ON the occasion of International Day of Yoga, prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (21) said that yoga is becoming a way of life and has become a source of inspiration for health, balance and cooperation.
The Prime Minister remarked that India is celebrating Yoga Day at a time when the country is celebrating its 75th year of independence, "the Amrit Mahotsav." This widespread acceptance of Yoga Day, is the acceptance of that "Amrit spirit of India which gave energy to India's freedom struggle."
Mass Yoga demonstrations are being organised at 75 iconic locations across the country which have been witness to the glorious history of India and have been the center of cultural energy.
"The experience of collective yoga at the historical sites of India is like tying together India's past, India's diversity, and India's expansion", he elaborated.
He also informed about the novel programme 'Guardian Yoga Ring' which is a collaborative exercise between 79 countries and United Nations organisations along with Indian Missions abroad to illustrate Yoga's unifying power that surpasses national boundaries.
As the sun apparently moves from the east to the west across the world, the Mass Yoga Demonstrations in the participating countries, if seen from any one point on Earth, will seem to be happening one after the other, almost in tandem, thus underlining the concept of 'One Sun, One earth'. "These practices of yoga are giving wonderful inspiration for health, balance and cooperation", he added.
Prime Minister on Tuesday performed yoga at the main event of the eighth edition of the International Day of Yoga in the heritage city of Mysuru in Karnataka.
More than 15,000 people participated in the Yoga celebrations along with the Prime Minister at the Mysore Palace grounds.
Prime Minister said the yogic energy, which has been nurtured for centuries by the spiritual centers of India like Mysuru, is today giving direction to global health. Today yoga is becoming a basis for global cooperation and is providing a belief of a healthy life to mankind, he added.
"Yoga has now become a global festival. Yoga is not only for any individual, but for the entire humanity. Therefore, this time the theme of International Day of Yoga is - Yoga for humanity", PM Modi said. He thanked the United Nation and all the countries for taking this theme globally.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister for Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal, and officials of the Ministry of Ayush and the Government of Karnataka and other dignitaries performed yoga at the event.
Addressing the gathering here, PM Modi said, "This whole universe starts from our own body and soul. The universe starts from us. And, yoga makes us conscious of everything within us and builds a sense of awareness. Yoga brings peace for us. The peace from yoga is not merely for individuals. Yoga brings peace to our society. Yoga brings peace to our nations and the world. And, yoga brings peace to our universe."
He said that yoga is not only for any individual but for the entire humanity.
"No matter how stressful we are, a few minutes of meditation offer relaxation and increase our productivity. Therefore, we do not have to consider yoga as extra work. We have to know yoga. We have to live yoga. Yoga is not only a part of life for us today, but is now becoming the way of life," he said.
PM Modi emphasised that the eternal journey of yoga will continue in the direction of an "eternal future".
"We will also accelerate a healthy and peaceful world through yoga with the spirit of 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramaya'," he said.
Prime Minister further said, "The yogic energy, which has been nurtured for centuries at the spiritual centres of India like Mysuru, is today giving direction to world health. Today yoga is becoming a mutual basis for global cooperation. Today yoga offers the confidence in a healthy life to mankind."
This year the theme for the celebration is "yoga for humanity".
Prime minister's yoga programme at Mysuru is also part of the novel programme 'Guardian Yoga Ring' which is a collaborative exercise between 79 countries and UN organisations along with Indian Missions abroad to illustrate yoga's unifying power that surpasses National boundaries.
As the sun apparently moves from the east to the west across the world, the Mass Yoga Demonstrations in the participating countries, if seen from any one point on Earth, will seem to be happening one after the other, almost in tandem, thus underlining the concept of 'One Sun, One earth'.
Keeping the overarching theme of the 75 years of India's independence the Ministry for Ayush also identified 75 locations for Union Ministers to participate in the Yoga Day celebration.
This year International Day of Yoga 2022 witnessed many firsts, including the 'Guardian ring', yoga demonstration by Union cabinet ministers at 75 iconic locations in India and a special digital yoga and static exhibition in Mysuru Dussera Grounds, Mysuru.
The Digital yoga exhibition showcased the latest technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) to project the history and wisdom of yoga. The static exhibition consists of 146 stalls which have been taken up by yoga institutions, Ayush institutions under the ambit of the Government of Karnataka and the Government of India.
According to the Ministry of Ayush, as many as 250 million people are expected to participate in International Day of Yoga 2022 celebrations across the world.
Earlier, Yog Guru Ramdev performed yoga at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar. Many children and other people also attend the event.
It was during his speech at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014, that Modi first floated the idea of the International Yoga Day. The draft resolution passed by India was supported by 177 nations. With universal recognition and the growing popularity of yoga, the UN declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on December 11, 2014.
The first International Yoga Day was celebrated on June 21, 2015.
(ANI)
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