Srinagar: Yoga sessions were held at many places in Kashmir Valley which witnessed participation of a large number of school children and security personnel to mark the maiden International Yoga Day on Sunday .
The main function held at Bakshi Stadium here, was participated by over 1,200 NCC cadets and school children.
Other such sessions were held at Baramulla, Uri, Bandipura, Tangdhar, Anantnag, Kargil and Leh.
Over 4,700 NCC cadets and school children participated with zeal and enthusiasm across these venues where they underwent structured training on Yoga by trained instructors, a defence spokesperson said here.
“Kashmiri NCC cadets, both boys and girls, joined army personnel in performing yoga as a part of healthy lifestyle initiative,” the spokesperson said.
“The Srinagar based Chinar Corps joined the local youths in conducting Yoga as part of their daily physical activity.
Yoga was conducted in all parts of the Valley including high altitude posts,” he said.
The CRPF also celebrated the day by holding yoga sessions at all its establishments in the Valley.
“With earnest endeavours to attain healing, health and spirituality from within and to spread the message of ‘Yoga for harmony and peace’, all establishments of the CRPF in the Valley celebrated ‘First International Day of Yoga’ in jovial and fascinating manner,” a CRPF spokesperson said.
Stressing that upholding physical fitness and mental peace are of paramount importance for CRPF personnel, he said, practising yoga binds all jawans together, who endure stress and strain due to nature of their duty while maintaining peace and order.
“With the motive to spread this message not only to the force but to citizens of the Valley, all officers and jawans of CRPF practiced significant forms of Pranayam and other ‘Aasans’ of yoga to give health awareness and inner peace a wide recognition,” he said.
He said practicing yoga was another exercise of binding all brave jawans together, who endure and sustain the toughest of stress and strain related to nature of the duty while maintaining peace and order in the nation.
Meanwhile, Kashmir unit of BJP also celebrated ‘International Day of Yoga’ at Jhelum View Park in Rajbagh here.
The party unit 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 and a holistic approach to health and well-being,” it said.
Union Minister of State, Social Justice and Empowerment, Krishan Pal Gujjar was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Gujjar said Yoga was not about exercise, “but to discover the sense of oneness within you, the world and the nature”.
He said there were some people having “vested interests” who spread false propaganda about the yoga.
“They are the people who do not wish to keep mind and body in good health,” he said.
He said it was on the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the day was being celebrated as International Day of Yoga.
“Yoga is the identity of India. It started around 5,000 years ago. It teaches a person to remain healthy. And when a person is healthy, then only can his family, the society and the country prosper. Only a healthy person can participate in nation building. It is also a means to keep away many diseases and ailments,” he said.
The minister appealed people to practice yoga.
“Be they from any religion, everyone needs a healthy body. I appeal everyone to practice yoga,” he said.