Residents learnt some self-defence moves during Raahgiri Day celebrations in Gurgaon

This Sunday’s Raahgiri Day again saw Gurgaonwallahs charging up for the week ahead with some dance, music and fitness. Another stress buster for Raahgirs this Sunday was the self-defence class. We saw a number of self-defence instructors teaching basic moves to Raahgiri attendees.
Anuj Sharma of Invictus Survival Sciences told us, “We have come to Raahgiri to motivate people to be fit and safe.Both fitness and safety are interconnected. Obviously, one class at Raahgiri is not going to teach much, but it is a beginning.”
While Anuj put up a show about combat in a military situation to inspire people, we spotted another group of self-defence trainers, Krav Maga, showing off some interesting techniques. Prashanto Bannerji of Krav Maga told us, “We are teaching an Israeli technique that is especially useful for women and people who aren’t well-built or strong. It’s very important for everyone to learn self-defence and we want to spread awareness that techniques like this exist.” Another important message was given by the students of Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS) who presented a street play against animal cruelty.
While Anuj put up a show about combat in a military situation to inspire people, we spotted another group of self-defence trainers, Krav Maga, showing off some interesting techniques. Prashanto Bannerji of Krav Maga told us, “We are teaching an Israeli technique that is especially useful for women and people who aren’t well-built or strong. It’s very important for everyone to learn self-defence and we want to spread awareness that techniques like this exist.” Another important message was given by the students of Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS) who presented a street play against animal cruelty. Vyas Anand, a second year BJMC student at VIPS, told us, “Our purpose is not to turn everybody a vegetarian but to decrease the meat consumption. We are also against animal testing and all forms of animal cruelty. Animals have rights and they are living beings who feel pain just like we do. We came all the way from Pitampura, Delhi, to Gurgaon to spread this message.”
Even though serious social issues took centre stage this Sunday, Raahgiri’s essence of fun and freedom remained intact. Vandana Gera, who lives in Sector 15, told us, “It was impossible to even think that one day women could freely dance and exercise on the streets and still feel safe. But, now this is possible, all thanks to Raahgiri.”