naveen.
Speaking to daijiworld, Karthika said, “At a young age, I used to practice yoga for competitions. Yoga is very beneficial for our health. Yoga has helped me a lot. It helped me to overcome exam stress and improve concentration.
“My advice is instead of working out in the gym or exercising, it is better to practice yoga because it does not have any side effects. Even the elderly can practice yoga under the guidance of a certified yoga instructor.
“As the coach of the Karnataka team, I had so many challenges as yoga is also included in Khelo India Games and the National Games. I had motivated my yoga players a lot and helped them to get selected for the National Games. Out of 9 members, 4 of them were selected for the National Games.
“Team Karnataka has secured 1 gold, 2 silver and a bronze medal, among which one girl from Puttur has participated in the national championship and also selected for the National Games which will be held at Goa in the month of October,” he said.
Karthika further added, “These days, many issues are cropping up among the youngsters. Yoga can help one overcome many issues. Stress over education, exams and occupation are common nowadays. By the proper practice of Asana Pranayama and Dhyana stress problems can be overcome. Yoga helps to calm down our mind and body. Where it also helps in blood circulation in our body. For every disease, the food intake is a common reason. Yoga teaches us to eat a ‘Sattvik’ diet. Yoga also helps us to overcome digestive problems.
“Hence, I suggest people to practice yoga which will leave a positive effect on your body,” concludes Karthika.