My recent school trip with Yoga students to Ranchi in the state of Jharkhand that was carved out of southern Bihar in 2000 was indeed a memorable one. It once again took me down memory lane when I had travelled alone for work to Simla to report on 'unusual winter' in North India. I remembered how my cameraperson Manoj was a huge support when I shivered under my leather boots from 8 a.m. till almost 9 p.m. doing LIVE OBs (Outdoor Broadcasts) from the Town Hall and the Mall. I stayed up all night in the room at Naldera (where the golf course was) as somebody told me a man-eater visits the area every night. Then I also remembered how I almost slipped while going to the public toilet as the snow was melting and the passage was very narrow. Then of course the best part was the gift (Khadi jacket) I bought for my mother from the local Khadi Gramodyog and some souvenirs for colleagues and friends.
This trip was way better as I had the company of another male colleague who was managing most of the trip. I only had to hang around with little ones, trying to fend for themselves and partially succeeding in the process. Each one seemed like a mini-adult with their own suitcases and belongings and managing everything in the hotel room from calling the housekeeping to get the room cleaned, to making tea for everyone, to practising Yoga intermittently to even waking up at 5 a.m. for the early Yoga competition. Hats off to them for such Yoga Ninjas, something I never was as a child. Frankly speaking, my Tittibhasana was so poor at 9 while now, at 39, it is better and my knees are more straight than ever while in the pose. The inspiration comes from the girls. Briefly my 'Virabhadras' (my little warriors) even became media students clicking multiple photographs, taking slow-mo videos and modelling for the camera. As I wrote my diary at night, one of them innocently asked, "Ma'am, do you share your secrets with your diary? Who do you share your secrets with?" and I had to answer, "No way. I share my secrets only with God." There were many such incidents based on my interaction with the kids that left me thinking about my philosophy of life and inspiring me to rethink the way I have been living so far.
Then came the D-Day and the event unfolded with cultural programmes, musical chants, religious and wise sermons and a splash of colour. It all went smoothly where we got some selfies clicked with the budding Yoga stars like Anushka Karmakar who bent their bodies with agility and flexibility. Our girls were no less with immaculate precision, unflinching dedication and sharp focus in each of their performances.
However, Yoga here was done as a sport and girls were dressed more like Apsaras than Yoginis, at least a few of them. What intrigued me was the way in which girls bent like gymnasts and danced like acrobats, too. Yoga, of course, is much more, as I later had a long conversation with a local school staff who was a Christian and asked me, "Is Yoga for the body or for the mind?" It was yet another enlightening interaction with the gentleman, who later became my Facebook friend (:))!
All in all, a brilliant 'learning experience'!
This trip was way better as I had the company of another male colleague who was managing most of the trip. I only had to hang around with little ones, trying to fend for themselves and partially succeeding in the process. Each one seemed like a mini-adult with their own suitcases and belongings and managing everything in the hotel room from calling the housekeeping to get the room cleaned, to making tea for everyone, to practising Yoga intermittently to even waking up at 5 a.m. for the early Yoga competition. Hats off to them for such Yoga Ninjas, something I never was as a child. Frankly speaking, my Tittibhasana was so poor at 9 while now, at 39, it is better and my knees are more straight than ever while in the pose. The inspiration comes from the girls. Briefly my 'Virabhadras' (my little warriors) even became media students clicking multiple photographs, taking slow-mo videos and modelling for the camera. As I wrote my diary at night, one of them innocently asked, "Ma'am, do you share your secrets with your diary? Who do you share your secrets with?" and I had to answer, "No way. I share my secrets only with God." There were many such incidents based on my interaction with the kids that left me thinking about my philosophy of life and inspiring me to rethink the way I have been living so far.
Then came the D-Day and the event unfolded with cultural programmes, musical chants, religious and wise sermons and a splash of colour. It all went smoothly where we got some selfies clicked with the budding Yoga stars like Anushka Karmakar who bent their bodies with agility and flexibility. Our girls were no less with immaculate precision, unflinching dedication and sharp focus in each of their performances.
However, Yoga here was done as a sport and girls were dressed more like Apsaras than Yoginis, at least a few of them. What intrigued me was the way in which girls bent like gymnasts and danced like acrobats, too. Yoga, of course, is much more, as I later had a long conversation with a local school staff who was a Christian and asked me, "Is Yoga for the body or for the mind?" It was yet another enlightening interaction with the gentleman, who later became my Facebook friend (:))!
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