Yoga Day: Residents across Delhi twist and stretch
New Delhi: Delhiites turned up in large numbers at Rajpath, various parks and public squares across the city on Thursday to perform asanas to mark the fourth International Yoga Day.
Union minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Minister of State Jayant Sinha, senior BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Chairperson Naresh Kumar took part in the celebrations.
Rajpath looked majestic as old and young, dressed in colourful attire, rolled out their mats and performed various asanas.
Traffic was restricted around New Delhi in the day and mats were also rolled out at Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park and Talkatora Garden, among other NDMC areas. Events were also held in Dwarka, Rohini and Yamuna Sports Complex by the Delhi Development Authority.
The day, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2014, was also celebrated at the Red Fort lawns as around 5,000 women and men, all clad in white, converged at the venue and participated in the mass yoga event organised by the Brahma Kumaris.
The event at Rajpath began with the live telecast of the speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the screens installed at the venues, followed by yogic exercises. Around 15,000 participants including VIPs, Art of Living, Patanjali Yoga Samiti, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Vivekananda Yogashram Hospital, Parjapati Brahamakumari, Isha Foundation, Gayatri Parivar, Delhi Police, CISF, diplomats, the general public and NDMC and other government officials performed common yoga postures at Rajpath.
"The God-gifted Yoga originated by great Indian seer Maharishi Patanjali was given to the universe for a blissful life and the well-being of the mankind. One should make it a part of one's routine life as it is a very economical method for maintaining healthy and stress-free life," said the Union Minister.
The LG said that it is a matter of pride and privilege that yoga is being performed in 200 countries across the world by crores of people.
