Yoga without ‘Om’ is like exercise and song, says Naik

NEW DELHI: Yoga without chanting “Om” is like exercise and song, said Ayush minister Sripad Yesso Naik on Wednesday.

“Chanting ‘Om’ is not compulsory, but yoga is incomplete without it. If people chant something else, it will be more like exercise and song,” he said at a curtain-raiser to this year’s International Yoga Day celebrations at Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex on June 21,

The ministry expects 30,000 people to participate in the main event at Chandigarh, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to join. Close to 20,000 people will participate in 200 other Yoga day venues across India.

Since Inter national Yoga Day falls in the peak of summer, the Ayush Ministry has added 10 minutes to the common yoga protocol to include Shitali Pranayam, a breathing asana that helps lower the body temperature.

“It is very hot in June and doing the shitali pranayam would be good,” said Ajit Sharan, secretary, AYUSH.

The 45 minutes of the common yoga protocol will also be utilised for some intermediate asanas.

According to the feedback we received, people had problems switching from one asana to the other in certain cases. So, we have introduced some asanas in between to ease the change,” said Sharan.

The ministry also wants to engage the youth and the corporate.

“We have asked various industry bodies like FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM, PHD chamber forum to promote yoga among its members. Also, after the first international yoga day celebration, the youth have started looking at yoga as a viable career option. In fact, when we spoke to the various partner institutes we were told that the number of applications coming in for yoga trainers has doubled since,” said Sharan.