Lucknow is holding celebration for International Yoga day and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath started the celebration with almost 50,000 participants joining them. Modi conveyed his greetings to all the people joining the international yoga day celebration all over India and thanked the UP government foe hosting the celebration at such large scale in spite of heavy rainfall.
Talking about the importance of Yoga, Modi said that fitness is important but wellness is more important and wellness can be achieved only through yoga. He further added that how importance of yoga was put forward by saints of India and today with the growing popularity of yoga, how is now connected to the entire world through it.
Modi urged everyone to make yoga part of their lives saying that it is not expensive to practice yoga and should be included in the daily lives just as salt is included in food. Further focusing on the importance of yoga, Modi said that yoga is one platform which attaches everyone together as one and no one around the world has questioned the benefits of yoga. He added that most of the youths are captivated with yoga, the demand for yoga teachers has grown in the past two-three years and it is a booming and healthy business opportunity.
Narendra Modi called for more regular programmes to be organised to promote yoga.
The third International Yoga Day celebration could be observed in many places around Delhi also. Though it was drizzling from daybreak, participants in huge number could be seen filled with energy and excitement.
Union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Vijay Goel, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Ram Nath Kovind and senior BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi also took part in the celebrations.
Movement of vehicles have been restricted in many parts of Delhi as mats were laid out on the roads for the celebrations. Entire Delhi is decorated for the International Yoga Day spreading the zeal of enthusiasm and celebration of the festival. The most imminent artwork prepared for the day is a 10,000-sq ft mural depicting the meditative asanas of Surya Namaskar. It has been exhibited at a construction site near the AIIMS flyover.
21 June was declared as the International Yoga Day by the United Nations in 2014.