Leaders, locals perform yoga in Capital to mark yoga day

Thousands of people gathered at multiple locations across Delhi to celebrate International Yoga Day, organised by the New Delhi Municipal Committee. This year's theme was "Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," with events held in association with Patanjali Yoga Samiti, Art of Living and Bhartiya Yog Sanstha. Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal did not attend, tweeting about the closure of free yoga classes due to alleged fund termination by the lieutenant governor. The event was first put forward in 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the United Nations General Assembly.

Thousands of people gathered at lawns, gardens, and auditoriums across the national capital on Wednesday morning to take part in the International Day of Yoga celebrations held at multiple prominent locations across the city, including Kartavya Path, Red Fort, Lodhi Gardens and Nehru Park.

People perform yoga at Kartavya Path in Delhi on Wednesday. (Arvind Yadav/ HT Photo)

The New Delhi Municipal Committee (NDMC), which organised the event at the Kartavya Path lawns, also organised yoga events at seven other prominent locations. The celebrations began as early as 5am.

This was also the first time that yoga day was celebrated at Kartavya Path after it was redeveloped last year. The other locations where it was celebrated by the NDMC included Nehru Park, Lodhi Garden, Talkatora Garden, New Moti Bagh, Sanjay Jheel, Singapore Park, and Central Park in Connaught Place. The events were held in association with organisations like Patanjali Yoga Samiti, Art of Living, and Bhartiya Yog Sanstha, among others.

The theme for this year’s yoga day was “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” which translates to One Earth, One Family, and One Future and aims towards a better global future, peace, and unity.

While lieutenant governor VK Saxena celebrated Yoga Day at the Delhi Development Authority’s Baansera sports complex at the Yamuna floodplains, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal gave yoga day a miss altogether.

Kejriwal on Tuesday tweeted about the closure of free yoga classes last year due to the alleged termination of funds by the LG. “Yoga day for me will be the day when I will again start free yoga classes for my Delhiites,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

The DDA said it organised events at 15 sports complexes with over 1,500 people taking part. Yoga day celebrations by the Delhi Police were led by Sanjay Kumar, the Special Commissioner of Police, with a total of 423 officers along with other police personnel performing yoga on the lawns of the Delhi Police Headquarters.

In a statement, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) also said it held a series of events in all its zones, with yoga asanas like Trikanasan, Shashankasan, Dandasan, Vjrasan, Bhujangasan, Makrasan, Setubandahasan, Shavasan, and Pranayam being taught to the participants.

Several senior leaders of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, participated in programmes organised in the 70 assembly constituencies and across various social organisations.

Responding to Kejriwal’s tweet, Sachdeva in a statement said, “The Kejriwal government first disputed the free yoga classes in Delhi, and is now not appointing yoga teachers in Delhi schools”.

International Day of Yoga was first put forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, which was welcomed by all the members of states of the UN.