Kolkata celebrates World Laughter Day, docs focus on long-term health benefits
Times of India | 6 May 2024
Kolkata: Sunday morning began on a note of guffaw for the members of different laughter clubs across the city as they engaged in activities which made people giggle their stress away. Kolkata has around 55 laughter clubs that are registered with the Laughing Academy of Eastern India.
Since 1998, the first Sunday in May is observed as World Laughter Day.Behind this initiative was a Mumbai-based doctor Madan Kataria, who had launched the global Laughter Yoga movement.
At the crack of dawn, members of these clubs, including psychiatrists and psychologists, took to the streets and encouraged others to try out laughter therapy for physical and mental health benefits. Apart from the rallies, these clubs also organised special sessions on laughter yoga, meditation, therapy and visualization of laughter-provoking videos.
Samar Kumar Mitra, secretary of Laughing Academy of Eastern India and founder of Baishnabghata Patuli Township Laughing Club, told TOI: “Our rally had 50 participants sloganeering about the importance of laughter in our daily lives. We also organised a panel discussion after the rally.”
Bela Dutta, founder and president of PPK Laughing Institute, a 26-year-old laughter club at Kankurgachhi, said, “Our slogan during the rally was ‘Laugh, laugh, laugh, no cost, we laugh, you laugh, everyone laughs together’. We continued laughing for three minutes and many bystanders also joined in with our 120 participants.”
Rajkumari Jha, founder of the Gharoa Laughing Club at Rajarhat said, “When we laugh, a huge amount of oxygen enters our body, which helps us get rid of diseases and stress, and boosts our energy. We engaged people of different age groups in laughter therapy sessions.”
Saurabh Sankar Kundu, a consultant psychiatrist, said, “Laughter is one of the best medicines, which has instantaneous and long-term benefits on our body and mind. With laughter making one feel relaxed mentally and physically, headache, body pain and muscle problem also get reduced.”