BHOPAL : Muslim youths are taking up yoga studies in Barkatullah University keeping in mind its rising popularity and availability of career options in this field. This is despite the fact that Islamic preachers, maulanas have opposed certain asanas of yoga like ‘surya namaskar’.
Professor Sadhna Dhanoria, head of the yoga department, said, “Till last year, we had only one or two Muslim students in our department but this time, four have taken admission. All of them perform all aasans as instructed by the faculty.” Yoga course was introduced in the university in 2007. After 2000, Muslim students began to take admission in the course.
The Muslim students are not the only non-Hindu students who are taking up yoga studies. Three Christian students, 30 students from Jain and other faiths have also taken admission in the department.
The students are taking admissions in different courses of yoga department because of government push. Yoga is being introduced as a course in several educational institutions. As a result, number of posts for yoga instructor, teachers have been created.
Amreen Hashmi who is pursing PG diploma in yoga sciences said, “Now, government is giving thrust to yoga in the country. Also, a number of new posts are created providing new opportunities for bright future.”
Rafa Zamal who is pursuing yoga studies in BU said that students take up courses, which can help to generate employment. “Students have practical approach. They will only choose a course, which has future prospects.”
Department of yoga in BU has 260 seats allotted for two post graduate courses, two post-graduate diploma courses and one certificate course. Of the total, 235 seats have been filled in this session. Almost 91 percent of the seats are filled for this academic session, which highest in any department of the varsity.
A lot of the students join this course as yoga makes them fit and fine. The therapy classes along with the yoga science class help them to know how to protect themselves from infections, diseases. In the process, they also learn about healing process.
