Yoga Day: 18,000 enthusiasts reach Connaught Place

As the third edition of International Yoga Day was observed worldwide on Wednesday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu took part in yogic exercises in Connaught Place. Presidential candidate and former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind also took part in the event.

Nearly 18,000 people from various social strata and organisations like Patanjali Yoga Peetha, Art of Living, Maa Shakti, Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vidyalaya, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Delhi Police, New Delhi Municipal Council, CISF, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, volunteers and many VIPs participated in the mega event. Arrangements were also made for live telecast of the Yoga Day event in Lucknow, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part.

Recalling the early 1950s, Baijal said that Western countries had back then discovered the secret to a long and happy life by following the footprints of our ancestors and adopting yoga in their life. He added that it is matter of pride and privilege that today the world is together celebrating Yoga Day.

Underlining the importance of Yoga, Kejriwal said that it should become a "routine of our daily life, so as to maintain a healthy and stress free life."

"It (Yoga) has become the need of the hour for Delhiites in general and people of urban areas in particular," he added.

Meanwhile, Naidu said that Yoga is not a religion but "the harmonious development of the body, mind and soul."

"The body is but a temporary manifestation of self and to realize this to identify with the blissful self is Yoga," said the Union Minister. He added that it is way of living whose aim is a healthy mind in a healthy body.

"We should make Yoga a mass moment, connecting people and strengthening the bonds of humanity," he added.

New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi said that Yoga is a part of our traditional preventive health care aspects.