THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Just like his love for communist ideology, V S Achuthanandan was equally passionate about Yoga.
Though his tryst with Yoga started much earlier after reading books on it, he began receiving formal training only at 78, when he was the Leader of the Opposition.
It was while in Kochi to take part in the 'kalluppu samaram' organised by a group of activists in Ernakulam in 2001 against the decision to ban non-iodised salt that Achuthanandan met his future Yoga teacher, Sudheer.
While staying at the Guest House, V S had called Sudheer to his room
after knowing about his yoga credentials.
V S had a few doubts about Yoga, and he felt Sudheer might clear them. V S was having a few health issues, including back pain and blood pressure, pestering him despite regularly doing Yoga.
V S wanted to know why it was like that. Sudheer enquired from where he had learned Yoga, and he replied that it was from books.
"I told him that Yoga should be learned from a guru. After doing an
asana, one should do the counter asana, and only a teacher can teach
such things. If not done properly, it can bring harm. He asked me to
correct him. The next morning, I went to his room, checked his
practice and made corrections. I gave him a chart of asanas required
to cleanse his body and soothe his ailments," Sudheer, who runs a yoga
centre at Ponnurunni near Vytilla, reminisced.
The changes worked, and the back pain subsided, which earned Sudheer his VS's trust. For the next 18 years, they worked together, forming a
strong and a Very Special (VS) bond.
Sudheer said during such time, VS made it sure that he took at
least one session directly from him a month. That went on even when VS became the Chief Minister.
"Whenever he was in Ernakulam, he came to me. Else, I went to
Thiruvananthapuram. We made sure that he got at least one direct
session each month."
Sudheer said V S was a good student and was ready to put his body on
the line while learning. "At that age, he learned Sarvangasana or
shoulder stand and could hold it for several minutes. He was eager to
do complex asanas, but I often talked him back, taking into account his
age. He was very passionate about Yoga, but I ensured that he is
taught what was required to maintain his health," Sudheer said.
It was on the opinion of Sudheer that V S switched to vegetarian diet.
He also developed a liking for Kuruva rice and used to have it for
lunch while visiting Sudheer in Ernakulam.
Sudheer said V S had an organised lifestyle and that kept him in a
good standing. "He had a fixed time for sleep, meals and washing. He did
not eat from outside. When it came to all these things, he was a
stickler. And that's the secret of his health and his successful
political life."
Interestingly, V S occasionally used to enquire Sudheer how long he could live on practising yoga and my answer was that he could live up to '100
years'.