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    International Day Of Yoga: Foreign Missions And Diplomats Join Celebrations

    Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Jun, 2017 11:48 AM
    • International Day Of Yoga: Foreign Missions And Diplomats Join Celebrations
    Nearly hundred diplomats from various foreign missions today joined a yoga session organised by the Ministry of External Affairs to celebrate the International Day of Yoga in New Delhi. 
     
     
    External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and a number of high-ranking officials of the ministry were among those who attended the event.
     
     
    In her brief remarks, Ms Swaraj recalled global support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative in 2014 for the United Nations to designate June 21 as International Day of Yoga. She stressed that yoga belongs not merely to India, but to the whole world and that it is a "complete system" for wellbeing and harmony "within ourselves, as well as with nature".
     
     
    "Excellencies, yoga is not merely about physical well- being through asanas or postures or pranayam or breath control. It is a science to attain inner peace, it is the art to attain equanimity. It is a full system to arrive at harmony within ourselves, with nature, and with the world," Ms Swaraj said.
     
     
     
     
    She also thanked the international community for its support for yoga's recognition at the UNESCO as "intangible heritage of mankind", and for the enthusiastic celebration of International Day of Yoga across the world over the past three years.
     
     
    The Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, ambassadors, high commissioners and diplomats of several countries twisted, turned and stretched while practicing yoga asanas at the event.
     
     
    The event also saw a unique rendition of 11 ancient prayers for peace, brotherhood and harmony.
     
     
    "All the prayers for peace ended with chanting of shanti, shanti, shanti (peace, peace and peace)," the ministry said in a release.
     
     
    YOGA HAS PLAYED BIG ROLE IN UNITING WORLD, SAYS PM NARENDRA MODI
     
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday led over 50,000 yoga enthusiasts in performing ‘asanas’ here amid showers on the International Yoga Day as he underlined the importance of the ancient practice in connecting India with the world and promoting wellness.
     
     
    Yoga, he stressed, has the power of health insurance at zero cost. “We can save the people from many problems if 1.25 billion countrymen achieve this through healthy body, mind and intelligence,” he said.
     
     
    “The speciality of yoga is keeping the mind stable...it teaches the art of living with a healthy mind amidst the ups and downs of life,” said Modi, visibly happy with the heavy turnout at the sprawling Rambai Ambedkar Maidan despite inclement weather since early morning.
     
     
    “Today yoga has become a part of common man’s life. There are many countries which do not know our language, traditions or culture but the entire world is getting connected with us because of yoga,” said 66-year-old Modi, who was attired in a white T-shirt and loose trousers.
     
     
    Amids chants of ‘Modi-Modi’, the Prime Minister said yoga, which connects body with mind and intelligence, is today playing an important role in connecting the whole world.
     
     
    Recalling as to how the United Nations gave its nod for the International Yoga Day, he said there might not be any country where yoga-related programmes are not held or attraction or awareness towards it has not grown.
     
     
    Along with Modi, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and several dignitaries performed various yogic asanas.
     
     
    Stressing on the relevance of yoga in employment too, the prime minister said yoga institutes have come up in large numbers in the past three years and demand for yoga teachers has also grown.
     
     
    “Youth are preparing themselves in yoga institutes, accepting yoga as a profession...there is a demand for yoga teachers in all the countries...a new job market is being created through yoga in which the people of India get top priority,” he pointed out.
    “Unlike the earlier times when people used to practice yoga as per their own ways, there is now an effort both in the country and outside to perform yoga in a scientific manner by standardising it,” he said, adding that once it was only performed by the “munis and rishis” in the caves of Himalayas.
     
     
    Speaking on the benefits of yoga, Modi said the importance of wellness is more than being healthy and fitness and yoga is an easy way to acquire this wellness.
     
     
    “There is no question mark on yoga anywhere in the world...yoga has been evolving with time and generations and it has been developing...on this important occasion, I urge people of the world to make yoga a part of their lives...whether we become masters of yoga or not, achievers or not, but we need to become its practitioners...,” Modi said.
     
     
    The prime minister, who is himself a yoga enthusiast, stressed that those who start practicing it realise that their body parts have become supple and that they have become active.
     
     
    “We do not require any special power to understand this,” he stressed.
     
     
    Drawing a comparison with salt to underline the importance of yoga, Modi said though salt is needed only in small quantity and is easily available, it is vital not only for taste but also for the body.
     
     
    “If there is no salt in the food the whole day, it not only spoils the taste but also harms the body...it is used only in small quantity, no one can negate its importance in the body’s constitution or its requirement...we can have the same place for yoga as salt in life,” he said.
     
     
    Modi said there was no need to perform yoga round-the- clock as only 50 to 60 minutes are enough.
     
     
    In a lighter vein, Modi said yoga enthusiasts at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan were not only spreading a message that yoga is important in life, but they were also demonstrating as to how yoga mats could be used to shield them from rain.
     
     
    “People of Lucknow have turned up despite rains...your effort is praiseworthy,” he said referring to people taking 
     
    cover under yoga mats to save themselves from the downpour.
     
     
    A tight security cordon was thrown around venue and all arterial roads were under strict CCTV vigil.
     
     
    Three years ago, Modi had persuaded the United Nations to declare June 21 as the International Yoga Day.
     
     
    Since then, thousands of people have held yoga programmes across the world on this day.
     
     
    YOGA DAY CELEBRATED WITH ENTHUSIASM ACROSS HARYANA AND PUNJAB
     
    The third International Yoga Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm across the twin states of Haryana and Punjab.
     
    Chief minister, ministers, legislators and chief parliamentary secretaries took part in district level functions in Haryana. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was the chief guest in district level function organised in Indri in Karnal.
     
    Yoga Day celebrations were also held in Chandigarh.
     
    Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Mr Khattar lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to make Yoga Day an international event.
     
    Mr Khattar touched upon several steps which the BJP government in the state has taken for promoting yoga. "Our government has been working on promoting Yoga, Ayurveda and Sanskrit," Mr Khattar said, asking people to adopt yoga in their daily life.
     
    Mr Khattar asserted that all kinds of obstacles can be overcome with the help of a determined mind and thoughts and said Yoga not only helps keep the body free of diseases, but also strengthens the mind and intellect.
     
    The Chief Minister also said that yoga was beneficial, especially given the stress which has become part of today's modern life.
     
     
    Talking about steps taken by his government to eliminate corruption and bring in transparency, he said, "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas is our aim and we are working on it. "
     
    In Punjab, Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan participated in International Yoga Day function held in Amritsar. In Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal took part in function in the city.
     
    The main Yoga Day celebrations in Chandigarh were held in Sector 17, where Punjab Governor and UT Administrator V P Singh Badnore was the chief guest.
     
    Union Health Minister JP Nadda, BJP lawmaker Kirron Kher and Chandigarh BJP president Sanjay Tandon and party's senior leader Satya Pal Jain were also present.
     
    "Yoga is our ancient discipline, it helps strength mind and intellect. We can keep our body free from disease by doing yoga regularly. I want that more and more people should adopt yoga in their daily lives," Mr Nadda said.
     
    At the event, around 3000 participants performed yoga in accordance with the common Yoga protocol given by the Ministry of AYUSH.
     
     
    INTRODUCING YOGA IN SCHOOLS GOOD IDEA: ARVIND KEJRIWAL
     
    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said the government will consider introducing yoga in schools.
     
     
    Mr Kejriwal was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised in Connaught Place here to observe the International Yoga Day.
     
    "It (introducing yoga in schools) will be a good idea. I will speak to Manish Sisodia about it," he said. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had recently said that yoga should not be made the issue of political debate or fetching votes.
     
     
    When Mr Kejriwal was quizzed about it, he said, "Yoga is a good thing. Everyone should practise it."
     
    As many as 10,000 people joined dignitaries, including NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu early this morning at Connaught Place in the common yoga event.
     
     
    INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY CELEBRATED IN PAKISTAN TOO
     
     
    The third International Yoga Day was celebrated in Pakistan too but on a muted scale. The organisers said a much bigger event will follow after Ramadan ends.
     
     
    Pakistani yoga guru Shamshad Haider, who runs over 50 clubs across the country, said in a telephonic interview from Islamabad: "Due to Ramdan and people preparing for Eid, we could not organise a big event this year."
     
     
    "We have routine sessions in all our clubs today but after Eid we are preparing for a much larger event in Rawalpindi," Haider, 48, told IANS. He said his team expected more than 1,000 people to take part. 
     
     
    The Indian High Commission also organised a yoga camp in Islamabad on Sunday, attended by India's envoy Gautam Bambawale and other diplomats.
     
     
    Asked about the Pakistan government not celebrating the yoga day, Haider, founder of Yoga Pakistan and Way of Nature, says his clubs have people from all religions.
     
     
    "It (government) never stopped us from doing yoga. It has granted us permission to hold yoga camps on its land and has also allowed us to promote yoga."
     
     
    Yogi Haider - as he is widely known -- said he doesn't want any help from the government or the Indian High Commission to hold events.
     
     
    Born in Pakistani Punjab, Haider, unlike many Muslims, is emphatic that yoga has nothing to do with Hindu religion.
     
     
    "Yoga helps to gain mental stability, peace, balanced living. It teaches us discipline which is vital in Islam and all religions."
     
     
    Last year, on the second International Day of Yoga, Haider did yogic asanas along with 20,000 yoga students across Pakistan -- but minus media publicity.
     
     
     
    Haider and his 100 trainers have quietly succeeded in attracting tens of thousands of Pakistanis to yoga, achieving a feat that once seemed near impossible.
     
     
    "Yoga belongs to humanity in the form of a pure science and is not the sole entity of India," he said. 
     
     
    Among the over 50 yoga clubs in Pakistan, Haider oversees the major ones in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. 
     
     
    Even some Islamic clerics come to him to learn and practise yoga and meditation.
     
     
    Haider says his inspiration and role model was S.N. Goenka, the Myanmar-born master of Vipassana meditation.
     
     
    "He taught me meditation when I travelled to India. That changed my life. After that I started yoga sessions in Pakistan. He was my hero."
     
     
    The International Yoga Day debuted in 2015 after the UN backed an India-sponsored initiative that was supported by over 170 member states.
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