Yoga Kalaikoodam commemorates Yoga day in Jaffna

Jaffna University Hindu Civilisation Department Senior Lecturer and Yoga Kalaikkoodam Jaffna Founder S. Ramanarajah

The human and the cosmos are not two different things but one and it is to facilitate this closeness that yoga – which is today generally seen as physical exercise based was developed by the great sage Patanjali – as a spiritual manifestation of the human body.

The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated across the world annually on 21 June since 2015, following the decision to commemorate the day by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.

Today we feature a local initiative by two young professionals, who had formed the Jaffna based yoga organisation – Yoga Kalaikoodam, which has so far conducted several free yoga programs since early this year. The co-founders of Yoga Kalaikoodam are S. Ramanarajah, a senior lecturer at the Hindu Civilisation Department of the Jaffna University and professional dancer Gayathri Rasiah. To commemorate Yoga day, in collaboration with the Medical Officers of Health of the Nallur area, a special yoga program was held for 35 pregnant mothers at the MOH premises of Nallur. The program was carried out with awareness based briefings on sitting asanas, lung purification, brain purification, the different types of pranayamams, including the sun and moon based homage and related physical postures. 

Traditionally yoga is by itself a prayer offered by aligning one’s mind and body to the sacred geometry of the planet and thereby achieving unity and synchronisation.  Although yoga originates from the Vedic Hindu culture it is today practiced widely around the world and acts as a unifier of people. 

“It is my intention to use yoga to connect human beings and look forward to carrying out similar workshops in Colombo and other areas of the country as well as internationally,” Ramanarajah stated. 

Gayathri Rasiah as a dancer draws similarity with some of the yoga movements and the Bharatanatyam steps.

“Both dance and yoga are interlinked in that they have sacred and universe based origins that seek to communicate the oneness of the cosmos and humankind,” stated Gayathri. She also noted that the connection of yoga and health could be promoted better and especially for ailments such as depression.

“We at Yoga Kalaikoodam hope to conduct more yoga awareness programs for health benefits, especially for mental alertness for students. For pregnant mothers, when done under medical supervision and advice and under the guidance of experts, yoga can facilitate easy delivery,” she noted.