Bend It Like India: This year’s theme is to battle climate change by adopting yogic lifestyle
Millions of people from across the planet, including from the latest entrant Switzerland, will bend over backwards on Friday to celebrate International Yoga Day (IYD). Leading from the front, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on his toes to kick start the IYD-2019 at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi, Jharkhand with more than 35,000 participants.
Since its inception in 2015, when the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, the ancient spiritual practice has been celebrated widely, with more countries holding their breath to join in each year. Close to 77 lakh people have already taken the pledge to "make yoga an integral part of their daily life" on the IYD website.
The theme for the fifth year of its celebration is 'Climate Action'. A ceremony has been organised at the United Nations headquarters on Thursday followed by a panel discussion.
The Indian delegation contends that serious challenges such as climate change and global warming can be tackled by adopting a yogic lifestyle. The word 'yoga' is derived from Sanskrit, and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness through a series of rituals and postures.
Asanas will be performed in 12 cities across Switzerland and the principality of Liechtenstein in gatherings organised by the Indian Embassy in Berne in partnership with the Art of Living, Rietberg Museum, Maharishi European Research University and Mata Amritanandamayi Centre.
In India, all the state governments, central ministries, PSUs, armed forces and security forces and central universities are expected to participate in local events. Navy officers will stretch themselves on the decks of submarines and INS Virat. In Jodhpur, close to the international border with Pakistan, BSF personnel will focus on their breath under the guidance of yoga guru Baba Ramdev.
In Delhi alone, as many as 300 centres, including BJP headquarters, will have people holding yoga poses. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has invited political arch-rival Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit salute the sun.
A jury chaired by the cabinet secretary also announced the third Prime Minister's Awards for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of Yoga on Thursday: Swami Rajarshi Muni of Life Mission, Ms Antonietta Rozzi of Italy from the Bihar School of Yoga and Japan Yoga Niketan has been honoured for their outstanding contribution to the promotion and development of the ancient practice.
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