NEW DELHI: While the main event for third International Yoga Day was in Lucknow, Delhi did not lag behind in making an effort for a healthy mind and body through this ancient Indian tradition. Fearing London -style attack-- ploughing van into a crowd of people--during the International Day of Yoga celebrations at the Connaught Place in national capital, Delhi police barricaded the entire area
with thousands of policemen deployed to prevent any such attack. A three-tier security layer was thrown around the area, a senior police officer said, adding, snipers were also stationed on certain buildings to keep a hawk-eye vigil.
Political heavy weights like Union Minister M.Venkaiah Naidu, NDA’s President nominee Ram Nath Kovind and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were seen taking deep breaths and posing in different
asanas early morning on Wednesday.
“Yoga is our ancient spiritual way of life for our overall well being of physical and mental as well as inner
conscious and added that every person should perform yoga on daily basis” said former governor of Bihar Kovind.
In a lead up to a grand event, the Lutyen’s Delhi walls and other free public spaces were painted with graffiti showcasing different positions in Yoga. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) along
with the Ministry of Ayush organized the event. The knowledge and technical expertise were contributed by organisations like Patanjali Yoga Peetha and Art of Living.
Stressing upon the need to make Yoga a mass move meant Naidu said “Yoga is not a religion but it is the harmonious development of the body, mind and soul. We should make Yoga a mass moment, connecting people and strengthening the bonds of humanity”.
In order to create a ground swell for the event the NDMC had been organizing Yoga classes in all the 13 parks in the Lutyen’s Delhi area for the past two weeks. Around 18,000 people participated in the
grand celebration in central Delhi.
Here in Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj joined a yoga session organised by her ministry with nearly 100 diplomats from various missions. Stressing that yoga belongs not merely to India,
she said, "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."
Armed forces celebrated Yoga Day
From the Siachen-Saltoro Ridge, world’s highest and costliest battlefield to down south of Kanyakumari and bordering Arunachal Pradesh to Kutch, thousands of armed forces personnel joined the International Day of Yoga by performing various asanas of yoga. Almost all the bases of the Army, Navy and Air Force across the country organised events to commemorate the day.
While Navy sailors did yoga on INS Vikramaditya, India’s biggest warship to its submarine fleet of INS INS Sindhudhvaj and INS Sindhukirti on board showing their grit and enthusiasm with their yoga demonstration . Over 100,00 sailors participated at Mumbai based Western naval command, where yoga was performed at INS Viraat, navy’s old aircraft carrier.
On the other side, IAF’s air warriors participated in the Yoga day at highest airfield at Leh, Laddakh.
A large number of army personnel also performed yoga in difficult terrain along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.