It was an unprecedented demonstration of India's soft power as tens of thousands across the world, besides millions in India, performed yoga on Sunday June 21 to mark the inaugural International Day of Yoga (IDY). A record-breaking nearly 36,000 people, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took part in the main early morning event at Rajpath in the heart of New Delhi in India.
Yoga was performed at events across the world -- from New York to Trinidad and Tobago, from the Maldives to Australia, from Tel Aviv to Moscow, from on board Indian naval ships to the heights of Siachen glacier, at schools and in innumerable residential localities -- to mark the IDY.
The mega event at Rajpath, the ceremonial boulevard and the surrounding green expanse that connects Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace on Raisina Hill, with the World War I memorial India Gate, was replicated across state capitals, cities, towns and rural areas in the country. Modi described the event as the start of a new era for training the human mind for mind-body balance, peace and harmony.
Modi, who himself performed the asanas among the crowd of yoga practitioners at Rajpath, said yoga was not only an exercise to make the body flexible but a path for inner development.
"It marks a new era of training of human mind for peace and harmony," said Modi, who was attired in a full-sleeve loose white shirt and white lowers, with a scarf in the saffron, white and green colours of the Indian flag looped around his neck.
Events were held in the morning hours in 192 countries, organised by the Indian missions and yoga centres.
As the sun rose on the globe, the yoga events began kicking off, with the eastern-most countries sending in their pictures.
India notched two world records on the inaugural IDY at Rajpath -- for the most number of participants in a yoga lesson with 35,985 at Rajpath -- and for the most number of nationalities attending a yoga lesson -- with people from 84 countries participating at Rajpath.
Among those doing yoga at Rajpath were US Ambassador Richard Verma, Nepal Ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhyay, Afghanistan's Shaida Mohammad Abdali and members of the foreign diplomatic corps and foreign nationals studying in India.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi's former top cop Kiran Bedi were among the prominent personalities who joined in doing yoga.
Remarking at the sea of people, Modi said: "Did anybody ever think that Rajpath can become Yogpath?"
Modi did all the 35 asanas listed in the Common Yoga Protocol performed on Sunday. A group of yoga experts performed the yoga exercises on a stage, beamed to the crowd on around 25 large screens, with instructions in Hindi and English.
He said that while yoga may have originated in India, it draws energy from the millions who practise it around the world.
Modi is a keen yoga enthusiast on whose proposal the UN last year announced holding of IDY on June 21.
IDY celebrations in United Nations sought to symbolize the unity of humanity as people from around the world gathered on June 21st in unique observance of an Indian proposal sponsored by 177 nations and endorsed by all 193 UN members.
People of all races and religions, nationalities and political persuasions joined to perform the 35 asanas drawn from a millennia-old science of the body and mind on the shores of New York's East River.
School children dressed in red sat with the powerful. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was clad in a plain white yoga-themed track suit. Diplomats, rising in unison to do the asanas, called out by the yoga guru Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living movement.
Indian Army soldiers did yoga at the Siachen glacier, the world's highest battlefield at 5,400 metres altitude, and in Ladakh and Kargil, besides at all major stations. The Indian Navy, observing "Yoga across the Oceans", performed yoga with the crew.
The Art of Living said some 50 million people across 132 countries did yoga on Sunday with the spiritual group.
47 Islamic nations join International Yoga Day
There are 47 Islamic nations among the 177 countries of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that officially co-sponsored with India a resolution to establish June 21 as "International Day of Yoga".
This is the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UN General Assembly resolution, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The resolution was passed unopposed without a vote.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman were among the Islamic nations that co-sponsored the UN resolution.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Brunei, Mauritiana, Cameroon, Libya and Burkina Faso were among the eight members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that did not co-sponsor the proposal for the Yoga Day.
The first International Yoga Day at Rajpath saw two Guinness World Records being set - for the largest number of participants in a yoga lesson at a single venue and for the most number of nationalities in a yoga lesson.
An official statement said that in the first category, for the largest number of participants in a yoga lesson at a single venue, the earlier record was 29,973.
The congregation at Rajpath on Sunday was 35,985, breaking the previous record.
The second category was the most number of nationalities in a yoga lesson.
To achieve this, participants from at least 50 countries were required to perform.
"Today, participants from 84 countries performed yoga at Rajpath," the statement said.
The awards were received by Ayush Minister Shripad Yesso Naik from representatives of Guinness World Records -- Victoria from Britain and Marco Frigatti from Italy.
New Zealand also took part in the celebration of International Yoga Day. With the time zone advantage, it became the first country to celebrate the occasion on such a large scale in southern hemisphere.
A large number of Kiwis came together at Vodafone Events centre in Manukau to attend the first ever International Yoga Day on June 21 with an aim to bring harmony and peace in the body, mind and soul. The joint organisers Manukau Indian Association, YogathonNZ, Art of Living NZ and Gurpreet’s Studio, urged to include Yoga in school curriculum all over the world, which can help in many ways right from the beginning.
Kiwi Indian community took this opportunity in particular, to showcase the rich cultural heritage of India and put a big cheer for the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for promoting Yoga as a worldwide exercise for a better physical and mental health.
In another event in Auckland, Meditation New Zealand (NZ School of Meditation) hosted a celebration for International Yoga day on Saturday 20 June at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall. The day was a beautiful balance of Yoga Asanas taken by prominent yoga teachers in Auckland (including Nikki Ralston, Kara Leah Grant and Rire Norman)and Yoga Sound Meditation led by teachers from Meditation New Zealand.
The hall was full of enthusiastic practitioners that ranged from beginners to experts. Everyone was eager to give the variety of asanas their best effort. The crowd of around 300 often spilled out into the foyer and almost everyone stayed for the four hour duration. There was a delicious assortment of healthy and vegan food to nourish everyone’s energy levels as well as a variety of stalls promoting the essence of health and yoga.
Radha Lyttle, from Meditation New Zealand, said that Meditation New Zealand offered the event to the public for free in order to encourage and celebrate peace and harmony in the world. Everyone is looking forward to an even bigger event for the next Yoga day.
Another Yoga workshop in Auckland is set to help in brining yoga to homes.
Saunvad Centre for Music and Healing will organise a free Yoga Workshop as an initiative to connect with the global community of yoga enthusiasts and believers. For two hours certified, qualified and experienced instructors will guide participants on yoga practice and concepts. The intention behind this workshop for the organisers is to become a part of an international event and to play a part in achieving global harmony and peace.
Date: 28 June 2015 (Sunday)
Venue: North Shore, Auckland
Time: 9 am – 11 am
Free: Registration required
Contact: Sara on 022438822
It is ironic how a practice that is considered to lead you on a path to happiness and inner peace has stirred up unrest in India. Yoga, a 5,000-year-old practice, achieved a global status on Sunday, June 21. An initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who proposed the idea of an International Yoga Day to the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), the event was successfully observed around the world as millions across the globe rolled out their yoga mats—an extraordinary demonstration of India’s soft power.
Modi, who has been practising yoga for years, joined around 35,000 people in New Delhi for a 35-minute session. Hundreds gathered underneath Eiffel Tower in France to unfurl their bright yellow mats. Yoga enthusiasts performed the exercise at Chulalongkorn University field in Bangkok and the Indian Embassy in Kabul also saw Afghans and foreigners perform yoga to mark the first International Yoga Day.
The UN adopted International Day of Yoga with 177 countries sponsoring the proposition. Recognised as a day to promote harmony and to foster good mental and physical health, controversy brew inside the borders of the country that initiated the event. Minority groups in India questioned the political motives behind the initiative. A fierce debate was born around the U.N. and the Indian government’s support of yoga. Kamal Farooqui, a member of the Muslim Personal Law Board, accused the government of pushing a Hindu agenda by promoting yoga. The postures and Sanskrit chants in yoga are considered as a practice that goes against Islamic teaching. Speaking up against this remark, a Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) MP further ignited the fire by commenting that the ones opposing this discipline should “leave Hindustan.” This spite between political and religious leaders of different faiths has created unnecessary controversies.
However, this is not the first time a group has raised objections on the religious aspect associated with yoga. The concept has come under fire many times when people have questioned the connection of this ancient spiritual practice with Hinduism. In 2014, a church hall in the UK banned a yoga class. Many pastors in the US have termed yoga as demonic. In April this year, a California appeals court ruled that yoga taught in San Diego County schools did not violate religious beliefs after parents of two students claimed that the practice promoted Hinduism. This cultural anxiety has been shared among many across the world.
It cannot be denied that the roots of yoga lie in Hindu tradition. But for a practice that enables physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, it might be petty to pass it off as a Hindu agenda. Stirring up a religious dispute beats the purpose of practising yoga. It would be a pity to see that a routine aimed for a holistic experience entangled with politics and religion. It goes against the whole philosophy of yoga.
Treat yoga as any other form of physical and mental exercise. Treat it as a sport. People need to stop finding out political and religious motives behind every initiative. Defenders of yoga say that it is universal and has no religious agenda. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, the creator of the Isha Foundation, says, “…yoga predates all religions.” He calls it the “science of inner wellbeing.” The yoga guru further dismissed the idea that yoga requires you to bow down to Hindu deities or the sun: “Your wellbeing is entirely yours. Only at the time of instruction you have to be with somebody. Once you know what to do, you don’t need to go to anybody or bow down to anyone.”
Yoga has come a long way from its Eastern roots. It gained popularity in the West and now, practitioners of yoga consider it to be a way of life. It unites the body, mind and spirit. It is aimed at not only being physically fit but also to being mentally aware and well on your path to self-realisation.
Maybe it is time to keep all religious beliefs aside and adopt a practice that would help in the spiritual growth of the society. With many of us living sedentary lifestyles, yoga will prove to be beneficial in more than one way, as it has the potential to transform your inner and outer selves.