New Delhi, June 20
The first International Yogs Day, to be observed on Sunday, would see people performing just 35 \'asanas\' out of over 84 lakh specified in the ancient Indian physical, mental, and spiritual discipline.

\"What is being performed on the first International Yoga Day are the most popular, easy-to-do loosening exercises,\" Isha, a Yoga instructor who learnt the art at Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) here, told IANS, adding that there were over 84 lakh of these exercises.

\"Only the basic exercises would be done on the International Yoga Day. These would certainly help people understand the importance of yoga in life.\"

She has been busy guiding and training people for the big yoga day.

Yoga, as many would not know, is inspired by nature and animals, she said explaining how a dog pose gives it an idea of stretching.

\"It\'s inspired by nature and animals. People would understand nature but animals giving inspiration to Yoga could be a bit amazing for people to understand,\" she said.

Isha, along with other thousands of other instructors, expressed satisfaction that finally the world has recognised the art which keeps you healthy physically, mentally and spiritually.

\"It\'s nice that the United Nations has declared a special day for Yoga. It would surely help this Indian art gain more ground across the world,\" Rahul Sharma, another Yoga instructor, told IANS.

Yoga, which helps you gain patience and calmness, is being practiced internationally much before it was recognised by the UN, Sharma said, adding that it getting a special day assigned by the UN \"actually calls for celebrations in India\".

Sharma said the UN marking a day for Yoga would make it art popular. On Friday, during a full dress rehearsal for the first International Yoga Day, thousands of people performed various \'asanas\' at Rajpath.

Government officials and defence force personnel would also be part of a large contingent that would perform the ancient regimen of exercises and breathing techniques on Sunday.

The UN declaring International Yoga Day has also started showing its effect as the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) said the demand for yoga instructors is likely to increase by 35 percent.

\"The increased focus on yoga by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, coupled with growing awareness about the traditional Indian ways of dealing with stress in the corporate sector, has improved job opportunities in Yoga training with commensurate demand for trainers set to grow by 30-35 per cent in the couple of years\", according to an ASSOCHAM paper.

\"It will also give way to yoga tourism in India. Today, Yoga has millions of practitioners worldwide. It promises to become multi-billion dollar market in the form of health clinics, ayurveda resorts, holiday camps, corporate training etc, said ASSOCHAM secretary general D.S. Rawat.

\"All participants have been advised to be at the venue by 4 a.m. and are required to settle down by 5.30 a.m.,\" said an official, adding that on Sunday, the programme will start sharp at 7 and would go on till 7.30 a.m.

(Sushil Kumar can be contacted at sushil.k@ians.in)

Only 35 out of 84 lakh \'asanas\' for big yoga day