Every Sunday at 7.30 a.m., a large crowd gathers at Cubbon Park. They do a five kilometre run as warm-up, followed by a yoga session. Conducted by Total Yoga, Run+Yoga has steadily been attracting crowds, even those who aren’t students of Total Yoga. Citizens are turning to doing yoga and exercising in parks rather than work out in a gym, closed off from Nature.Manish Pole, co-founder of Total Yoga, says that by and large, yoga was always designed to be an outdoor activity. “A lot of people like running and many others like yoga,” he explains, “We felt there’s a bridge between moving meditation and study of stillness. That’s why we brought running and yoga together.”
Cubbon Park is the nerve centre of the city. Its sprawling space and lush greenery is perfect to engage in a multitude of outdoor activities. Neetu Singh, co-founder of Total Yoga, agrees and says: “I have observed that over the last two years the number of activities at the park has increased. The fact that the Metro has come up nearby, makes it more accessible.”
Manish adds they have scouted for open spaces even around the city as well. “We do yoga treks once a month. We also do treks to Nandi Hills and retreats to the Himalayas.”
The benefits of exercising outdoors outweighs the benefits of running on a treadmill indoors, as it makes for a more holistic experience. Neetu says: “When you relax after a workout in Cubbon Park, you connect with nature. Exercising outdoors activates different energy channels that help you connect with your inner self. Working on a machine, on the other hand, blocks energy.”
Yoga practitioner Pragya Bhatt has been conducting some of her yoga sessions in a park near her classes. “I do a regular group class. My students requested we move classes outside to a nearby park for some classes.” Pragya says that doing sessions in the park fosters a sense of community. “Regulars at the park have gotten used to seeing us. So whenever we don’t come, they notice our absence and ask after us.” She adds that being close to nature is an undeniable benefit. “My students have told me after Shavasana, when they open their eyes, they feel good looking up at trees instead of a ceiling. You also breathe in fresh air. In the mornings, as there isn’t much traffic, you can hear the birds chirp and the trees rustle.”
Smaller, neighbourhood parks are frequented by walkers and joggers as they often only have walkways. Vaman Acharya, former chairman of Karnataka Chairman Pollution Control Board, says he goes for walks in the park which is nearby his house. “A few years ago it was just an open space, but now it has developed into a park. If I go between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., it is nice to walk, but if I go any later, it is quite crowded, because by then the park is full. There are all kinds of walkers. Some walk in small steps, others in big steps. Some walk so fast they’re always in a hurry.” But it’s not just for exercise and walking that people frequent parks, Vaman adds. “People come by 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and then go to nearby Ayodhya Hotel to eat some of the tastiest idlis and vadas,” he laughs.
Published - July 05, 2016 03:11 pm IST
