Tens of thousands of people across India stretched in public parks and on sandy beaches Saturday to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga.
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\nThe mass yoga sessions were held in many Indian states, where crowds attempted various poses and practiced breathing exercises. Indian military personnel also performed yoga in the icy heights of Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas and on naval ships anchored in the Bay of Bengal.<\/p>\n
Similar sessions were also held in countries including Malaysia and Indonesia.
\n\u201cI feel that yoga keeps us spiritually fit, mentally fit and helps us manage stress. That\u2019s why I feel that people should take out at least 30 minutes every day for yoga to keep themselves fit,\u201d said Rajiv Ranjan, who participated in an event in the Indian capital of New Delhi.<\/p>\n
Yoga is one of India\u2019s most successful cultural exports after Bollywood. It has also been enlisted for diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has harnessed it for cultural soft power as the country takes on a larger role in world affairs.
\nModi persuaded the U.N. to designate the annual International Day of Yoga in 2014. The theme this year was \u201cYoga for One Earth, One Health.\u201d<\/p>\n
Modi performed yoga among a seaside crowd in the southern city of Visakhapatnam city, and said \u201cyoga leads us on a journey towards oneness with world.\u201d Amid a checkerboard of yoga mats covering the beach, Modi took his spot on a mat and did breathing exercises, backbends and other poses.
\n\u201cLet this Yoga Day mark the beginning of yoga for humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As Modi has pushed yoga, ministers, government officials and Indian military personnel have gone on social media to show themselves folding in different poses.
\nIn the capital, New Delhi, scores of people from all walks of life and age groups gathered at the sprawling Lodhi Gardens, following an instructor on stage.
\n\u201cYoga for me is like balancing between inner world and outer world,\u201d said Siddharth Maheshwari, a startup manager who joined the event.<\/p>\n
In Malaysia, more than a thousand people, from yoga enthusiasts to first-timers, showed up for a session at the Batu Caves, a popular tourist attraction and site of Hindu festivals on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. People of all ages, including children, exercised next to a giant golden statue of a Hindu God and the rainbow-colored steps that lead to the temple cave.
\nThe event was organized by the Indian High Commission in Malaysia.
\n\u201cIt has been really good and relaxing for the mind body and soul," said Lee Ann.<\/p>\n
Tourists, students and yoga enthusiasts also rolled out their colorful yoga mats at sunset in a park near Nusa Dua Beach in Indonesia\u2019s resort island of Bali, which is home to more than 4 million people who are mainly Hindu in the mostly Muslim archipelago nation.
\nThe event was organized by a government tourism agency and the Indian consulate in Bali.
\n\u201cYoga brings amazing benefits, especially to restore balance and calm a busy mind. This ancient tradition needs to be preserved because it has a positive impact on the wider society,\u201d said Ayu Sangjiwani, a participant.<\/p>\n
The International Day of Yoga has become a significant event globally, with people from all walks of life participating in yoga sessions to promote health, wellness, and inner peace. As the world becomes increasingly fast-paced and stressful, the importance of yoga in maintaining a balance between the inner and outer world cannot be overstated.<\/p>\n
Q: What is the International Day of Yoga?
\nA: The International Day of Yoga is an annual event observed on June 21 to promote yoga and its benefits for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
\nQ: When was the International Day of Yoga first observed?
\nA: The International Day of Yoga was first observed in 2015, after being recognized by the United Nations in 2014.
\nQ: What is the theme of the International Day of Yoga this year?
\nA: The theme of the International Day of Yoga this year is \u201cYoga for One Earth, One Health.\u201d
\nQ: Where were the yoga sessions held this year?
\nA: Yoga sessions were held in various locations across India and the world, including public parks, beaches, and tourist attractions.
\nQ: Who participated in the yoga sessions?
\nA: People from all walks of life, including yoga enthusiasts, first-timers, tourists, students, and government officials, participated in the yoga sessions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Introduction to International Day of Yoga Tens of thousands of people across India stretched in public parks and on sandy beaches Saturday to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga. The mass yoga sessions were held in many Indian states, where crowds attempted various poses and practiced breathing exercises. Indian military personnel also performed yoga […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-16561","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-wellness"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/media.nbcmiami.com\/2025\/06\/AP25172196623963.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&fit=8640,5760&w=1920&resize=1920,1280&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16561"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16561"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16563,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16561\/revisions\/16563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}