Darjeeling: An iconic institution in Darjeeling Hills organised 75 hours of Surya Namaskar and has staked its claim for a recognition in the Guinness World Record.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling organised the event under the aegis of Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Govt. of India, from 9th to 12th January 2021 to set the World Record of 75 hour Rally of Surya Namaskar.
The performance of Surya Namaskar, is a practice in yoga incorporating a flow sequence of 12 gracefully linked asanas, offered to interested volunteers to take part in the world record attempt.
HMI Principal Group Captain Jai Kishan said, “This programme was done to commemorate 75 years of Independence Day. The event linked to the on-going National Youth Festival was designed to promote India and the practice of Surya Namaskar using a set of 12 yogic postures which revitalizes the whole system of our body.”
The event was kicked off at 9:00 am on 9th January with the participants performing Surya Namaskar which was rallied continuously 75 hours till 12 pm on 12th January.
Some 250 participants who joined the program were divided into 12 groups which was allotted shifts with each group performing one hour of yoga.
HMI provided them both food and lodge during the marathon event.
There was a constant maintenance of Covid protocol throughout the event with strict surveillance by the coordinating team. Sanitizers were sprayed on the yoga mats after each participant was switched with another.
The event was also broadcast live in Facebook official page of HMI throughout 75 hours, the coordinators and the Yoga instructors took turns to regulate the event.
When the event was finally concluded the Director of the HMI congratulated the participants and gave the sum total of Surya Namaskar done from 9:00am of 9 January till 12:00pm of 12th January to be 2,11,781.
Then event congratulated the few outstanding participants with gifts and then the Yoga Instructors gave the participants a vote of thanks congratulating each participants for their sincere effort on this event. Lastly the National anthem was sung after which the crowd was dismissed.
The HMI has previously on August 15, 2019 achieved a world record of performing yoga postures and Surya Namaskar on top of Mount Elbrus (16,800 ft), the highest mountain peak in European sub-continent.