Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations to mark the International Yoga Day by doing yogic “asanas” in Lucknow on Wednesday.
At a gathering of over 45,000 people, held at Ramabai Amedkar Sthal in Lucknow, Modi described yoga as a binding factor for the global community and underlined its importance towards creating health, wealth and wellness.
Addressing the yoga enthusiasts, the Prime Minister, wearing a yoga-themed white T-shirt and white trouser, said yoga was as important as salt in food and urged people to embrace yoga as a part of life. He said yoga power has had a profound impact on the world.
“There are many countries which don’t know our language, are not aware about Indian culture or traditions but they too are practising yoga. Much like it connects the mind with the soul, yoga is playing an important role in connecting the world,” Modi said, adding: “ever since the UN declared 21 June as the International Day for Yoga in December 2014, awareness about it was rising leading to a new job market.”
Outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee attended an event at Rashtrapati Bhawan which drew about 200 employees and family members.
In Madhya Pradesh, Congress workers and agitating farmers performed “shavasana”—the dead body posture—to denounce the 6 June killing of peasants by police during protests seeking remunerative prices for farm produce and loan waiver.
In Gujarat, BJP President Amit Shah joined yoga expert-turned-industrialist Baba Ramdev in Ahmedabad. The event was billed as the world’s “largest” yoga gathering but a heavy downpour since early morning played spoilsport.
In Delhi, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did yogic exercises at Connaught Place. Hundreds attended seven other major events in the city.
In Mumbai, celebrities and commoners did yoga asanas on land, water and under water as well. Over 10,000 naval personnel and their families and Army officers took part in celebrations aboard ships and special yoga camps in the city’s military areas. People did yoga on the decommissioned aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, 15 other warships and even underwater in submarines
In Left-ruled Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pressed people to be “secular” while embracing yoga. “Yoga should not be mistaken as a religious ritual. It can be practised by all and it is just a physical exercise. But today it has come to light that some have hijacked yoga by reciting hymns. Yoga was in existence even before the hymns came into existence,” he said.
In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stayed away from the celebrations, but BJP leaders, including Union Ministers, took part in the ceremonies attended by hundreds of people.
Events were also held in hundreds of other places, including in West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Chandigarh.