The 10th International Day of Yoga was celebrated in many parts of the world including in the Aotearoa New Zealand with hundreds of Yoga enthusiasts taking part in the Yoga sessions. In Auckland the event was organised on Sunday 16th June at Mahatma Gandhi Centre at Eden Terrace under the aegis of High Commission of India, Wellington and Auckland Indian Association Inc. Around 250 Yoga enthusiasts took part in an hour-long Yoga session led by Manoj Nathoo from Art of Living NZ, who carried out his job with perfect mastery and elan of a professional. The strenuous Yoga session started at 10 am and ended around 11:15 am, then welcome address and speeches by the invited dignitaries followed.
The prominent among the participants were Hon Consul Bhav Dhillon and his wife, AIAI President Pushpa Lekinwala, NZICA President Narendra Bhana, Jeet Suchdev, Roopa Suchdev, Prakash Biradar, Harshad Patel, Sunil Kuncha and many others.
Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives 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.
Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga by resolution 69/131. The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states. The proposal was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly, in which he said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action … a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”
Yoga is more than a physical activity, in the words of one of its most famous practitioners, the late B. K. S. Iyengar, “Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.”
The program at Mahatma Gandhi Centre ended with tea and light refreshment served to all participants. -Yugal Parashar