Right way to do it: PM Modi steps off yoga dais to guide participants

PM steps off yoga dais to guide participants

KOLKATA: The 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations on Red Road saw PM Narendra Modi step off the dais after delivering his speech, join the participants in performing asanas and help at least three of them correct their postures.Around 35,000 participants, including school students and residents from districts, joined the PM-led event, which started at 6am and continued till around 8am on Sunday. Nearly 30,000 other yoga enthusiasts, who failed to make it to the venue — a 1km-stretch on Red Road — performed asanas in the vicinity, especially on Mayo Road.The session began with the chanting of ‘Om’. Instructions, given in Bengali and Hindi, were accompanied by yoga demonstration on the stage.A couple of hours after the event ended, the city was drenched by the heaviest downpour of the season so far.Modi, who arrived on Red Road around 6.25am, dressed in a white T-shirt and white trousers, said in his speech, “From the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, and from Bengal and the northeast to the western region of Saurashtra, the entire nation is energised by the spirit of yoga. The country and the world are connected through a shared commitment to wellness and harmony, reflecting the unifying power of yoga.”

After delivering his speech, he got down from the dais and performed various moves for around 15 minutes before helping participants correct their postures.Modi later posted on social media: “An exceptional Yoga Day programme in Kolkata! This time, the theme was ‘Yoga For Healthy Ageing’, which emphasised the importance of yoga in all ages to remain fit and healthy.”In his address, the PM praised the people of Kolkata for their efforts under the ‘Swachhta Se Swagat’ initiative.

The dedication, hard work and civic responsibility demonstrated by the citizens in maintaining cleanliness have become an inspiration for people across the country, he said.Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who shared the dais with the PM, expressed his gratitude to Modi for selecting Bengal as the principal venue for the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations. “The event has generated unprecedented enthusiasm across the state, with people from all districts, from Darjeeling to Digha...,

participating in yoga activities and celebrations. The principles of yoga are deeply embedded in India’s civilisational tradition and they continue to inspire people towards a balanced and disciplined life,” Adhikari said.Speaking about the significance of holding the event in Bengal, Modi said he felt privileged to celebrate the day in the land of some of India’s greatest spiritual leaders and yoga practitioners. “It is very special to be in Bengal today on the occasion of Yoga Day. The sacred land of Bengal, where saints like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa descended,

Swami Vivekananda

... where great yogis like Lahiri Mahasaya took the yoga tradition to new heights — this collective yoga in the same land is a unique spiritual experience,” he said.The PM also referred to Sri Aurobindo’s belief that the whole life is yoga, observing that when yoga becomes part of one’s nature, it strengthens the foundation of human unity. The day’s theme — ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing‘ — is relevant for people of all ages as yoga can be a lifelong companion in the pursuit of health, well-being and growth, he said.The PM also highlighted the progress made under the “Yoga 365” initiative this year. “A 100-day online yoga programme was organised under the initiative and more than 3 million people from 130 countries participated in the programme,” he said.