98-year-old woman inspires youngsters to take up Yoga

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], Mar. 8 (ANI): As the world celebrates International Women's Day on Wednesday, it is inspiring to read about women who lead by example. Nanammal, a 98-year-old granny in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district, is an inspiration for youngsters to lead an active, healthy lifestyle by practicing Yoga. The nonagenarian, who has been practicing the ancient discipline since the age of five, boasts of almost a hundred students from all age groups, who come to her home to learn Yoga. A mother of two sons and three daughters, Nanammal is fit and healthy even at this age and wakes up every day at 5 a.m. to practice Yoga. The nonagenarian credits the ancient practice for longevity of her life and says maintaining a routine is necessary. "I can't say what the merits of doing Yoga are, but if one practices it I can say that one can lead a healthy life. But they should continue practicing it. I gave birth to five children and they have also been practicing Yoga and teaching others too," Nanammal told ANI. The woman claims to have mastered more than 50 kinds of asanas. One of her students, Keerthana, said that she took up Yoga after she met Nanammal an-year ago. "Earlier I did not have any confidence in Yoga and only after seeing this grandma doing Yoga at 97 years I met her. Before taking up Yoga, I had some health problems too. Now my entire family practices the ancient discipline. The only motivation is that if at this age this grandma can practice Yoga then why not us. That is how my family was attracted to Yoga," said Keerthana. Nanammal comes from a family that has been practicing this ancient physical and spiritual discipline for generations. She learnt the discipline from her grandfather. Her five children also practice and teach yoga. While a determined Nanammal continues to teach Yoga to students, she is an inspiration for men and women, old and young alike. (ANI)