Over 10,000 inmates at the Tihar Central Jail, along with prison officials, today performed yoga to mark the maiden International Yoga Day.
"Over 10,000 inmates today performed yoga in their barracks. Prison officials also participated in the two-hour event which started at 6.30 AM," said a senior Tihar Central Jail official.
According to the official, participants had been practicing yoga for the last one month.
Inmates and prison officials have enthusiastically taken part and had been practicing yoga an hour every day for the last one month, said the official.
"The Tihal Jail administration has introduced one-year yoga curriculum at the end of which participating inmates would be issued a certificate after completing their jail term, to help them become yoga instructors and earn livelihood through that," said the official.
"Yoga instills positive energy in body and mind. These practice sessions have helped the Tihar inmates in soothing their anger and instances of violence amongst the inmates have reduced considerably," he added.
Inmates belonging to all religions took part in the event today, the official said, adding that inmates while practising yoga "rose above the barriers of religion and got engaged in the exercise".
