International Yoga Day

Complete coverage of the day's events from Sydney to Srinagar as the world took to mats and stretched, bent and twisted.

June 21, 2015 03:38 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 11:07 am IST

New Delhi: Thousands of  participants perform Yoga during a mass yoga session at Rajpath on the International Day of Yoga 2015 in New Delhi on Sunday. PTI Photo(PTI6_21_2015_000205A)

New Delhi: Thousands of participants perform Yoga during a mass yoga session at Rajpath on the International Day of Yoga 2015 in New Delhi on Sunday. PTI Photo(PTI6_21_2015_000205A)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the >International Yoga Day on June 21 at India Gate, New Delhi.

>Delhi turned into a large yoga mat on Sunday , when the entire Rajpath had volunteers performing yoga along with the Prime Minister.

Mr. Modi said this was not just a day­long celebration but the beginning of an era of peace and harmony. Marvelling over the recognition that International Yoga Day had brought upon this ancient Indian tradition, he thanked the comity of nations for making it possible and joining India by organising similar events world over.

Other prominent personalities who joined Mr. Modi in attempting the record included the warring duo of Delhi politics – Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung – besides some members of Parliament from Delhi.

The International Yoga Day celebration drew enthusiastic response in many countries. Sri Sri Ravishankar’s The Art of Living also organised yoga camp on the occasion. Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Yoga Centre had also arranged a mass programme. Indian Army and Coast Guard also held yoga camps on June 21.

Mr. Modi said that though yoga originated in India, it is a collective gift to humanity.

International Yoga Day

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When Rajpath turned into 'yogpath'

The day kicked off with a massive yoga demonstration at Rajpath with Prime Minister Modi calling it 'Yogpath'. Across India, the celebrations echoed as bad weather refused to dampen the spirits of yoga practitioners. The Hindu 's coverage of this event from across the country and select foreign nations.

As it happened

>PM leads India's effort at setting Guinness record

Mr. Modi said this was not just a day­long celebration but the beginning of an era of peace and harmony.

>PM Modi cautions against ‘commodifying’ yoga

The Prime Minister also said yoga is a medium to check greed, violence, cost of health care and conflicts.

>Pakistan should rethink its stance on yoga: Ravi Shankar Prasad

He rubbished claims that yoga represented a particular religion and said yoga represents brotherhood and peace.

Web exclusives

>Disappointed yoga fans - Mehboob Jeelani

Several hundred enthusiasts were denied access to venue as they lacked invitation cards.

>Yoga Day is momentous, writes Jaggi Vasudev

'Yoga Day is a dimensional shift in the sense that in pursuit of well-being, we can begin to look inwards. Your well-being need not be in someone else’s hands, it means every individual taking their fundamental well-being in their own hands.'

The story of yoga

>Living yoga

H.S. Arun, a disciple of B.K.S Iyengar, speaks of the true nature of yoga.

>Hold your breath

It’s Yoga’s moment. Teachers and practitioners from Kochi speak about its changing aspects.

>The story of yoga

The govt.'s attempt can be classified as a re-appropriation of India’s cultural legacy

>So cool, it’s hot

Eighty per cent of weight loss depends on diet. If you are not zipping it, you are not losing it. So that should not be your aim with yoga, says Mansi.

>Looking back: an English encounter

English yoga teacher Barry Chapple talks about his interaction with his guru the late BKS Iyengar in England. "He was charismatic and charming and enthralled us with his witty conversation. His use of English was good and distinctive; he did seem to favour certain words, repeating them often; for example ‘intelligence’.”

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