EDISON, NJ (TIP): Yoga (Surya Namaskar) marathons, presentations, pledges to stay fit during the rest of 2016 by hundreds of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) volunteers and yoga enthusiasts marked the concluding ceremonies of the 9th annual Surya Namaskar Yagna (SNY) – Health for Humanity Yogathon held at Parsippany, Edison, South Plainfield, Kendell Park, Princeton, Pamonaon January 30th & 31st.

Four, Six, twelve and twenty-four-hour yoga marathons were organized at several locations with volunteers including young children performing Surya Namaskars with great enthusiasm. HSS has been organizing the SNY since 2006 and this year the event was launched on Makar Sankranthi and ever since that day, people have been doing Surya Namaskars every day and keeping a count of them. HSS has been playing a big role in promoting this ancient yoga technique of Surya Namaskar that has immense health benefits to inculcate the habit of fitness among people of all age groups.

Every year people spend hundreds of dollars trying to sign up for various health programs to stay fit but there is a simple and easy way to stay fit by doing Surya Namaskars, a form of Yoga postures that involves 10 simple steps and breathing and can be done by everyone with normal health.

A six-hour marathon session was held in South Plainfield, NJ where hundreds of volunteers participated and together performed close to five thousand (5k) Surya Namaskars. Kids were a big attraction during this event and they did the yoga on par with the adults. Speaking on this occasion Mrs. Namrata Dixit (physical therapist from Central Jersey) stressed the need for keeping ourselves fit through-out the year and especially during winter. She stated that research has already proved that Surya Namaskars have great health benefits and it hardly 15-20 minutes a day to keep ourselves fit in this busy schedule. Not only do we burn calories but it is an easy and simple way to fight obesity and balance all the metrics of the human body. Surya Namaskars should be performed early in the morning for maximum benefit and they help us keep a balance of body, mind and spirit. Several kids asked her some interesting questions on the origin and the benefits of Surya Namaskars.

In another event held in Edison, NJ the chief guest Shri Upendra Chivukula (Commissioner NJ State Utility Board, Ex-Congressman and Deputy Speaker NJ General Assembly) lauded the efforts taken up by HSS in promoting Surya Namaskar for the benefit of the society and was pleased to see so many kids and adults enthusiastically performing Surya Namaskars. Shri Andhra Dev Ji (Senior Physics Professor/Principal, Prominent Yoga teacher from Hyderabad) also attended the program as a chief guest and elaborated the benefits of doing Surya Namaskar.

The program concluded with everyone taking a pledge to continue doing Surya Namaskars during the rest of the year. Certificates of participation were given to kids who successfully did 2 sets (26 Surya Namaskars) a day from Jan 16th till 31st. Several temples and cultural organizations have extended their support for this campaign and also participated in this health of humanity program across several cities in New Jersey.