Prime Minister Modi launches International Yoga Day at Rajpath Sunday June 21,2015

 

Among thousands of people twisting, bending and stretching on a ceremonial road in Delhi on Sunday morning was Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Before surprising everyone by joining a mass session to mark the first International Yoga Day, he commented: "Who would have thought that Rajpath would become Yoga Path?"

Dressed in all-white and a tricolour scarf, PM Modi performed a variety of poses, including the Vajrasan and Padmasan, along with nearly 40,000 people on red mats

"Yoga is not just for contorting your body into shapes. If that were true, people working in the circus would be called yogis."said Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The prime minister had tweeted early this morning: "Greetings to people around the world on 1st International Day of Yoga! Lets pledge to make Yoga an integral part of our daily lives #YogaDay."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday led the first International Yoga Day celebrations in the country, defining yoga as a means to train the human mind to begin a new era of peace and harmony.The Prime Minister, who practised 'asanas' along with nearly 35,000 participants during a mega event at Rajpath here, also thanked the United Nations and the countries which backed the resolution by India to mark June 21 as International Yoga Day
The Prime Minister, who was expected to only address the gathering, surprised everyone by participating in the yoga exercises along with thousands of people, including children.

Yoga guru Ramdev shared the dais with Modi along with heads of some other religious and yoga institutions. Modi later joined the participants on the ground as he practised the 'asanas'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, perform 15 asanas in 35 minutes at Rajpath.

 

 

 

 

With International Yoga Day at Rajpath, India Sets Two Guinness World Records in a Day

 

The Rajpath event broke the record for the largest yoga class, with 35,985 people performing the ancient Indian discipline at once. The previous record was held by Gwalior's Jiwaji University, with 29,973 people.

The other record set at Rajpath was for the largest number of nationalities at a yoga event. Volunteers and invitees from 84 different countries took part to set the record.

A two-member team from London on behalf of Guinness World Records was in Delhi to oversee the arrangements for the International Day of Yoga. The data was audited by Ernest & Young.
 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that there must not be any politics over the ancient Indian tradition, as it is good for both mind and body. 

Similar yoga events took place simutaneously across India, with Chief Ministers like Vasundhara Raje, Chandrababu Naidu and Raghubar Das joining in.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje performs yoga asanas at a public event in Jaipur

Several diplomats from different countries also participated in the Rajpath yoga event

Indian Navy personnel join International Yoga Day celebration onboard INS Viraat

  

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh performed yoga asanas at K D Singh Babu stadium in Lucknow

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar performs yoga asanas in Meerut

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh practiced yogasanas with school children