 "Yoga a free life insurance, says Modi while performing asanas in Lucknow")
2023 marks the ninth annual International Yoga Day celebrations. Since 2015, Yoga Day has been celebrated worldwide on June 21.
This year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hosting the ceremony at the United Nations (UN) headquarter in New York during his state visit to the United States between June 20-24.
According to India’s permanent mission to the UN, this year the timings for Yoga Day will be 8 am-9 am EST (5:30pm-6:30pm IST) on Wednesday, June 21.
This is the first time the event is being hosted abroad, previously the PM had hosted the ceremony in pre-chosen cities, Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Dehradun, Ranchi, and Mysore, respectively.
The 2023 theme of Yoga Day is: Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (meaning: One Earth, one family, and one future)
History of International Yoga Day
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The idea of a globally recognised day to spread awareness of the holistic practice of yoga was put forth by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi during the 69th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2014.
On December 11, 2014, the UNGA established ‘World Yoga Day’ after all 193 UN countries unanimously agreed on its recognition and yoga’s significance for health and well-being.
World Yoga Day, better known as International Yoga Day or Yoga Day, is now annually celebrated on June 21st, which is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day of the year in the southern hemisphere. PM Modi suggested this day as it was significant to many parts of the world.
All themes of International Yoga Day so far
2015: Yoga for Harmony and Peace
2016: Yoga for the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
2017: Yoga for Health
2018: Yoga for Peace
2019: Yoga for Heart
2020: Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family
2021: Yoga For Wellness
2022: 'Yoga for Humanity'
Why do we celebrate yoga?
The origins of yoga can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India, where it was developed as a spiritual and physical discipline. Yoga incorporates physical postures, breathing exercises, meditation, and ethical principles that aim to promote harmony and balance in body, mind, and spirit. Yoga has gained global popularity over time, with millions of people practicing it as a means to improve their overall well-being and health in a holistic manner.
During his proposal for International Yoga Day on September 27, 2014, PM Modi said, "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help in well-being. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day."
The purpose of International Yoga Day is to raise awareness about the benefits of practicing yoga and to encourage its adoption to achieve a healthier lifestyle.
How is International Yoga Day celebrated?
The day is marked by many events, including yoga sessions, workshops, demonstrations, and discussions, organised by yoga practitioners, schools, community centers, and other organisations worldwide.
The Embassy of India, consulates, and other Indian cultural bodies around the world also organise events to celebrate the day among international communities.
For the first-ever celebration of the day on June 21, 2015, the Reserve Bank of India issued the 10-rupee commemorative coin.
In 2017, the UN also issued 10 stamps of 'asanas' on International Yoga Day. The 10 stamps of $1.15 denomination each depicted a different yoga pose next to a large 'Om' in Devanagri script.
The Yoga Day ceremony is hosted by the Prime Minister of India in various cities in the country and live-telecasted for everyone to see.
Mass gatherings are also organised in cities with government officials and other notable people are invited to practice yoga along with the general public.
What is the funding for this?
In June 2019, the Hindu BusinessLine reported that the government had spent Rs 140 crore in five years to organise yoga day and the budget for the celebration in 2019 itself was around Rs 40 crore.
According to the report the major funds went into publicity, supplying drinking water and calorie-laden snacks & sweets. Other than this, the budget also made up funding for momentos, lodging for guests, transports, and setting up tents. The budget in 2019 was reportedly double of what was spent in the year prior.
Mass gatherings for yoga celebrations were halted in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the exact expense for Yoga Day in 2022 is unknown, according to the Indian Express, the allocated budget for the Ayush Ministry, responsible for the Yoga Day celebrations, was increased from Rs 1,252 crore at the time of its inception in 2014, to Rs 3,050 crore in the 2022 budget. This was increased by another 20 per cent in 2023 to Rs 3647 crore.
