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The journey to the Lok Sabha requires walking 5-6km under the scorching sun in this campaign heat. And yet some of our politicians rough it out with a smile.
The secret behind those bundles of energy the leaders exude even after umpteen rallies in this heat could lie in yoga, meditation and a brisk walk.
Take RJD president Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti, who is contesting from Pataliputra constituency. She sets aside 40 minutes every day for yoga even though campaign work keeps her occupied for the rest of the day.
“Mukesh Yogatm, a teacher from the Munger-based Bihar School of Yoga, is teaching me yoga for the past year. I make sure I don’t miss a class even during my campaign. Yoga helps me remain calm and composed. Thanks to yoga, I am smiling throughout the campaign.”
Misa adds: “I have to meet a lot of people, walk kilometres in this scorching heat. All this could have taken a toll on my patience but my yoga sessions keep me recharged through the day. I am grateful to my husband who inspired me to take up yoga. Surya Namaskar, Nari Shodhan Pranayam, Bhramari and Gayatri Mantra chanting are included in my yoga session.”
Misa’s husband Shailesh Kumar, a computer engineer, said he was introduced to yoga during his stint at IIT. “Yoga helps get a spiritual connect. I told Misa to start doing yoga as I know its benefits. I also advised her to continue with her yoga during the campaign period as it would help take the burden off campaigning,” Shailesh said.
Yoga works not just for Misa. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and former health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, too, take time out from their hectic campaign schedule for their yoga sessions.
Paswan loves yoga so much that even campaign can wait. “Paswanji doesn’t like to talk when he is doing yoga, he gets so involved. Not only that, he starts late for campaigning if he has not had time for yoga. His first preference is yoga and then campaign,” said a party leader who didn’t wish to be named. So next time Paswan is late for campaign, it’s possibly yoga that has held him back.
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Paswan confirmed the same. He does yoga for 30-40 minutes and follows it up with 30 minutes of brisk walking. “I know it is helpful. That is the reason I follow this routine without a break. Even during campaign period, I don’t skip my yoga and morning walk,” said Paswan. He also avoids oily food and takes more apples during this phase. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away. I follow this saying,” said Paswan who is contesting from Hajipur.
Yoga instructor Madan Yogi claimed that asanas could be quite helpful for politicians during their campaigns. “The best thing of yoga is that it helps one to de-stress. During campaigns, politicians have to work in very tough conditions. They have to brace dust and scorching heat while working in the field for long hours which could result in heavy body pain also. There are asanas through which one can completely cure body pain, depression and allergy-related problems. One such asana is known as ‘Neti-Kriya’. When Lalu Prasad was chief minister, I used to even accompany him during their campaigns. Lalu was so much impressed with the benefits of yoga that he didn’t want to skip it during his campaigns also,” said Yogi, who had also taught yoga to politicians like Shivanand Tiwari among others.
Former health minister and BJP candidate from Buxar, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, is equally particular about yoga. His nephew Gunjan told this correspondent that Choubey was scheduled to leave for campaigning at 8am recently but started off an hour late as he wanted to finish his yoga first.
“Puja-paath (prayer) and yoga are a must for me and I can’t skip them. These things become even more important for me during elections as they help me gain physical and mental strength. Though I am able to cut down on worship during the campaign period, I can’t compromise on my yoga,” Choubey told The Telegraph over phone from Buxar. He said he had been doing yoga and meditation for the past 50 years.
Ghulam Ghaus, the JD(U) candidate from Madhubani, is sticking to his morning walk routine. “Usually, I go to Gandhi Maidan for my morning walk, but these days because of time crunch I take a stroll on my premises. After returning from campaign around 11pm one of these days, I woke up early for my morning walk around 6am. You can gauge my love for it from this,” said Ghaus (57), with a big smile.