Delhi Students Take Out 'Namaste March' To Raise Awareness About Coronavirus

Delhi students take out 'Namaste March' on Saturday to raise awareness about the outbreak of coronavirus, which is currently plaguing the world. The march took place in the Laxmi Nagar area of the national capital to urge people to greet others with 'Namaste' to ward off the contagious COVID-19. Youth were seen holding placards with messages like 'stay in touch but no physical contacts, please', 'no handshaking, say only Namaste' and 'up with the Indian culture! Down with the Coronavirus.’

The march was taken out on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked people to stay away from rumours regarding coronavirus and asked people to avoid handshakes and start greeting others with 'namaste' once again.

"I appeal to my fellow countrymen to stay away from rumours regarding coronavirus," PM Modi said while interacting with owners of Jan Aushadhi Kendras and beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP) through video conference.

We need to follow the advice of doctors in this regard, he said. People should avoid handshakes and start greeting others with 'namaste' once again, the Prime Minister added.

Students who participated in the march, set off under the social leadership of noted author Dr Birbal Jha, also appealed people to revert to or adopt the Indian culture of greeting with Namaste instead of handshaking or hugging or any kind of physical contacts.

Namaste is both preventive and curative

“Don’t scare the people; rather care for them given the outbreak of coronavirus. Adding to that, the yogic Namaste, taken from Anjali Mudra of Pranamasana, meaning I bow to the divine in you is both preventive and curative when it comes to dealing with the virus of no sure cure”, said Dr Birbal Jha, managing director of British Lingua.

People should avoid handshakes and start greeting others with 'namaste' once again

“The exclamatory namaskar, a part of the Indian culture, has been in practice since the Rig Veda, one of the four Vedas, paving the way for cheerfulness and the wellbeing of mankind. Hence, this ‘Namaste March’ has a lot to offer to the world given physical contacts being medically disallowed and therefore being frowned at,” Jha added.

“I am happy to be part of this mass movement for the protection of mankind under the aegis of British Lingua which has spearheaded this campaign, promoting Indian culture and ethos on the one hand and the safety of human lives on the other”, said the Stephanian, Vinod Sukheja.

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Underlining the significance of Indian culture, social activist Ramakant Chaudhary said, “Indian culture always talks about being hygiene and keeping the surrounding clean to welcome God. Where there is proper sanitation, there is the least chance of bacteria-virus infestation. We should maintain the habit of cleanliness and battle with Coronavirus.” 

Hundreds of students and local residents including intelligentsia took part in the crusade wherein traffic police also chipped in the Namaste March, appreciating the awareness campaign.