A few weeks ago in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video where a computer-generated version of him performed Trikonasana, a yoga pose known to improve digestion and relieves stress. In what looks like the second instalment of his yoga series, the PM tweeted another video where the same computer-generated avatar performed a new asana called Padahastasana or the ‘hand under foot’ pose.
The two-minute, twenty-three second-long video shows the 3D avatar of the PM performing Padahastasana, which is known to promote spine flexibility and improve menstrual cycle in women. Also known as Uttanasana or ‘hand under foot’ pose, Padahastasana is derived from two Sanskrit words – Pada and Hasta, meaning foot and hand respectively.
Here’s how you can perform the beneficial asana:
1. Stand with your feet two inch apart.
2. Inhaling slowly, extend both your hands upwards.
3. Try as much as you can to extend your body upwards from the waist.
4. In this position, exhale slowly and bend forwards till both your palms touch the floor. Make sure your hands and head are in sync with each other as you bend downwards. If you suffer from back pain, bend only as much as you can without any hint of discomfort.
5. Count to ten in this position all the while breathing normally.
6. Take a deep, long breath and raise your hand and body to come back to a standing position. Ensure your hands and head are in sync while rising upwards.
7. Exhale and lower your arms slowly.
Watch the PM's doppelganger perform it for you:
Making Padahastasana a regular part of your lives will make your body healthier and your mind calmer. What more can one ask for! pic.twitter.com/eOe5SxybHV
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 10, 2018
What are the Health Benefits of Padahastasana?
1. It makes the body and the spine flexible.
2. It reduces belly fat and gives you a trimmer midriff.
3. It improves digestion.
4. It regulates menstrual cycle.
5. It tones the nerves.
Caution!
As beneficial as the asana is, the video states that some people shouldn’t be performing the yoga pose, especially if they have the following health problems:
1. Heart diseases
2. Swollen stomach
3. Vertigo
4. Hernia
5. Myopia
6. Ulcer
7. Pregnant women
Yoga has always been PM Modi’s pet topic and the new videos are a part of his personal endeavour to promote yoga at a national and international level. He also chose his own Twitter page to put up the video, where it received warmly by the netizens and has been retweeted around 3500 times.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 10, 2018 05:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).