Perhaps conscious of the controversy that most western yoga schools do not acknowledge yoga’s origins, PM Modi clarified that yoga is ancient Indian but a living and dynamic tradition. It is free from copyrights, patents, and royalty payments.
Leading the celebration of the 9th International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21 at the UN headquarters in New York, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Yoga as “truly universal” and “free from copyrights and patents”.
It was a perfect venue and occasion to reiterate that yoga is India’s gift to the world. “Friends, I’m told that almost every nationality is represented here today,” said Modi, whose initiative led to the inception of IDY in 2015. Since then, yoga enthusiasts and organizations all over the world observe it with group yoga sessions and events including at Times Square in New York and iconic locations across the world.
PM Modi was perhaps conscious of the criticism in some quarters of western yoga schools not acknowledging the origins of yoga. He said, “Yoga comes from India and it is a very old tradition. But like all ancient Indian traditions, it is also living and dynamic. Yoga is free from copyrights, patents, and royalty payments. Yoga is adaptable to your age, gender, and fitness level. Yoga is portable and is truly universal.”
Modi was joined at the UN event by the President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly Csaba Korisi, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Hollywood actor Richard Gere, Jain guru Acharya Lokesh Muni and many eminent personalities along with hundreds of yoga enthusiasts and practitioners.
“When we do yoga, we feel physically fit, mentally calm, and emotionally content. Yoga is a way of life, a way to live in harmony with self, with others, and with nature,” he said as quoted by the PTI news agency.
Top UN officials, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Hollywood actor Richard Gere, Jain guru Acharya Lokesh Muni and many eminent people joined the yoga session along with hundreds of yoga enthusiasts and practitioners on June 21 at the UN headquarters in New York.
“Let us use the power of yoga, not only to be healthy, and happy but also to be kind to ourselves and each other, let us use the power of yoga to build bridges of friendship, of a peaceful world and a cleaner, greener sustainable future,” he added.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his video message on the occasion, said yoga unites body and mind, humanity and nature, and millions of people across the globe for whom it is a source of strength, harmony, and peace.
“In a dangerous and divided world, the benefits of this ancient practice are particularly precious. Yoga offers a haven of calm; it can reduce anxiety and promote mental well-being. It helps us to develop discipline and patience. It connects us to our planet, which so badly needs our protection,” Guterres said.
The UN underlined that Yoga is an ancient physical, mental, and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ is derived from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. Today it is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity.
Yoga has become one of the fastest-growing wellness practices in the past decade. An estimated 300 million people regularly practice yoga worldwide, 36 million in America alone.
With input from PTI news agency.
Photos courtesy MEAIndia@Twitter
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Just returned from DC. PM Modi events were exhilarating.