FREE HUGS ---

All about Free Hugs.

Okay What’s the lingo "Free Hugs" really mean, we see people wearing T-shirts, bands etc and more over we had a song from A.R – “JIYA SE JIYA” which depicts the "Free Hugs Movement" 

I have been a part of Free Hugs Chennai for quite sometime now, at first when I started off being a part of Chennai Free Huggers wala. I was excited with the idea,so here's a short jist about "FREE HUGS"

Well how did I come into this, just a message on face book brought in people from various walks of life volunteered for this event and that's how i became a part of this movement. I have had a few friends who asked me what is "free hugs "and some of them opposed the idea ...well i want to let those people know the history behind the free hugs campaign ..the story goes this way

The Free Hugs campaign in its present form was started by Juan Mann on June 30, 2004, when he began giving out hugs in the Pitt St Mall in central Sydney. In the months prior to this, Mann had been feeling depressed and lonely as a result of numerous personal difficulties. However, a random hug from a stranger made an enormous difference, with Mann stating that "...I went out to a party one night and a completely random person came up to me and gave me a hug. I felt like a king! It was greatest thing that ever happened."

Mann carried the now iconic "FREE HUGS" sign from the outset. However on his first attempt in his hometown, where he returned to find that he was the only person he knew, as his friends and family had moved away, he had to wait fifteen minutes before an elderly lady came up to him and gave him a hug.

Initial distrust of Juan Mann's motives eventually gave way to a gradual increase of people willing to be hugged, with other huggers (male and female) helping distribute them. In October 2004 police told them they must stop, as Mann had not obtained public liability insurance worth $25 million for his actions. Mann and his companions used a petition to attempt to convince authorities that his campaign should be allowed to continue without the insurance. His petition reached 10,000 signatures. He submitted it and was allowed to continue giving free hugs