AQI poor: Health conscious Delhi-NCR residents take to yoga, indoors

Health conscious denizens are taking to yoga more in numbers, since they can practise it indoors, and stay away from smog hazards.

Since October set in, Capital’s air has gone for a toss impacting denizens. Those who were already fighting Covid-19, and staying indoors had started to come out only now, but no longer is that the case. The developing smog is enveloping Delhi-NCR yet again, discouraging many to not to venture out for their regular morning walks or jogs.

Indoor yoga classes are becoming a preferred choice among Delhi-NCR residents as air pollution rises. (PHOTO: Arun Sharma/HT (For representational purposes only))

Outdoor to indoor, in air purified environment

“I’ve an early case of arthritis and was recommended regular, light exercises. I would earlier go to the neighbourhood park in my locality at least once every day to be able to do so. But now, breathing has become hard! Right in the morning hours one can see smog. So now, I’ve been staying indoors and doing yoga at home with an air purifier in the house. Health matters, especially during the time of a pandemic,” says Meenakshi Gupta, a resident of Noida.

Yoga classes a hit, offline or online

A few days back, one could spot hordes of people sprawled across various parks and gardens on a regular day, but now, many residents have taken to indoor yoga sessions amid rising pollution levels.

An east Delhi based yoga instructor, Harendra Gautam confirms that demand for home visits for yoga classes have also increased in the recent past. “During this season, because of stubble burning, there are more cases of lung ailments reported by residents in Delhi-NCR. I’ve been getting requests for yoga classes from families and professionals who are working from home and earlier didn’t want to risk going out to the gyms, and now don’t feel like like going to open spaces or parks due to pollution. And there is definitely a more conscious realisation among people that yoga is helpful in keeping many diseases at bay,” he says.

Health on priority? Yoga se hi hoga

And some denizens have reverted to the virtual medium that they tried out at the start of lockdown. A Mehrauli-based yoga practitioner, Leelanand Thakur says he has been conducting yoga classes online for his patrons, which protects them from pollution induced ailments as well as builds their immunity to fight coronavirus. “Three of my clients had developed symptoms of coronavirus and through regular online yoga classes, they emerged unscathed. People are opting for virtual classes so that they can stay safe at home, and yoga does work wonders for their physical as well as mental health. Needless to say, it does benefit those having breathing ailments as well. So practising yoga amid rising pollution is of course a safe option indoors,” he adds.

Author tweets @bhagat_mallika

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