India leads 191 countries to mark day with over 35,000 people expected to perform various yoga ‘asanas’ at Rajpath here.
New Delhi: Yoga fever seemed to engulf the national capital on the eve of the International Yoga day. Though the whole city had posters promoting the practice of India’s ancient gift, the Lutyens’ Zone was specially bedecked on Saturday.
Posters, hoardings and markers filled every traffic circle and all the important turns of the capital. The India Gate C-hexagon looked all prepared for the mega event. The Narendra Modi govt wants the event to become a Guinness World Record. With more than 35,000 young and old persons all set to perform Yoga at Rajpath, the record may well be on its way in a matter of some hours.
Not that the run-up to the mega event has been without its share of controversies. First, the opposition from some minority religious organisations and then the threat of terrorism did lead to some apprehension among the people. While the Centre tried to silence the nay-sayers by claiming Yoga is optional, unprecedented security has been put in place at Rajpath to ward off any threat.
Tourists, holidayers and locals who throng India Gate on weekends were not allowed to walk on a sanitised Rajpath. However, they seemed to chill out by posing before the huge Yoga posters and gawking at the logistics. At least 2,000 huge cinema screens have been put up for live streaming of the event.
Entry of participants, media personnel and others would be closed hours before the actual event. To fulfill norms of the Guinness record, every participant would practice on a separate yoga mat and in sync with the rest.
The half-hour event, from 7 to 7:35 am would include asanas which were demonstrated and practised over the last few weeks.
The job of training was mostly assigned to Yoga experts of the central govt run Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga. Whereas Yoga Gurus like Baba Ramdev, Brahmakumaris Ashram and Art of Living fame Sri Sri Ravishankar held separate training sessions in India and abroad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would give a brief address before the yoga session. Ramdev would be present on the dais along with the PM’s yoga consultant HR Nagendra. The star attractions would be Amitabh Bachchan and Virat Kohli. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has also confirmed his presence.
The other dignitaries present would include top politicians, diplomats from more than 150 countries, sports stars and the Who’s Who of Delhi.
Meanwhile, top ministers of the Modi cabinet have already panned out to various cities of India and abroad to observe the Yoga Day. The most prominent being external affairs Sushma Swaraj who would be present at the UN event in New York. In a clearly strategic move, BJP chief Amit Shah would be the chief guest at the Moinul Haq Stadium Yoga event in Patna. Bihar goes to assembly polls later this year in what is seen as the most crucial political test for the BJP.
These events would mark 21 June as the first International Day of Yoga announced by the UNO after a proposal was mooted by PM Modi last year. Similar events are being held by India’s embassies, high commissions, social and spiritual organisations and NGOs in at least 190 countries of the world. NCC cadets, army personnel and students have been specially engaged by the Ministry of AYUSH, the nodal agency for the event.
CM, Gadkari to attend Nagpur event.
Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will attend an event at Nagpur on Sunday to mark the International Yoga Day. Fadnavis and Gadkari will participate in the event to be held at Yashwant Stadium, a BJP spokesperson said.
State Minister Eknath Khadse will participate in a similar event at Jalgaon, Sudhir Mungantiwar at Chandrapur, Vinod Tawde at Mumbai and Pankaja Munde at Parli-Vaijnath. State BJP president Raosaheb Danve will attend an event at Marine Drive and Union Minister Piyush Goyal at Gaondevi here.
Does Modi do yoga? asks Putin
St Petersburg: Does the man who started the latest yoga fad across the country, and was instrumental in getting June 21 recognised as International Yoga Day, himself practice it?
That’s what Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to know from this IANS correspondent when he met him along with wire service reporters from 11 other countries. “Does Modi do yoga?” Putin asked, when an aide told him that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started a Ministry of Yoga.
He was incredulous that such a ministry could be set up, and then smilingly asked why anyone would do that. He was curious to know if the man who wants to spread yoga, practice it. He was told that it was likely, though he had not been publicly seen to do it. “Really?” he asked, with a smile.
