Yoga: Health at the cost of personal liberty?

A lot of debate and disputes emerged ahead of International Yoga Day. While controversies regarding yoga are nothing new to our country and to the world as a whole, the arguments seemed to have reached a pinnacle this time due to several religious and spiritual implications of the decisions taken by the government.

It all started when the government initially planned to include certain asanas and shlokas in the official yoga event, drawing criticism from the minority communities.

For example, the government’s move to include the popular sun salutation or Surya Namaskar in the Yoga Day program has been opposed by some Muslim groups, who are of the opinion that it's anti-Islamic. However, the government has had a rethink and removed Surya Namaskar from the yoga event.

Yet, there is no end to the controversy. The government's decision to make Surya Namaskar and Yoga compulsory in schools has been viewed as a matter of concern among the minority communities with the All India Muslim Personal Board contemplating to take the issue to the Supreme Court.

Minorities claim that Yoga is a threat to their religious beliefs and an attempt to saffronise education.

Christians, on the other hand, have expressed discontent over a different issue. Their concern is over various important functions being held on Sundays because it is a sacred day for the believers. Now, even Yoga Day, which is on June 21, happens to fall on a Sunday.

Earlier, the BJP government’s decision to observe former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday as Good Governance Day on December 25, had angered many as it clashed with one of the most important dates on the Christian calendar Christmas.

The inaugural Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations, was led by the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, that was broadcasted at the Times Square to a global audience.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living Foundation, also gave a special lecture and guided those present at the India-led event in New York, on various yoga postures, which included UNSG Ban Ki-moon. 

Yoga is believed to have originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is derived from the Sanskrit word 'yog' which means 'to unite or to join'. Yoga, in one sense, means to connect with yourself and the universe, and is a physical, mental and spiritual practice to bring about better well being.

Yoga is also defined as an ascetic discipline involving controlled breathing, specific body positions and meditation, with the goal of attaining a state of deep spiritual insight and tranquility.

There are various types of yoga which include bhakti, hatha, jnana, karma and raja. Yoga involves asanas and pranayama.

Yoga has been adopted by many countries as a form of exercise. It is believed that yoga aids in healing and rejuvenating process of the body and soul. Many studies have tried to define the effectiveness of yoga in managing certain diseases like cancer, asthma, schizophrenia and heart disease; however the results of these researches have been mixed.

Whether we agree to it or not, it is clear from a historical perspective that yoga is has Hindu origins, although one is not necessarily required to be a Hindu to practice yoga.

The government, on its part, has tried to suppress all controversies saying “Yoga is for the well-being of all and has nothing to do with any particular religion.”

However, it seems that yoga is different from other exercise systems as its main objective is to combine body, mind, and soul together. Apart from the spiritual goals, yoga also involves elements of physical activity and is being practiced extensively worldwide today for healing purpose, and undeniably it has its benefits.

Possibly a solution could be to make Yoga a recommended but not compulsory activity in schools. India is a democratic country where every citizen has the supreme right to choose his/her dos and don’ts. It should be left to individuals to choose whether they want to adopt yoga or not.