Yoga Day!

The first International Day of Yoga will be held on Sunday in India.

18:12 19 June 2015

Massive preparations are underway as India celebrates the first International Day of Yoga on Sunday. 

 

At the International Sivananda Yoga ashram in south Delhi, a few dozen men and women are being guided by their teacher to perfect advanced yoga poses as part of the preparation for Sunday’s event. 

"It is a good initiative. It will create further awareness about yoga the world over," says Prakash Chand Kapoor, senior yoga teacher and director of the centre.

Among the students is Anjali Singh. "Yoga is our gift to the world. I'm really proud we are celebrating this day," she says.

 

Among the preparations include a long list of activities at the lawns of India Gate, shutting down the King’s Avenue to traffic for days, and laying about 7,000 mats. This is where 35,000 officials, soldiers, and students are expected to perform 35 minutes of exercises, led by trained yoga teachers. 

 

"The numbers are mindboggling, we expect tens of millions to participate. Of the 193 member countries of the UN, yoga will be done in 192 countries - except in Yemen because of the conflict there,"  Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said.