International Yoga Day is held to celebrate the form of ancient exercise known as Yoga that helps in promoting physical, mental, spiritual well being.
It is celebrated on June 21 annually across India with various functions and programmes where groups of people across ages perform yoga poses together.
Yoga is essential to be inculcated in our lives today to live a healthy lifestyle and keep diseases as well as negative emotions at bay.
International Yoga Day : History & Significance
The International Day of Yoga was first proposed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2014.
The proposal was unanimously adopted by the UN, and since then, June 21 has been celebrated as International Day of Yoga worldwide.
This day also holds great significance in the yogic tradition as it marks the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere which is the longest day of the year.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on December 11, 2014, proclaiming June 21as International Day of Yoga.
The resolution received unprecedented support from 117 member states, highlighting the universal appeal of Yoga and its potential to foster harmony and peace among people.
The inaugural International Yoga Day was celebrated on June 21, 2015, with events taking place across the globe.
In India, a record-breaking yoga session was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi, where an estimated number of 35,985 participants, including Prime Minister Modi, performed yoga together.
A number of similar mass yoga sessions were also held in various cities worldwide, attracting millions of participants from different cultures and backgrounds.
International Yoga Day : Benefits of Yoga
Yoga helps to improve our physical fitness and helps us in getting relief from stress and depression.
It also increases strength and endurance, improves flexibility, enhances posture, promotes better breathing, increases mindfulness and awareness, and helps us in getting better sleep.
Yoga is therefore an important way by which we can develop our holistic well being and live a happy and healthy life.