Mumbai vyapaaris talk business de-stress

Yoga practitioners at Marine Drive for a session. Pic/Shadab Khan

The Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, will lead an event on the banks of the Dal Lake, Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir), to mark International Yoga Day today. This year's theme for the day is ‘Yoga for Self and Society'. The traders of Mumbai, its vyapaaris, whose commerce acumen defines this megapolis, have taken this theme to heart.

Friday morning at least 300 merchants from the city dealing in steel, iron ore, metals, ingots, and long steel supplying to companies across India are all set to come together to mark the day with a session at the scenic Marine Drive. Some of the associations are the Confederations of All India Traders (CAIT), Federations of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM), and Metal and Stainless Steel Merchant Association (MASSMA). It will be a morning organised by the Fit & Fine Group of South Mumbai.

Global eye

Traders have put a healthy twist to living. Like Dilip Maheshwari, Mumbai president CAIT, which is a pan-India body with over nine crore traders said, "When PM Narendra Modi introduced International Yoga Day on June 21, 2014, at the UN, it was an inspirational moment. The spotlight propelled more people towards yoga, with the global citizen keen to reap its spiritual, physical, and mental benefits." Maheshwari added, "We are part of several traders who come together for regular yoga practice. Most of us are from South Mumbai. We meet at Marine Drive for our yoga sessions, through the week. Tomorrow will see us come together in greater numbers for the landmark day,." The president stated, "Business/trade or vyapaar is high stress. Our work does not follow a linear pattern. Now, it is the rainwear and umbrella merchants who will see a spurt, during the wedding season, it is good going for those connected with the jewellery industry,"said the Sikka Nagar native.

Energy high

Narendra Chowdhary from MASSMA credited yoga as an energy booster. He explained, "I alternate between yoga and walking in the mornings." The T20 WC fever seems to have caught up with them too, as he added, "Our group is now going to play cricket one day of the week. Amidst all the tension in trading with its tight deadlines, payments, and deliveries, the continual shrill trill of the mobile for our business calls, we need to dial back the high-stress levels. We have a professional yoga teacher leading the group. Post-practice, we take pictures together, indulge in some market gossip, and then make our way home and the workplace," said the SoBo resident,

A difference

A few asanas a day keep the doctor away, thinks Sanjay Jain, who is dealing in metals. Jain said, "Most of us are between the ages 50 and 60. This is the time when we usually notice some health problems creeping in. We decided to find an antidote, which is not medicine. That antidote is exercise, and we have been practising yoga with its considerable physical and mental benefits," said the MASSMA member.

Aware fare

"Yoga has brought in discipline," said Chandan Bhansali president MASSMA. "We decided that in our frantic work life, we needed something to alleviate tension, keep one in good health, and experience peace of mind. Yoga did that." For Bhansali the yoga sessions have benefits, "like bringing traders from different industries together, which always expands one's horizons. I also noticed that there is a great awareness within the group. The regulars have a heightened sense of consciousness. They know they need to be back home and get in a good night's sleep even if socialising late evening so that they can get up early for yoga practice. Truly, yog bhagaaye rog," he signed off.

300
No of merchants to participate