20,000 Nepalis to take part in yoga session

Over 20,000 Nepalis will take part in a five-day mass yoga session to be inaugurated by President Ram Baran Yadav here on Friday.

Indian yoga guru Ramdev arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday afternoon to conduct the session at Tundikhel that is being organised by the Patanjali Nepal chapter.

"Yoga will be instrumental in strengthening ties between Nepal and India," Ramdev told the media at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Ramdev will also participate in a campaign to clean the Bagmati river. The revered Pashupatinath temple is located on its banks.

The objective of the yoga session is to create awareness in Nepal, the organisers said in a press statement, adding a free health camp will also be organised.

Yoga became popular among Nepalis after Ramdev aggressively promoted it.

Ramdev will also travel to other cities of Nepal to promote yoga. This is his fifth visit to Nepal.

The Nepal government is providing high-level security for Ramdev, who has in the past advocated reinstating Nepal as s Hindu state.

Over 250 police personnel have been deployed for his security, an official said.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)