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| School children throng Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar | | Unprecedented response to Yoga Day in Kashmir | |  Abdul Majid
Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 21: Hundreds of students from various educational institutions today observed the World Yoga Day celebrations at Srinagar's Bakshi Stadium, despite criticism from different quarters.
Officials said it was for the first time in recent past that such a big gathering was witnessed in the summer capital where not only school children but even many parents were present to mark the occasion.
By sunrise over 2000 school children had already made it to the venue along with their parents, said officials. They said at least 5000 students from various government and private schools of Srinagar attended the Yoga session which lasted for two hours starting 6:00 am.
"I really enjoyed the Yoga classes and will continue with this exercise…I don't understand why some people were asking us not to participate in this activity, which will keep us fit and fine," said a Class 10 girl. She said she and her classmates pledged to continue with the "Yoga as it's the best exercise for health and mind."
The participants were given brochures about Yoga, with 'Surya Namaskar' on its cover page. "Surya Namaskar is nothing but a form of exercise. We shouldn't mix it with religion to create hatred," a student said.
Some groups like Jamaat-e-Islami had recently termed the Yoga as "anti-Islamic" exercise. "Muslims should not be swayed by any propaganda and remain firmly attached to their faith," a spokesman of the organization had said in a statement.
"Yoga is not a simple exercise but a religious exercise-cum-prayer of a particular polytheistic community in which besides physical exercises, some religious practices of this particular community are intermixed," the Jamaat had alleged.
The edict from the religious group had, however, little impact on today's event. "The response has been overwhelming," Srinagar's Deputy Commissioner Farooq Ahmed Lone was heard telling his colleagues.
A school principal pleading anonymity said, "Initially we had some apprehensions, but given the assurance from the Education Department that there was nothing to worry about we tried at our level. Things finally worked. Now nobody has a problem with Yoga, which has proved a blessing for us all," he added.
Senior officials of Education department who had roped in the schools said the minister concerned, Syed Naeem Akhter Andrabi's personal intervention worked wonders. "Though he was not personally at the forefront, he used all his good offices to prevail upon the schools, its staff and even children to make the event a success," the officials said.
Asked why the event was restricted to schoolchildren, the officials said their college counterparts were deliberately avoided. "We had reports that in the garb of college students miscreants may make it to the venue. So we did not take any chance," a senior official said. But, he quickly added, "Colleges were asked to conduct Yoga function at individual levels."
The Yoga fever has been so high in the air that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Saturday called terrorists as "gyani" (learned) and suggested that they should do Yoga in order to channelize their knowledge towards constructive work in the society.
"Knowledge is very dangerous. Those who are involved in terrorist activities, they are also 'gyaani'. They do not lack knowledge. There are many people in terrorism, they have knowledge too. But knowledge should be used in such a way that it becomes helpful to the society, not disastrous. Yoga will do the work of controlling that knowledge," Singh had said. Singh, whose ministry is entrusted with the job of ensuring internal security, also asked political parties not to create controversy over International Yoga Day, to be celebrated across the country and abroad on Sunday.
J&K's Health Minister Lal Singh had advised separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani to perform Yoga. |
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