International Day of Yoga
International Yoga Day is celebrated on 21 June every year throughout the world. The aim of this day is to create awareness of the health benefits of yoga practices and educate people about the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.
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| International Day of Yoga |
- Introduction
- Significance of Yoga
- History: International Day of Yoga
- Logo Meaning: International Day of Yoga
- Theme of International Day of Yoga
- International Day of Yoga celebration in India
- International Yoga Day FAQs
International Day of Yoga is celebrated for the promotion of Yoga
to come forward and spread the message about the rewards of regular practice of
yoga among the general public. Every individual stands to gain from the regular
practice of yoga through long term benefits in health, happiness, and
well-being.
Significance of Yoga
Yoga
is an ancient physical mental and spiritual practice that originated 5,000
years ago in India. Yoga was developed as a way to interconnect the mind, body
and soul to step closer into enlightenment.
The
word "Yoga" is derived from Sanskrit which means "To Join or To Unite" i.e. the
union of body and consciousness. Today yoga is practiced in various forms
around the world and continues to grow in popularity. The United Nations
proclaimed the 21 June as the International Day of Yoga.
History of International Day of Yoga
The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by Prime
Minister of India, Narendra Modi on September 27, 2014, during his speech at
the United Nations General Assembly. A resolution to establish June 21 as
International Yoga Day was introduced by India’s Ambassador, Ashok Kumar
Mukerji.
The date of June 21 was chosen as it is the Summer Solstice, the
day where there is the most sun out of every other day of the year. Overall, it
received support from 177 nations, the highest number of co-sponsors for any UN
resolution, proclaiming June 21 as International Yoga Day.
The first International Yoga Day was celebrated on June 21, 2015,
in India and around the world. Nearly 36,000 people, including Prime Minister
Modi and many other high-profile political figures from all around the world
performed 21 asanas (yoga postures) for 35 minutes in New Delhi.
Logo Meaning: International Day of Yoga
The logo reflects harmony and peace for humanity, which is the
essence of Yoga. The International Yoga Day logo is completely defined and has
some meaning.
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| International Day of Yoga Logo |
Folding of both hands in the logo Symbolise Yoga, the union, which
reflects the union of individual consciousness with that of universal
consciousness, a perfect harmony between mind & body, man & nature; a holistic approach to health & well-being.
Orange Halo- Fire Element
Brightness symbolises the Fire element and
The Sun symbolises the source of energy and inspiration.
Globe- Oneness
Green Leaves- Nature
The green leaves symbolise Nature,
Brown Leaves- Earth
The brown leaves symbolise the Earth element,
Blue Human Art- Water in Body
Blue symbolises the Water element,
Theme of International Day of Yoga
- 2015: Yoga for Harmony and Peace
- 2016: Yoga for the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goals
- 2017: Yoga for Health
- 2018: Yoga for Peace
- 2019: Yoga for Heart
- 2020: Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family
- 2021: Yoga for well-being
International Yoga Day Celebration in India
First International Yoga day
On 21 June 2015, the Indian Prime Minister and around 36,000
people had celebrated the first International Day of Yoga at Rajpath in New
Delhi. 21 yoga mudras or yoga postures for 35 minutes were performed there.
The ceremony had established two Guinness World Records: the first
to be the largest yoga class and secondly the largest number of nationalities
from 84 countries participated in the event. This award was presented to the
Ministry of AYUSH and received by AYUSH minister Shripad Yesso Naik.
Second International Yoga day
On 21 June 2016 in Chandigarh, International Yoga Day was
celebrated. AYUSH Ministry organised the event "The National Event of Mass
Yoga Demonstration", in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other
people participated.
Third International Yoga Day
On 21 June 2017 in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, the International Day
of Yoga was celebrated where other new records were created. People from around
150 countries participated and the number of participants was up to 51,000.
Fourth International Yoga Day
On 21 June 2018 in Dehradun in Uttarakhand, the International Day
of Yoga was celebrated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with around 55,000
enthusiasts performed Yoga.
Fifth International Yoga Day
On 21 June 2019, in Ranchi, Jharkhand the International Yoga Day
was celebrated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with around 18,000 participants
including Chief Minister Raghubar Das, Ministers, and senior officials of the
state participated in the Yoga celebration. International Yoga Day was celebrated
at Prabhat Tara ground in the morning.
Sixth International Yoga Day
On 21 June 2020, the sixth international day of yoga was
celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country through electronic and
digital media. Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19 mass gathering of
International Yoga Day celebration was not organized
Seventh International Yoga Day
21 June 2021 is going to be celebrated as the 7th International Day of Yoga. The theme of International Yoga Day 2021 is “Yoga for well-being”.
This theme is relevant in today’s time as the world is still
reeling from the major up heal of the COVID-19.
International Yoga Day FAQs:-
When did International Yoga Day Start?
The first International Day of Yoga was observed around the world
on June 21, 2015.
Why do we celebrate Yoga Day?
PM Modi, during his speech at the UNGA, said, "Yoga is an
invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and
body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and
nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but
to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world, and nature. Changing
our lifestyle and creating consciousness, can help in well-being. Let us work
towards adopting an International Yoga Day."
Who started Yoga Day?
177 member states of the United Nations General Assembly endorsed PM
Narendra Modi's suggestion to celebrate June 21 as International Yoga Day.
What kind of equipment do I need to practice yoga?
The most important equipment is flexible athletic clothing and a yoga
mat.
Why is June 21 celebrated as Yoga Day?
June 21, also called summer solstice, is the longest day of
the year. Therefore, it was decided that International Yoga Day would be
celebrated on this day.
What is Yoga and why do we celebrate it?
Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that
originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or
to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness.
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