SRINAGAR: In a first-of-its-kind initiative ahead of International Yoga Day on June 21, a floating yoga session was performed by a group of young athletes on the waters of Pokhribal Lake in Srinagar, blending physical fitness and mindfulness in the lake's serene waters.
The floating yoga session for yoga and water sports enthusiasts was organised by Kashmir's 'Aqua Queen' Bilquees Mir on the waters of Pokhribal lake in Srinagar on Thursday morning.
About 20 participants, including Bilquees, who is a pioneering kayaking and canoeing athlete, coach, and international sports official from Srinagar, participated in the hour-long floating yoga session.
Among the participants were 10 boys and 10 girls.
It was the first time that floating yoga was performed on any water body in Jammu and Kashmir.
The participants performed a series of yoga asanas on specially arranged floating platforms (jetties) anchored in the lake. Some participants also practised yoga and meditation while partially submerged in water, creating a unique fusion of fitness, mental relaxation and harmony with nature.
“This is the first time that I have done floating yoga in water. Earlier, yoga was done on the ground, in the park and in the sky,” Bilques said.
“We belong to water sports. Water is our playing field and our natural environment. That is why it was easier for us to adapt yoga to the water,” she said.
According to Bilquees, the athletes woke up at 4.30 am and completed an 11-kilometre run before gathering at the lake for the floating yoga and meditation session.
“All the participants are involved in water sports and undergo regular training. Yoga has been an integral part of our training routines. During our training sessions, we practice yoga for cooling down and improving mental fitness. When meditation and yoga are performed in water, the benefits increase because it provides greater mental relaxation,” she said.
"We do physical fitness like running, gym and paddling, but yoga helps in our mental fitness. It improves concentration, reduces stress and ultimately enhances the performance of the athletes,” Bilques said.
Stressing mental fitness, she said floating yoga could serve as an effective tool for stress management of athletes.
“Athletes today face immense pressure because of busy schedules and competitions. Floating yoga provides relief from mental stress. Water has a calming effect and helps athletes feel free from anxiety and pressure,” she said.
“We have to keep our youngsters away from drugs. Activities like floating yoga provide mental peace and positive engagement. Such practices can play a role in steering young people away from substance abuse,” Bilques said.
According to her, they would be performing the floating yoga on World Yoga Day on June 21.
Bilques, however, cautioned that not everybody can perform floating yoga as one needs proper training and preparation.
“It is difficult. You can do anything on the ground. But standing in water is a different thing. A person needs to be a good swimmer and undergo proper training to perform floating yoga,” she said.
A floating yoga session was organised by Bilquees in her individual capacity and without support from any government department or sports organisation.
“As a sportsperson, I believe I have a responsibility towards society. This is a new concept, and I want to promote floating yoga and train more water sports enthusiasts. With government support, it can be taken to a much larger scale,” she said.
She expressed hope that the initiative would receive government backing.
