New Delhi, June 20
The world is ready to observe the second International Day of Yoga (IDY) on Tuesday as Indian missions abroad held many practice sessions to prepare thousands of people for the day.
Indian missions in countries like China, Australia, the US, Britain, Pakistan and others organised Yoga practice sessions on various postures that are to be performed on June 21.
Pictures on websites of Indian missions across the world showed that people gathered in large numbers to be part of the international event.
Also, the iconic United Nations (UN) building in New York displayed different Yoga postures.
Syed Akbaruddin, who serves as India's permanent representative at the United Nations, shared the pictures of the building on Twitter.
"Yoga lights up UN, To celebrate #IDY2016, Yoga postures light up @UN headquarters in New York," he said in one of the tweets.
The Yoga postures, the pictures suggest, could be seen from far off places in the US city of New York.
The Indian High Commission in Britain held a session at Potters Fields Park, Tower Bridge in London.
Similarly, a mass Yoga practice session was organised in Australia's capital Canberra as part of the celebrations of the second IDY.
Yoga sessions were also held by Indian missions in China and Pakistan to prepare Yoga enthusiasts for the event.
Yoga Day rehearsal creates traffic mess in Delhi
New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) The rehearsals ahead of International Yoga Day hit the traffic movement hard in Delhi on Monday as the commuters were stuck in the traffic logjams for a long time.
According to Delhi traffic control room, massive traffic congestions were witnessed in and around Connaught Place, Mandi House-Barakhambha Road stretch, Gole Dak Khana and near India Gate in central Delhi.
"I remained stuck in a traffic jam for over half an hour near Gole Dak Khana in central Delhi. It was a nightmarish experience as it took me 45 minutes to reach Raisina Road from Gole Dak Khana. It was because of Yoga Day rehearsal in Connaught place," Satyanarayan Rao, a commuter, told IANS.
According to the officials of the traffic department, the inner circle of Connaught Place was closed for vehicular movement owing to Yoga Day rehearsal there. The traffic was diverted to tributary roads.
"The peripheral road around India Gate was completely clogged. Traffic congestion was everywhere, be it Ashoka Road, Purana Qila Road and whoever went towards these places was stuck in the traffic jam," a commuter, Asif Ali, told IANS.
Will attempt new records on Yoga Day: Patanjali Yog Committee
Faridabad, June 20 (IANS) The Patanjali Yog Committee has said that they will seek to create new records of Yoga performance, including the largest participation in a single yoga event, at a programme in Faridabad to mark the International Yoga Day on Tuesday.
In a statement, S.K. Tijarawala, spokesman of the trust, said that over 1 lakh people from various walks of life are likely to participate in the event.
He said that the event will be attended by Yoga guru Ramdev and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah.
"We are pleased to inform you that tomorrow (Tuesday), largest ever congregation of over 1 lakh people will create history of Yoga and will witness the attempts to set many world records with the blessings and in the presence of Swami Ramdev Ji and P.P. Acharya Balkrishan," said the statement from the trust.
Among the records which the participants will aim for are the world record of Sheershasan by 400 practitioners together for more than 90 minutes and world record of Surya Namaskar by six yoga practitioners more than 1,500 times.
"World record of 45 push-ups using 36.26 kg weight on back, world record of 38 push-ups using 45.35 kg weight on back, world record of 60 plus push-ups using 27.21 kg weight on back and world record of 4,100 plus push-ups using 25 kg weight on back will also be attempted," said the statement.
The places where programmes will be held on International Yoga Day in the national capital include Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi where over 5,000 yoga practitioners will perform yoga protocol.
"Lodhi Gardens, in association with New Delhi Municipal Council, will witness a event with over 2,000 Patanjali yog practitioners. A yoga event will also be held in Connaught place," said the statement.
An event at the Delhi Development Authority Park, Sector 11, Dwarka will witness over 2,000 participants.
