Baba Ramdev holds rehearsal for International Yoga Day

People from other faiths, including Mufti Sahmoon Qasmi, general secretary of an organisation of Imams, attended the session.

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Muslim leader Mufti Sahmoon Qasmi demonstrate breathing exercises at the Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Prashant Nakwe

Ahead of the first International Yoga Day celebrations on June 21, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday held a preparatory session with a large number of his followers and children at the Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium here.

Braving rains, 5,200 teachers from his Patanjali Yogpeeth and other practitioners including children rehearsed a 35-minute “Common Yoga Protocol” formulated by AYUSH Ministry on Sunday morning.

The rehearsal was attended by those who will participate in the main programme on International Yoga Day at Rajpath, said S.J. Tijarwala, a spokesman of Ramdev.

Package of asanas The yoga guru also demonstrated a package of asanas that keeps people healthy and helps them lead a medicine-free life.

People from other faiths, including Mufti Sahmoon Qasmi, general secretary of an organisation of Imams, attended the session, the spokesman said.

Later, the yoga guru said on Twitter: “Whole world should get up in morning & do yoga for a medicine-free healthy life.”

The Patanjali Yogpeeth organised the programme under its plan for celebration of International Yoga Day globally.

Telecast Arrangements were also made for the telecast of the programme in several countries.

The yoga guru expressed satisfaction over the large participation in the rehearsal despite the rains, terming it “Varsha Yoga” in a lighter vein. India will lead 191 nations to mark the ‘International Yoga Day’, highlighted by a mega event here on Rajpath.