Modi’s Yoga Movement Can Be Game Changer
Mr. Modi’s yoga movement must be seen as one of his positive initiatives along with several other steps such as clean India campaign, make in India campaign etc. and all these campaigns are oriented towards improving the all round personality of the country men and has to essentially viewed as a welfare measure.
by N.S.Venkataraman
( June 15, 2015, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Pledged critics of Mr. Narendra Modi in India and abroad have attributed motives to Mr. Narendra Modi for his initiative in spreading yoga culture in India. The critics have said variety of things including that Mr. Modi is imposing Hindu religious practices on others and therefore, yoga movement is anti secular.There have also been criticisms that Mr. Modi frequently anno unces his whimsical ideas and make tall claims about the benefits of his ideas with the view to promoting his personality . There have been a few more similar uncharitable observations.
India has to develop in multiple directions to occupy it’s rightful place in the global arena. While industrial growth and economic development are vital factors that should improve, it is also necessary that the battle for the future in India has to be fought in the minds and hearts of the citizens. Further, physical health factors of the citizens are also important elements of growth.
Several developed countries which have thought in the past that economic and industrial growth are the be all and end all of developments are now having a relook at such approach and are veering to the view that holistic development of man is necessary , without excessively focussing only on material affluence. This is the reason that in the developed western countries ,atleast some people are looking at the developing countries like India to get inputs about the ancient philosophies and practices of these regions, where there have been greater stress on man and his mind as against material welfare.
In India today, there have been considerable deterioration in value systems in life amongst people in general. Corruption has become the order of the day and character building has been receiving less importance even in the educational institutions. These are serious issues facing the country that have to be tackled in an imaginative way appropriate to the present Indian conditions and in tune with the traditional practices in the country. This is what Mr. Modi is attempting to achieve by spreading yoga movement in a big way amongst all sections of the country men, particularly amongst children.
It is well known that the mental health and physical health conditions are often inter related and are also said to be inter dependent to some extent. The practitioners of yoga repeatedly stress the fact that yoga can develop all round personality in individuals to some extent by enabling focus of the mind and the body together on a cause.
The advantages and merits of practicing yoga are now recognised in several countries and United Nations also has accorded it’s approval. Several medical practitioners and researchers advise people to practice yoga to maintain good and robust health. Regular practice of yoga can certainly bring an element of discipline amongst individuals and when children are encouraged to perform yoga at the formative age group , it will have a positive influence on their life style as they grow up.
Certainly, yoga movement can positively influence the life style of Indians and atleast in some cases, it can promote discipline and value system. While yoga may not be a wholesome solution for the variety of issues faced in India with regard to the life style of individuals , certainly, it can have a positive impact to some extent. Obviously, this is what Mr. Modi is striving to achieve.
Mr. Modi’s yoga movement must be seen as one of his positive initiatives along with several other steps such as clean India campaign, make in India campaign etc. and all these campaigns are oriented towards improving the all round personality of the country men and has to essentially viewed as a welfare measure.
Mr. Modi’s yoga movement has the potential to emerge as game changer in India
Criticisms against Mr. Modi’s launching of yoga movement is unwarranted, motivated and counter productive.
