When Patanjli, the propounder of modern Yoga, founded this well being exercise he may not have thought in his wildest dream even this indigenous form of good living needed a United Nation endorsement to popularise this art of living after centuries. Any exercise for well being never had a political connotation and as long as it remains apolitical it remains a good exercise sans religious ritual which is always welcome. Practicing Yoga or religious rituals are personal and confined to individual level and there is no mass or political participation. And when such practices get political patronage and colour it sends some uncomfortable signal. India may not be able to get a permanent seat in UN Security Council but Yoga got its recognition by declaring 21st June as International Yoga Day to be observed every year which got support of 175 out of 193 nations. In the past certain western countries were apprehensive about Yoga. Russia under Communist regime banned Yoga because they felt it had religious overtones. Today also it is not away from the hard-line thinking, though Govt is trying to popularise in all sections of the society. There is no harm. Exercise and sport should be kept separated from religious rituals specially the statements of some ministers targeting a particular section of the society. Because of Yoga at least India will be acknowledged in the community of nations as a promoter of wellbeing and better art of living. But what is needed is to keep the good work going and adopting in every part of life by everyone and not a show stopper for just one day in a year. It is a life time achievement like some of the great Yoga Gurus like B.K.S Iyengar who popularised Yoga in 70 countries in the West since 1960 at personal level. Iyengar, a Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree awardee died last year at the age of 95 years. He was much ahead of his time and did not get any Govt patronage to promote this art of living. This achievement did not come to Iyengar in a day it took years and neither it had any religious controversy. So Yoga is not a one-dayer like T-20 of cricket, play and forget.
