Date with asanas: Hyderabad twists, bends & stretches

HYDERABAD: The city woke up to a healthy morning on Thursday as thousands of fitness enthusiasts rolled out their colourful yoga mats and joined the world in performing asanas on nternational Yoga Day.
The GMC Balayogi Stadium at Gachibowli – ground zero of the Yoga Day celebrations in the city – was transformed into a vibrant and lively yoga field as thousands of yoga lovers harmoniously bent, turned, stretched and twisted themselves in various asanas.
From school students to soldiers, ministers to bureaucrats, housewives to senior citizens, over 4,000 people from across the city participated in the mass yoga demonstration organized by the department of AYUSH of the Telangana government, at the Gachibowli stadium.
Health minister C Laxma Reddy presided over the sea of people at the event that also saw deputy chief minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali and Union minister of state for road transport, highways & shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya in attendance as the chief guest and special chief guest, respectively.
It was overwhelming to see so many people from all walks of life throng the stadium well before the crack of dawn to bask in the goodness of this ancient practice that promises a healthy body and a sound mind.
During the mass yoga demonstration, the participants followed the common yoga protocol suggested by the Union government’s yoga team and performing the various asanas in synchronised harmony.
The event also saw many students of Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Vemana Yoga Research Institute engage in various yoga formations while striking several complex postures, in perfectly timed unison.
“It has been an overwhelming experience for us to see so many people participate in such huge numbers. We enjoyed performing all the various asanas along with the crowd. It was really encouraging for yoga enthusiasts like us,” said GMCH students Kavya, Bhavya and Renuka, echoing each other.