Delhi to see large scale Yoga events this year: CM Gupta

Hindustan Times

4 hours ago

Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday announced that the Delhi government will host large-scale International Yoga Day celebrations across the city on June 21, marking what she said was a sharp shift from the approach of the previous administration.
Speaking at the inauguration of an Ayurvedic kitchen at the Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Ayurved Charak Sansthan in her assembly constituency Shalimar Bagh, Gupta also underscored the significance of yoga as a cultural and spiritual cornerstone, not just a fitness trend.
'For the first time, the Delhi government will organise major yoga events at 11 different locations,' Gupta said. 'I will participate at the Yamuna riverbank and share a message encouraging people to embrace their cultural heritage and lifestyle.'
She described the Yamuna as a personal symbol of commitment.
'I have a connection to the Yamuna. I want to keep looking at it, so I remember my duty to clean it,' she said. While the exact locations of the events remain unspecified, officials said these will span across the city and be open to the public.
Taking aim at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led administration, Gupta alleged that yoga was routinely ignored in Delhi's policy framework. 'The earlier government saw yoga through a political lens because it is associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But now, with a government that belongs to the people, yoga is being embraced as a cultural and health-oriented movement,' she said.
She added that yoga should be seen as part of India's philosophical and spiritual tradition, and not just a physical practice. 'It is the art of balanced living and must be part of every Indian's life,' she said.
Gupta also used the occasion to highlight the growing global recognition of India's traditional systems of healing. 'People from across the world are placing their trust in Ayurveda, and Delhi is emerging as a hub for such treatments,' she said, while advocating for a daily lifestyle that includes alternative medicine, yoga, and millet-based diets.
'These practices have no side effects. They are part of our glorious cultural heritage. If we adopt them in our lives, our society and country will move forward in a healthy direction.'
NDMC to hold camps at 8 locations
Meanwhile, in the New Delhi area, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has drawn up plans for an equally expansive celebration. NDMC vice-chairperson Kuljeet Chahal said eight iconic venues have been selected to host yoga sessions, including Kartavya Path, Lodhi Garden, Talkatora Garden, Shanti Path, Central Park in Connaught Place, Pandara Park, New Moti Bagh, and Sanjay Jheel in Lakshmi Bai Nagar.
'These sessions will be held in collaboration with leading yoga organisations such as the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Art of Living, Patanjali Yoga Samiti, Gayatri Parivar, and others,' Chahal said, adding that expected participation at each site ranges from 300 to 2,000 individuals.
To build momentum ahead of the main event, preparatory yoga camps will be held daily at Lodhi Garden and Talkatora Garden until June 20. These camps aim to spread awareness and get residents physically and mentally ready for the big day.
NDMC will also live-stream the Prime Minister's Yoga Day message across all venues and distribute yoga mats and branded T-shirts to participants. Digital branding materials will accompany the event to enhance visibility and outreach.