Stress-busting with asanas

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The rain clouds hovering over, the sun glancing furtively just to give enough warmth and the body craving for some activity to shed its dreamy languor. These are the best times to do some yoga. And for Kerala Police, they can’t ask for any better time! The season has largely been daunting and depressing for them. From underlings to top bosses, all have been receiving their shares of bashing for varying reasons-  as if an egalitarian society has finally been moulded!

The Police Department conducted its yoga programme at the basketball court of Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium as part of the Yoga Day celebrations. A bevy of police high-level officers including State Police Chief Loknath Behera, ADGP’s Anil Kanth, Nitin Agarwal, IG Dinendra Kashyap and DIG K Sethuraman were among those who were present. Agarwal’s wife Smitha Agarwal, a qualified yoga instructor, led the session. IG Manoj Abraham  co-ordinated the programme. He said Common Yoga Protocol laid down by Ministry of Ayush was followed.

“The asanas laid down in that protocol were followed and were enthusiastically performed by participants including the higher officers,” he said. The programme lasted for almost 70 minutes. Similar programmes were also held in other districts, mostly led by district chiefs.

Of late, Kerala Police is taking the help of yoga to enhance physical and mental abilities of its members. For the last one year, all most all the stations across the state have earmarked a day to practice yoga. “We are giving proper yoga training to our personnel. In police stations, a day has been earmarked to teach yoga and this has gone down well with the force,” Manoj said.

IG Kashyap, who has been an avid yoga practitioner for quite some time, said the exercise was good in busting stress as well as maintaining physical fitness. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, 15-20 minutes daily. For those who work for long hours, 24x7 and under stress, yoga is really useful,” he observed.