On International Yoga Day, Bollywood queens took to Instagram to share with everyone their favourite poses, stories about how they were introduced to yoga or to thank their teachers.
Kareena Kapoor Khan who recently delivered her second child took to social media to share that yoga is her ‘me time’ and has helped her beat post-partum.
“For me, my yoga journey began in 2006 when I signed Tashan and Jab We Met... an incredible one... which kept me fit and strong. Now after two babies and four months postpartum... this time I was just exhausted and in too much pain to get back but today I’m slowly and steadily getting back at it. My yoga time is my me time... and of course, consistency is key... so, keep at it people (sic),” shared Bebo with a photo that sees her stretching in vrksasana (tree pose).
In another post, Kareena shared a photo of her husband Saif Ali Khan and elder son Taimur doing yoga. "Following suit for #InternationalYogaDay is the husband and the son... we’re always inspiring each other because #inspiration starts at home (sic)," she captioned the photo.
For Malaika Arora, every day is a yoga day! The fitness enthusiast took to Instagram to share how it was an injury that made her turn to yoga and now it is a way of life. “For me, it’s yoga day EVERYDAY because Yoga is a way of life as it has taught me so much more than I can pen down here. However, let me take this opportunity and wish all of you’ll a happy International Day Of Yoga (sic),” she captioned a video that features her doing several asanas.
Yoga enthusiast Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who is regularly seen encouraging her fans and followers to try yoga, took to social media today to suggest an asana that helps early recovery from Covid-19.
Sharing a video where she can be seen performing the Bhramari Pranayama, Shilpa wrote, “BREATHE... it's THE most important function that the body performs. Breathing right helps provide oxygen to the organs to perform all the crucial processes, from cognition to digestion to strengthening the immune system. So on World Yoga Day, let's start by practicing the Bhramari Pranayama (sic).” Sharing the health benefits of the asana, the actress informed, "It helps generate up to 15 per cent more nitric oxide through the vibrations of the humming sound, Aum. This in turn helps early recovery and healing from Covid-19. Spare a few minutes to focus on your breathing today with the Bhramari Pranayama. It relaxes the mind and lowers stress, while improving concentration and alleviating anxiety (sic).”
Anushka Sharma, who gave major pregnancy goals when she shared a photograph of her performing the sirsasana (headstand) with husband Virat Kohli's help just months before delivery, too took to Instagram stories to thank her teacher, Eefa Shrof.
The younger crop of actresses like Alia Bhatt and Ananya Panday too posted about Yoga. While Alia shared a video where she can be doing several asanas, Ananya posted a series of stories doing yoga. Interestingly, both go to the same studio, Anshuka Yoga.
Kangana Ranaut revealed that it was yoga that helped her sister Rangoli Chandel recover from the trauma after she suffered an acid attack.
"Rangoli has the most inspiring yoga story, a roadside romeo threw acid on Rangoli when she was hardly 21, with third degree burns, half of her face burnt, lost vision in one eye, one ear melted away and a breast severely damaged, she had to go through 53 surgeries in 2-3 years but that wasn’t all, my biggest concern was her mental health as she had stopped to speak, yes no matter what happened she would not say a word, just stare blankly at every thing, she was engaged to an Air Force officer and when he saw her face after the acid attack he left and never returned, even then she did not shed a tear neither she uttered a word, doctors told me she is in a state of shock, they gave her therapies and put her on medication for psychiatric help but nothing helped. That time I was hardly 19 years old, I did yoga with my teacher Surya Narayan and had no idea that it could help patients with burns and psychological traumas also with retina transplant recovery and lost vision. I desperately wanted her to talk to me, so I took her everywhere with me even to my yoga classes. She started practising yoga and I saw dramatic transformation in her," said the actress. Not only she started to respond to her pain and my lame jokes but also regained her lost vision in one eye... Yoga is the answer to every question (misery) you will ever have, did you give it a chance yet (sic)," Kangana wrote alongside a string of pictures featuring Rangoli and her nephew.
Rakul Preet Singh too shared a photo informing everyone that she started her day with kunjar kriya, a technique that cleanses the digestive system.
"Started off Yoga day today by doing Kunjar kriya, as advised by my holistic nutritionist @munmun.ganeriwal .. Feeling super clean, light, happy and energetic (sic)," posted Rakul.
Here's a special mention of Malayalam superstar Mohanlal who was among the early risers who shared a picture to celebrate the occasion. Sharing a photo of himself doing yoga, the actor tweeted, "Practice Yoga for a healthy life (sic)."
What did you do today to mark International Yoga Day? Tell us in the comments below.