International Yoga Day: Low-key affair, but enthusiasts, politicos in Karnataka keep spirit up

A statement from the Raj Bhavan said that the Governor practised solo yoga while the staff practiced yoga on the lawns at 6 am.
Karnataka BJP president Nalinkumar Kateel performs yoga to mark the 6th International Yoga Day in Bengaluru. (Photo| EPS)
Karnataka BJP president Nalinkumar Kateel performs yoga to mark the 6th International Yoga Day in Bengaluru. (Photo| EPS)

BENGALURU: Eighty-seven-year-old former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Sunday celebrated the spirit of International Yoga Day by sharing a video of him practicing ‘asanas’. The JDS patriarch tweeted that yoga is a holistic approach to maintaining physical and mental health.

Amid scare of the pandemic, politicians cutting across party, age and gender lines posted content of them celebrating yoga day at home, offices and community spaces while maintaining safety measures. Governor Vajubhai Vala and Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa too stressed on the importance of practising yoga regularly as the state celebrated the day in a low-key affair with Covid-19 restrictions in place.

The regular venues for yoga day like stadiums, clubs, parks, schools and colleges, and parade grounds across the state wore a deserted look, but politicos took to social media to keep up the spirit of the day.

A statement from the Raj Bhavan said that the Governor practised solo yoga while the staff practiced yoga on the lawns at 6 am. "Yoga is a gift from India to the world, which was handed down to us by our ancestors. We have to preserve yoga and also need to practice it regularly to celebrate a strong, healthy and meaningful life," Yediyurappa said in a tweet.

From state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, who performed yoga with BJP office-bearers at the party headquarters, to new entrants to the party like BC Patil and ST Somashekar, posted pictures of asanas.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, who represents Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency, too shared his photographs and yoga day message on Twitter, saying it helps in boosting immunity and is the most effective way to combat COVID-19. Leader of opposition in the Karnataka assembly and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah too endorsed the practice of yoga, asserting that it has had a beneficial impact on his health as well.

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