Yoga day celebrated throughout India with fervor

Brimming with excitement and energy, Delhiites gathered in large numbers at various parks and public squares across the city today to mark the third International Day of Yoga, even as pre-dawn showers played a bit of a spoilsport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the country-wide celebrations in Lucknow, where an estimated 55,000 enthusiasts, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, stretched an extra muscle in various yogic postures. In Delhi, the third edition of the celebrations played out at several venues — from open plazas in central Delhi to old municipal parks and sprawling gardens in other parts of the city.

Union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Vijay Goel, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also took part in the celebrations. NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind and senior BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi also joined in. The streets of Connuaght Place’s Inner Circle, where vehicular movement has been restricted, wore a festive look as old and young, dressed in colourful attire, pulled and stretched to perform various asanas.

Mats were also rolled out at the six radial roads of the famed market place, Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden and Children’s Park at India Gate, under the aegis of the New Delhi Municipal Council.

Though rains in the early hours had turned the mats soggy, the number of people joining the celebrations, continued to build up. As the day progresses, the number of people participating in the celebrations, which also includes mega yoga sessions at DDA parks, is expected to reach 10,000 across the city.

The day, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2014, was also celebrated at the Red Fort lawns by a huge gathering.

Yoga Day celebrated with enthusiasm throughout Uttarakhand

Early morning showers today failed to dampen the enthusiasm of people as hundreds of them turned up at different venues across Uttarakhand to practice yogic asanas on the International Yoga Day.

Presiding over the state level programme held at the Parade Ground here Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Ayush Minister Harak Singh Rawat performed different yogic postures as hundreds of yoga enthusiasts, young and old alike, followed them to mark the occasion.

Rain was not much of a factor here as a water-proof pandal was put up at the Parade Ground to ensure that the programme was not interrupted in case of showers as predicted by the MeT department.

In his message on the occasion, Rawat asked people to make yoga an integral part of their daily life for a sound physical, mental and spiritual health. The fact that the entire world is celebrating International Yoga Day today is an acknowledgement of the huge benefits of the ancient Indian discipline, he said. Governor K K Paul also participated along with the entire Raj Bhawan staff and their kin in a programme held inside its premises to celebrate the occasion.

Yoga camps were held at different places throughout the state including Rishikesh which is also considered by many as the yoga capital of the world and Shantikunj in Haridwar where staff of the institution, their families and yoga enthusiasts from across the country and abroad performed yogic kriyas.

Shantikunj chief Pranav Pandya said many lifestyle diseases were taking root in today’s hectic world and yoga was the only way out.