Yen for yoga

The BJP-led NDA government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not willing to rest on laurels. After the hard sell of yoga to the United Nations which resulted in June 21 being declared a Word Yoga Day, the government is now trying to make India, the birthplace of yoga, as the ideal destination for its practice as well. Recognising the rising popularity of yoga in western countries and the emergence of yoga centres there, the government wants to get people to travel to India in order to get the real flavour of yoga. Therefore, short-term visas for attending yoga programmes are being promoted as “short-term medical treatment under Indian systems of medicine” which would include yoga as well. It sounds like a bright idea if it can be made to work. It could earn dollars for the country and it could provide the longed-for de-stressing to harried souls from the developed world.

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Flood-affected France

Torrential rains across France raised alarms and forced President Francois Hollande to declare an emergency. About 3,000 people from a total population of 13,000 have been evacuated from a town near Paris, and stranded motorists rescued by the army. This is almost a familiar scenario for many in India, but with this difference: the relief operations seem to be swift and efficient. It can be argued that the number of the affected people is quite small and, therefore, it should not be a marvel that the government seems to manage it successfully. It is a fact that the scale of a natural emergency in a country like France or any other European country would be quite different from that in an Asian country, including India. In Asia the numbers would always be in tens of thousands.  It is also interesting that the famous art museums in Paris, the Louvre as well as the Musee d’Orsay, had cleared their basements housing invaluable works of art anticipating the rising flood levels. Preparedness and quick responses indeed make a huge difference.

Social identity

The findings of a survey carried out by a non-governmental organisation across major metros in the country comes with disappointing and disturbing trends. It showed that while people felt that the danger of terror attacks was 70 per cent higher in India compared to other places in the world, 90 per cent of the people indicated preference for personal safety rather than confront the terrorist. At the same time, the same percentage, 90, of people had also said that there is need for youngsters to be exposed to organisations like the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to inculcate nationalism, discipline and equip them to cope with crisis situations. The findings seem to reveal a national trait that Indians are idealistic in theory and selfish in practice. This need not be taken as a given. Attitudes can be changed and people can be taught to express solidarity instead of each running for his or her own safety in times of danger. The survey also seems to show that people in urban spaces do not have a sense of belonging, and they remain isolated individuals.