Visakhapatnam: The celebration of International Yoga Day on Saturday at Visakhapatnam was marked by grandeur as people, regardless of age or community, joined for this global initiative.The massive event witnessed participation from over three lakh enthusiasts, showcasing the universal appeal of yoga across diverse demographics. The celebration stood out for its remarkable inclusivity, with participants spanning from young children to senior citizens, representing various communities and backgrounds. Women formed a major portion of the gathering, many accompanied by children, creating a vibrant family atmosphere that emphasised yoga’s role in holistic wellness for all ages. Before the starting of the event volunteers made sure that QR scanners were attached to participants’ t-shirts to ensure proper registration and tracking throughout the venue. K. Varun, a volunteer at MVP circle explained the registration system to participants, emphasising the importance of properly attaching QR codes to T-shirts for effective tracking. However, the massive turnout did present some logistical challenges, with shortages of mats and T-shirts causing disappointment among some participants. Despite these challenges, many participants adapted by attaching QR codes to their regular clothing, though some were unable to participate due to space constraints and had to return. Yoga instructor Sirisha, currently pursuing a PG diploma at Yoga Village, and Satyababu, an MA graduate working as a guest faculty member, had been training people and students for the past month in preparation for the event. “We’ve been working to help participants understand proper posturing techniques,” Satyababu said, emphasising the importance of correct form in yoga practice. Children between ages 6-15 formed an enthusiastic segment of participants. Young participants, including Ispateja, Ram Charan, Dhanush, Tejaswi and Nitish, attended following encouragement from their school teachers and said they attended the event with their mothers and enjoyed doing it. The event particularly resonated with elderly participants seeking to maintain active lifestyles. Koteswar Rao, a retired employee, expressed his enthusiasm. “Every day I go to parks in the morning, exercise a bit and walk back home. This is something new and exciting that keeps us healthy at this age,” Koteswar Rao said. Rama Lakshmi, a 60-year-old housewife dealing with knee problems, shared her transformative experience. “I don’t know how to do yoga and all this, but the CM has started the Yoga Andhra Initiative. Volunteers came and made us do yoga, and I see a bit of improvement in my pain. I am planning to continue,” Rama Lakshmi said. Visalakshi, a participant from C-26 block in Arilova, expressed her satisfaction. “It’s such a nice initiative, a fun activity with my children. It didn’t take much trouble at all. I boarded the bus at 4 am and reached here smoothly. The organisers did excellent job,” Visalakshi said. Md Fardana appreciated the streamlined registration process. “There was no problem for me at all. I came to know about this event just yesterday, registered immediately and everything went smoothly,” Fardana said. Young enthusiasts Josh Kamal, Mohammad Ishan and Dheeraj said they have been initially assigned to C-26 block, but were relocated to C-25 when their original section reached capacity. “We’re used to the gym, so this is a kind of fun activity for us,” they shared. “The change in blocks wasn’t a problem at all – we’re just happy to be part of this amazing experience,” they added. Surya, a 45-year-old businessman, commended the arrangements. “The facilities are really nice. Everything is well-organised and it’s wonderful to see such a massive gathering for promoting health and wellness,” Surya said.
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