Sheikh Bilal, a student of class X, got up at 6 in the morning, facing chilly wind at 7 degree Celsius, to reach his school at 8am. He reached Government Naveen Higher Secondary School to be a part of a world record feat, Surya Namaskar, organized by the school education department of Madhya
Pradesh across the state.
The state government's programme of Surya Namaskar on Thursday marked the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand.
Commissioner, public instructions Arun Kochar said that this exercise was performed in the about 1.25 lakh schools of the state. More than 50 lakh students and about same number of guardians and state officials apart from public representatives participated in the event.
In Bhopal chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan performed Surya Namaskar at Government Naveen Higher Secondary school, Bhopal. At this location more than one thousand students participated in the event.
At the venue, where chief minister performed, number of muslim students were also seen participating in the Surya Namaskar, defying the fatwa issued by the clergy a day ago.
Taufeeq of class VIII said that his parents had no objection on his doing yoga or surya namaskar, which was a good exercise for his body. Same views were expressed by Razia of class V, who also performed the Yoga.
The department embarked upon a novel idea to organise the Surya Namaskar at the same time across the state. To achieve the goal a Surya Namaskar programme was aired live on All India Radio. The students and other participants in various districts, blocks and villages in the state listened to the Yoga instructions through radio to perform Surya Namaskar. All India Radio (AIR)'s broadcast began at 9:15 am and the programme went for an hour. Speech of Swami Vivekanand, of Chicago convention, too was a part of the radio programme.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, talking to journalists said Surya Namsakar was an exercise good for mind and body. There was no compulsion from the government on anybody to participate in this event.
Officials of the school education department say that the figures of participation in the surya namaskar event would be collected within a week, with evidences and other documentation and would be forwarded to the Guinness book authorities within a month.