People arrive in large numbers to attend yoga day event at UN

A spirit of enthusiasm and celebration overflowed outside the UN headquarters here on Wednesday as people in large numbers attended a historic event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga.

The overwhelming number of people of Indian origin mixed with a smattering of yoga enthusiasts of other nationalities formed a long queue outside the entrance amid tight security measures ahead of the event.

In a boost to India’s efforts to raise yoga’s global profile, the event at the UN created a Guinness World Record for the participation of people of most nationalities at a yoga session.

As Modi joined the large crowd, including noted personalities from different walks of lives, on the North Lawn of the UN headquarters, a handful of pro-Khalistan activists and some opposed to the BJP’s policies, faced off with a much bigger group of supporters of India’s ruling party and the prime minister.

Security officials kept a tight vigil as they raised slogans.

However, the dominant mood of the way was the support for the ancient Indian tradition, admired by its practitioners for

its health as well as spiritual benefits, with people of many nationalities practicing yoga as a guide from dias instructed them.

Officials had earlier estimated that representatives of most countries would attend the event, and the audience did look like a snapshot of the global population. People from 135 countries attended the yoga session.

Many people who earlier arrived in the hope to get in without the pass given in advance were left disappointed.