Diary TimesÂ
Shimla (Kartik Sharma):Â The Art of Living successfully organised a three-day ‘Pavitra Course’ for 110 girl rural background students of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY). The course was given to the students in the DDU institute in Sector-4 New Shimla.
The objective of the programme was to raise awareness about hygiene, exercises and a balanced diet during menstruation. Art of Living trainees Shalini Paul and Vandana Sharma conducted the training.
The programme began with an introduction to the basics of menstruation and the importance of proper diet during this period. Trainer Shalini Paul said that during menstruation there is deficiency of iron in the body, leading to weakness and anemia. This can be counterbalanced with a balanced diet including almonds, pulses, rajma, gram, green vegetables and iron-rich food in the diet.
On the second day of the programme, the trainees were made aware of the mental and physical changes that occur during menstruation. The trainers explained that yoga and meditation are very useful in handling mood swings and emotional instability during this time. Along with this, instructions on when to consult a doctor were emphasized.
At the end of the session, the students were informed about the famous ” Sudarshan Kriya “programme of Art of Living and female candidates were encouraged to register.
On the last day, the students were informed about various superstitions and myths associated with menstruation. The trainers explained that menstruation is a natural process and it is necessary to remove the misconceptions associated with it.
At the end of the three-day workshop, the students shared their experiences. Jyoti, a student, said she felt more confident after the event. Other participants also appreciated the event and said that it was very useful for their physical and mental health.
Apart from this, the methods of proper disposal of sanitary pads and other menstrual products were discussed so that environmental hygiene can also be ensured.
Such efforts of the Art of Living are a commendable step towards raising awareness about women’s health and hygiene. It was assured by the DDU-GKY management that such awareness programmes will be conducted in future also so that more and more girl students can take advantage of it.
Kartik Sharma is a postgraduate from HPU who calls himself a slow learner but a curious researcher. He loves diving deep into topics like nature, music, bizarre stories, and counter-culture movements. If it’s unusual or thought-provoking, Kartik is sure to have an opinion on it. He works as a journalist for Diary Times, balancing his passion for unbiased reporting with his knack for getting ldigging out something with a different news angle. Kartik is also an environmentalist, running initiatives to tackle waste and feed those in need, proving that actions speak louder than headlines. Inspired by his dream to make his dad proud, Kartik writes with heart, humor, and a love for all things unique—though sometimes his stories take longer because he’s busy chasing the next big idea!
