MYSURU: The heritage city of Mysuru came alive as thousands of yoga enthusiasts poured in to the iconic Mysuru Palace to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the International Yoga Day early on Tuesday morning. The city woke up around 2 am and prominent streets around the Palace were illuminated to welcome Modi for the eighth edition of the event.
As organisers had asked yoga enthusiasts to enter the Palace well in time, people walked, drove and took special buses to be part of the spectacle. Throngs of yoga enthusiasts wearing white T-shirts lined up at all the gates of the palace, even as they were frisked and made to undergo security checks at four points before allowed to enter. They were directed to specified blocks and provided with yoga mats. The palace gates were closed once Modi entered the premises and he was greeted by the royal family.
Across the city, yoga was performed at grounds, parks and educational institutions. LED screens put up at these venues beamed the main event from the palace, even as enthusiasts braved the chill and light drizzle. Modi said yoga is not limited to any specific time or region. “We have to practice yoga and live yoga. Then, it becomes the medium for attaining peace and solace.” Earlier, yoga was seen only at spiritual destinations adn traditional homes. But today it is witnessed in every nook and corner of the world. “Yoga has become a vishwa karma or work of the world. I salute the entire population of the entire universe. Yoga brings peace to us, to our country and our world,” he said.
Referring to lifestyle problems and global challenges like climate change and international conflicts, he said yoga makes a conscious, competent and compassionate effort to solve these challenges. “Millions of people with a common consciousness and consensus and millions with inner peace will create an environment of global peace. That’s how yoga can connect people. That’s how yoga can connect countries. That’s how yoga can become a problem solver for all of us,” he exhorted. Soon after, he took the centre stage performing asanas.
Malini, a housewife, said she and her neighbours decided to join the PM in the Palace soon after his participation was announced. Praje Sharma, a 12-year-old boy from New Delhi, came with his parents to be part of the event. Praje, who had participated as an instructor in the previous edition of Yoga
Day, said his family is happy doing asanas in front of the iconic structure.