3rd

International Yoga Day

21st June 2017

Workshop

on

“Yoga and Nation Building: An Anthropological

Perspective”

Organising Committee

Chairperson

Prof. A.K. Kapoor

Secretary

Bhavna Joshi

Treasurer

N. Somorjit Singh

Organising Members

Singlai Thouman

A.K. Gyanendra Wahengbam

Astha Ranjan

Richa Joshi

Advisory Committee

Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh

Dr. Meenal Dhall

Dr. M. Kennedy Singh

Organised by:

Department of Anthropology,

University of Delhi,

Delhi- 110007.

Concept Note The adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution marks ‘21 June’ as the International Day of Yoga with member states recognizing the significance of Yoga upon global health from a holistic perspective and the well-being of the integral being. At the same time, the fullness of Yogic principles of unity and sustainability provide a means for a simplified lifestyle with less consumption, care for the natural world, building community and social inclusion, leading to poverty eradication. Yoga in all of its manifestations is directly linked to Indian modernity. It was in India that Yoga was modernized, medicalized, and transformed into a system of physical culture. Significantly this happened in tandem with and is closely linked to the modern development of Yoga philosophy as a so-called science of higher consciousness distinct from embodied forms of experience and practice. Anthropology clarifies the worries of human population with appropriate logic. An ethnographic study of Yoga should be a study of those people who practice Yoga and is precisely the ambiguous relationship among Yoga as a thing, the cultural construction of Yoga and the claims made about Yoga as a thing by practitioners. However, doing Yoga exercises called asanas on a regular basis has been shown to enhance brain wave coherence and improve functions such as memory and intelligence. It lowers the stress related hormones in the body and increases both mental and physical performance. Yoga has come to be an icon of Indian culture and civilization and is widely regarded as being timeless and unchanging. Anthropologist conducting ethnographic study on Yoga endorsed that Yoga's transformation into a popular activity idolized for its health value is based on modern ideas about science and medicine. This workshop aspires to understand the significance of Yoga in the 21st century.

Programme 09:30 – 10:00a.m. Registration

10:00 – 10:15a.m. Inaugural Address by Prof. A.K. Kapoor, Head of

Department, Department of Anthropology, DU

10:15 – 10:30a.m. Yoga and Health : Key Note Address by

Dr. Meenal Dhall, Assistant Professor,

Department of Anthropology, DU

10:30 – 10:45a.m. Lifestyle ‘Yoga’ : Guest lecture -

Dr. Manisha Choudhary, Assistant Professor,

Department of History, DU

10:45 – 11:00a.m. Yoga and Well-being : Special lecture -

Dr. M. Kennedy Singh, Assistant Professor,

Department of Anthropology, DU

11:00 – 11:15a.m. Tea break

11:15 – 12:15p.m. Yoga: Practice and Relevance

Dr. Sunita Jain, Yoga Expert, Power Yoga

12:15 – 01:00p.m. Yoga: Aesthetics in Indian Fitness

Shri. Bhupender Dhawan,

Dronacharya Awardee, The Gym

01:00 – 02:00p.m. Lunch

02:00 – 03:45p.m. Insights of Yoga: Lectures - Mr. A.K.

Gyanendra Wahengbam, Ms. Mamta Thakur,

Ms. Astha Ranjan, Ms. Bhavna Joshi

03:45 – 04:30p.m. Group Discussion on Relevance of Yoga: Emic

& Etic Perspectives

Chairperson: Dr. R.P. Mitra, Astt. Prof.,

Department of Anthropology, DU

Co-Chairperson: Dr. Mitashree Srivastava, Astt.

Prof., Department of Anthropology, DU

Rapporteur: Bhavna Joshi, M.Phil Scholar,

Department of Anthropology, DU

04:30 – 04:45p.m. Vote of Thanks: Singlai Thouman

04:45 – 05:15p.m. Tea