Tens of thousands of enthusiasts stretch, breathe and balance to mark International Day of Yoga
Tens of thousands of people across India stretched in public parks and on sandy beaches on Saturday to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga.
The mass yoga sessions were held in many Indian states, where crowds attempted various poses and practiced breathing exercises. Indian military personnel also performed yoga in the icy heights of Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas and on naval ships anchored in the Bay of Bengal.
Similar sessions were also held in countries including Malaysia and Indonesia.
Border Security Force personnel take part in a yoga session at the India-Pakistan border post . AFP
"I feel that yoga keeps us spiritually fit, mentally fit and helps us manage stress. That's why I feel that people should take out at least 30 minutes every day for yoga to keep themselves fit,' said Rajiv Ranjan, who participated in an event in the Indian capital of New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga on International Yoga Day in Vishakhapatnam, India. Reuters
Yoga is one of India's most successful cultural exports after Bollywood. It has also been enlisted for diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has harnessed it for cultural soft power as the country takes on a larger role in world affairs.
Naveen Meghwal from Indian Consulate performs yoga on International Day of Yoga in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. AP
Modi persuaded the UN to designate the annual International Day of Yoga in 2014. The theme this year was "Yoga for One Earth, One Health.'
People perform yoga with puppies on International Yoga Day in Bangkok. Reuters
Modi performed yoga among a seaside crowd in the southern city of Visakhapatnam city, and said "yoga leads us on a journey towards oneness with world.' Amid a checkerboard of yoga mats covering the beach, Modi took his spot on a mat and did breathing exercises, backbends and other poses.
"Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of yoga for humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy,' he said.
A girl performs yoga on top of a parked car as members of a yoga institute celebrate International Day of Yoga in Ahmedabad. AP
As Modi has pushed yoga, ministers, government officials and Indian military personnel have gone on social media to show themselves folding in different poses.
Indians perform yoga during an event to mark International Day of Yoga at a playground in Guwahati. AFP
In the capital, New Delhi, scores of people from all walks of life and age groups gathered at the sprawling Lodhi Gardens, following an instructor on stage.
"Yoga for me is like balancing between inner world and outer world,' said Siddharth Maheshwari, a startup manager who joined the event.
Participants perform yoga on International Day of Yoga in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. AP
In Malaysia, more than a thousand people, from yoga enthusiasts to first-timers, showed up for a session at the Batu Caves, a popular tourist attraction and site of Hindu festivals on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. People of all ages, including children, exercised next to a giant golden statue of a Hindu God and the rainbow-colored steps that lead to the temple cave.
People take part in a yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga in Lahore, Pakistan. AFP
The event was organised by the Indian High Commission in Malaysia.
"It has been really good and relaxing for the mind body and soul," said Lee Ann.
People take part in a yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga at Independence Square in Colombo, Sri Lanka. AFP
Tourists, students and yoga enthusiasts also rolled out their colorful yoga mats at sunset in a park near Nusa Dua Beach in Indonesia's resort island of Bali, which is home to more than 4 million people who are mainly Hindu in the mostly Muslim archipelago nation.
Students, along with activists of Bharatiya Janata Party, perform yoga at the city centre in Srinagar. AP
The event was organised by a government tourism agency and the Indian consulate in Bali.
"Yoga brings amazing benefits, especially to restore balance and calm a busy mind. This ancient tradition needs to be preserved because it has a positive impact on the wider society,' said Ayu Sangjiwani, a participant.
People perform Yoga to mark the International Day of Yoga during sunrise at the ancient megalithic observatory of Kokino, Macedonia. AFP
Similar events were also held in the capital, Jakarta, and in the cities of Makassar and Yogyakarta.
Associated Press
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