International Yoga Day is celebrated every year on June 21.
As the coronavirus pandemic affects lives and livelihoods across the globe, people are increasingly embracing yoga as a way to heal themselves - mentally and physically. The ancient Indian discipline, which is aimed at integrating all aspects of the body with the mind and soul to achieve ultimate happiness and balanced life, is helping people remain healthy during these trying times.
Yoga plays a significant role in allaying fears and anxiety. The practitioners use a mix of physical and breathing exercises and meditation to improve their overall well-being.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation this morning. "When Covid emerged, no country was prepared. At this time yoga became a source of inner strength. Yoga helps in self-discipline, it inculcated faith in people that they could fight this virus. Frontline warriors told me that they made yoga a tool in fighting the virus," PM Modi, who was dressed in an orange kurta, said in a televised address.
In 2014, during his speech in the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister proposed the idea of celebrating Yoga Day. Later, 175 nations backed a UN resolution to celebrate the International Day of Yoga on June 21.
The United Nations, recognising the importance of the Indian practice in these trying times, has decided to celebrate the day this year by focusing on "Yoga for well-being".
Its aim is to raise awareness about how yoga can promote the holistic health of every individual. The UNICEF has said that even children can practice Yoga poses without any risk to get the same benefits that adults do.
There is a theme song too:
Events in most parts of the world this year are being held online amid the pandemic, with yoga gurus leading the practitioners and guiding them through digital mediums.
This morning, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, after the Prime Minister's address to the nation, said: "Relevance of Yoga has increased during COVID-19. Yoga has helped us to maintain our physical and mental health. We should make Yoga or other physical activities a part of our daily life. These will help us to increase our immunity against coronavirus."
"I assure you, include yoga in your daily routine, it will increase your body's urgency and inner strength, it will also give you more strength in the fight against Covid," he added.