Today, on June 21, the world celebrated the 10th International Yoga Day with extreme enthusiasm. Yoga sessions were organised across the globe, primarily in India. Hon’ble PM took part in a Yoga session at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) situated at the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The theme for this year was “Yoga for Self and Society”.
About International Yoga Day (IYD)
- The idea of IYD was first projected by India during the 69th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in 2014. The UNGA passed a resolution in the same session and declared June 21 as a special day to celebrate Yoga. Since then, Yoga Day is celebrated on this date.
- The International Yoga Day has been celebrated since 2014. The first Yoga Day was celebrated in 2015 during which India scripted history by making two entries in the Guinness World Records. Firstly, India held the largest Yoga session at Rajpath in New Delhi in which 35,985 people participated. Secondly, the participants presented 84 nations.
About Yoga and Its Significance
- Yoga is an ancient Indian method to ensure better health and well-being. The name Yoga is derived from Sanskrit which means to unite or join, indicating the coming together of mind, body and consciousness.
- Sage Patanjali is known as the father of classical yoga. He wrote Yoga Sutra which is a compilation of Yoga practices. He describes eight limbs or stages of Yoga, also called Ashtanga Yoga– Ethical principles (yamas), Positive duties or observances (niyamas), Physical postures (asanas), Breath control (pranayama), Sense withdrawal (pratyahara), Concentration (dharana), Meditation (dhyana), and Self-realization (samadhi).
- Ancient Indian books Rig Ved and Upanishad also mention Yoga and its practices.
- Recognising the significance of Yoga in healthcare, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has integrated Yoga into its Global Action Plan for Physical Activities 2018-2030.
- The governments in India have also emphasised including Yoga in daily life to gain health benefits. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recognised Yoga as a form of sport. The Government of India has also included Yoga in its Fit India Movement and encourages people to include Yoga in their daily lives.
- In the last few years, awareness about Yoga has increased in India. People of all age groups are including it in their lifestyle, which supports the government’s health objectives.
- Also, Yoga has left an economic impact as people are choosing it as a profession and training centres are being opened across the country, resulting in employment generation and wealth creation.
