Free yoga and meditation classes are being held at a beautiful new hall within New Town’s Upasana immersion ghat complex. The weekend classes started on February 20 and would continue for three months. 

In the first weekend, nearly 50 people had turned up on Saturday and Sunday to avail of the two 40-minute sessions — one from 6am and the other from 6.45am. The venue is Upasana Griha, a hall that has come up next to the ghat, opposite Rabi Rashmi housing complex, and is a beautiful replica of the meditation hall in Visva Bharati, Santiniketan. 

“When chief minister Mamata Banerjee named this immersion ghat Upasana sthal, I was reminded of Santiniketan’s Upasana Griha and thought of building a replica here that would provide a peaceful and spiritual ambience,” says Debashis Sen, chairman of New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) that has built it. “While the original has walls made of stained glass, those aren’t available any more. So we used acrylic and fibreglass to get a translucent effect.”

The classes are being conducted by Aditi Dey, who has been holding yoga classes in the senior citizen’s park Swapno Bhor on the Major Arterial Road since December. “The Swapno Bhor classes are chargeable and the fees are shared between NKDA and me on a 50:50 basis. Ten students come there. But since the Upasana Griha classes are free we’re getting nearly 50 students,” said Dey, herself a resident of Millennium Tower.

Since the crowd is a mixed one, ranging from people in their 20s to 70s, Dey has been teaching yoga breathing, deep breathing, asanas for shoulder, neck and back muscles, pranayam like kapalbhati, chanting and meditation.

“Since there are many mosquitoes around we are using the air-conditioner now. Once they reduce we shall throw open the doors of the hall and let in fresh air. The water body outside looks beautiful early in the morning,” she says. 

Students are delighted with the classes. “Being a doctor, I always tell my patients to perform yoga but never before have I had a chance to learn it myself. These classes are within walking distance of my house and I intend to come all through the three months. Thereafter, I might even join regular classes,” said Dr Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, a 63-year-old resident of Greenfield Heights (known locally as 18 tola). 

Babli Basu of Millenium Tower has started yoga in search of relief from shoulder and leg pain. “The ambience of this hall is so nice that I’m all the more inspired to keep at it,” she smiled. 

Sen says the free classes are meant to acquaint residents with yoga. “I’m already getting requests to extend the three-month period, which we may consider. But thereafter interested residents may join the classes at Swapno Bhor,” he says. 

At present Upasana Griha is being used only for these weekend classes. “Later on, we may allow spiritual or de-stressing programmes here,” said Sen.