Yoga events held at National Mall, UN Plaza.
By Sithara Sethumadhavan
The United States joined India and the rest of the world, on Sunday, in celebrating the first International Day of Yoga, brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Celebrations were held on the National Mall in Washington, DC, at the UN Plaza in New York, and in hundreds of other cities across the United States, attended by tens of thousands of yoga enthusiasts.
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More than 1,500 attended the event held at the Mall, according to the Embassy of India, which hosted it, in association with Friends of Yoga, an umbrella group of various organizations that promote yoga.
“It is a very special occasion,” said Arun Kumar Singh, the Ambassador of India to the United States, addressing the gathering. “And I would like to congratulate all of you — all of us, really — [for being] a part of the first International Day of Yoga.”
Other dignitaries present included Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal, Director for Outreach at National Security Council Matt Nosanchuk, Director of Multilateral Relations at Department of Health and Human Services Peter Mamacos, and the first Indian American Miss America Nina Davluri.
“I just want to be here to be part of this event, and on behalf of Secretary Kerry… welcome all of you, and welcome this annual celebration of the International Day of Yoga,” Biswal said.
Nosanchuk extended to the participants greetings of President Obama.
In her brief remark, Davluri said she has been practicing yoga for almost 20 years.
Carrie Trybulec, Director of Gandhi Memorial Center in Bethesda, MD, was the master of ceremonies.
Guided yoga sessions and yoga-related activities presented by various organizations, a musical performance by Indian American flautist Deepak Ram and percussionist John De Kadt, and a dance performance in the form of yoga were highlights of the event.
Many attendees were impressed with the backdrop and the novelty of the event.
“It was a very refreshing from the yoga perspective—the weather was very nice. The place, next to the Mall, was excellent,” said Paul Patel, a prominent hotelier from College Park, MD, who is also a trustee of the Gujarati Samaj of Washington, DC. “It is a great beginning, and I hope it will get bigger and bigger.”
An embassy press release said elected officials of a number of US states have “issued proclamations and felicitation messages to support and commemorate the First International Day of Yoga and spread awareness about Yoga.” They included Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, Jr., Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Massachusetts Gov. Charles D. Baker, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, Irvine Mayor Steven S. Choi, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and Cambridge Mayor David P. Maher.
In New York, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon UN General Assembly president Sam Kutesa and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) were among those gathered to celebrate Yoga Day at the UN Plaza.
Yoga sessions were held at Times Square throughout the day.
Also hosting yoga events were Indian missions in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and San Francisco.
(Updated at 8:26 pm)
2 Comments
*****Is Narendra Modi Not a SICK MAN?*****
Yoga Asanas have NOT made Narendra Modi HEALTHY. He is a SICK MAN who is SUFFERING from chronic SLEEPLESSNESS, as he gets ONLY 3 HOURS of SLEEP in a day.
In the International Yoga Day program of June 21 at Rajpath in New Delhi, telecast by DOORDARSHAN and other TV channels, how many viewers saw the TREMOR in Modi’s HAND, as he was using his thumb and one finger to alternately close his left and right nostrils to perform the breathing exercises?
Overworked and exhausted Narendra Modi is a SICK MAN. He requires MEDICAL treatment, PROPER DIET, ADEQUATE REST and MORE SLEEP. Modi should SLEEP for at least 6 HOURS daily to be in REALLY GOOD HEALTH. Adequate SLEEP is necessary for WORKING EFFICIENTLY and for AVOIDING MISTAKES, which may even CAUSE ACCIDENTS.
Yoga Asanas CANNOT give GOOD HEALTH to anyone who does NOT FOLLOW the LAWS of NATURE. Nobody can DEFY the LAWS of NATURE and still REMAIN HEALTHY.
With a waistline of about 58 inches, and suffering from INSOMNIA, and with signs of TREMOR in his hands, Narendra Modi CAN NEVER be a ROLE MODEL for those who seek GOOD HEALTH. Making Modi his ROLE MODEL, who will like to become FAT to get a 58-inch waist, suffer from INSOMNIA and have TREMOR in HANDS?
The PEOPLE of India DON’T NEED any Yoga LESSONS from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but they want GOOD GOVERNANCE from him. The GOVERNMENT of India must provide unadulterated PURE FOOD, CLEAN WATER, clothing, shelter, education, employment and SECURITY to ALL PEOPLE. There must be justice, communal harmony and PEACE in the whole country.