On the fourth International Day of Yoga, the instructors in Delhi said that while awareness about the age-old practice has increased, people do not practice it regularly.
Yogi Anand, an instructor for almost two decades, said the government’s promotion of yoga has made strides for global awareness. His studio has seen a huge interest in classes since 2015.
“I had only about 20 instructors but have now trained 200 teachers in the past four years,” said Anand.
However, Smita Agrawal, owner of another yoga studio, said the increased awareness has not inspired people to practice yoga regularly.
“Inquiries about yoga classes increase around this time but people discontinue the practice. Only if they practice for at least a month, they will see the benefits,” said Ms. Agrawal.
Seema Sondhi, another yoga instructor, said that the city’s high temperatures make it difficult for people to commit to an outdoor activity.
To avoid the heat, the people must attend classes as early as 6 a.m. which can be challenging to those with full-time jobs, she said.
Co-founder of another yoga studio, Gourav Khabya said, “International Day of Yoga only gives a push to people already considering yoga. But we need to sustain the momentum through year-round promotion and workshops to see the real growth.”
He also said that there is a jump in online activity on the topic of yoga around June but falls almost one-and-a-half times in July.
Mr. Khabya also informed that his studio receives about a 10% increase in inquiries in June but the government’s campaign for yoga does not effectively convert that interest into steady practice.
Free yoga classes
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had announced in June 2015 that it would start free yoga classes in Lodi Garden, Nehru park, and Talkatora Gardens but it does not have enough instructors to lead those sessions daily.
A senior NDMC officer said that throughout the year, an average of 500 people practice yoga at NDMC park-designated spots or “yoga stahls”.
The Centre’s attempts to breathe life into the age-old practice of yoga seem to have created only fleeting public interest.
Temporary buzz
In the past four years, the International Day of Yoga has failed to translate temporary buzz to a concrete commitment to the same.