Practising yoga may make you fit and disease-free, but teaching yoga would help one improve health, gain mind power and evolve soul. This has been espoused by a couple from Balasore.
Chittaranjan Sahu and Debi Archana Das, married since 2010, have dedicated their lives to spreading yoga and helping people lead a healthy life.
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They have so far taught the yogic practices to more than 8,000 people from different places in Odisha and abroad.
Ignoring the lucrative job offers from overseas, Chittaranjan has opened an institute that offers courses in yoga, while Debi Archana has been the support system for him all through his journey.
But the journey was never smooth-sailing. From arranging weekly camps to establishing the institute, they have toiled hard to realise their dreams.
Chittaranjan has been very passionate about yoga since his childhood. He used to attend yoga camps at Vivekananda Kendra while studying in schools. He took it up seriously only after completion of graduation.
A post-graduate in Yoga and Naturopathy, he has completed Diploma in Yoga, Naturopathy and Physiotherapy and has been trained at the country’s first naturopathy centre at Uruli Kanchan in Maharashtra.
Before setting up the institute at Balasore, Chittaranjan had organised over 500 yoga camps.
“Yoga basically brings harmony between body and mind.
Practice of yoga helps one reunite individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. My job is to make people realise this,” he said.
For Debi Archana, a post-graduate in English, the tryst with yoga started after her marriage. She left her lectureship job to fully devote her time after she was cured of diseases like spondylosis, asthma and spinal disorder due to yoga practice.
“I have learnt everything on yoga from my husband. After one year of practice, I overcame my problems. I am a living example of the power of yoga. I cite my case when I teach yoga lessons and it appeals to people,” she said.
The institute, affiliated to Bengaluru-based Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYAS) University, now offers one-month foundation course, one-year diploma and two-year post-graduate course in yoga.
The couple now plans to start a Yoga Hospital, on the lines of Arogyadham at Bengaluru, where people can practise healthy life from 8 am to 10 pm.
“I did not accept job offers from Thailand and Singapore because my main aim was to spread yoga within our community in my native State and help people overcome difficulties in life.
Officials of Ayush department have already visited my place for the hospital. I hope it will come up soon,” Chittaranjan added.