NEW DELHI:India on Sunday sat in meditative pose to embrace yoga with full vigour. Over 35,000 people performed asanas at Rajpath to create a new world record, while reports of similar events poured in from across the country.
Official events in 190 countries made the first International Yoga Day a roaring success and showcased India’s soft power.
The event unfolded at 7 am, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 33-minute yoga protocol at Rajpath.
Not to say, the Rajpath show made two Guinness World Records: the largest yoga demonstration at a single venue with 35,985 participants and 84 nationalities performing yoga at one place.
Quite contrary to the initial reports, Modi took to yoga mat wearing a white shirt and trousers with tri-coloured scarf wrapped around his neck to do most of the 21 asanas.
“Did anyone imagine this Rajpath will become Yogpath? We are not celebrating a day, but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace and harmony,” Modi said before the event.
“For most people, yoga is just a physical exercise. This is the biggest mistake.... Had this been the case, children working in circuses could have been ‘yogis’. Yoga is not just about making the body flexible,” Modi said, in the presence of yoga guru Baba Ramdev.
He acknowledged the countries that marked the International Yoga Day, and the 177 nations that co-sponsored the UN resolution adopting June 21 as International Yoga Day. The government had invited diplomats from 151 countries for the big event and many turned up on Sunday.
Armed forces claimed to have conducted the single largest uniformed participation in the event across the country.
Later at the inaugural function of a two-day yoga conference, Modi warned, “If we make yoga a commodity, then maximum damage to it will be done by us. Yoga is not a commodity, yoga is not a brand to be sold.”
“Never should a time come when we hear that only my yoga is true.... This is not a trade or organisation, but a state of mind.... This belongs to the whole world,” he added.
Modi said though yoga originated in India, it is a collective gift to humanity.
At the conference, Ramdev said, “People used to say Modiji claimed that he will bring good days and wondered why he got into yoga. I want to tell them good days will definitely come for those who do yoga.”
Ayush Minister Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha and yoga exponents Dr Nagendra and Dr Veerendra Heggade were present.
All in Attendance
Diplomats Touch a Chord
US Ambassador to India Richard Verma was among scores of diplomats who attended the Rajpath event. External Affairs Minister had invited diplomats from 152 foreign missions in the country for the mega event.
DD’s Live telecast
National broadcaster Doordarshan deployed 24 hi-tech cameras and around 200 skilled technicians for the coverage of the mega yoga show at Rajpath, which was beamed live the world over.
Defence Chiefs Attend
Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Navy Admiral R K Dhowan participated in the celebrations at the Rajpath, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
