Souls in Sync: Thousands stretch, bend for good health
New Delhi: Over 2,000 yoga enthusiasts gathered at Kartavya Path, their voices rising in unison with the chant of 'Om'. International Yoga Day 2025 unfolded as a vibrant display of unity and mindfulness, organised by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
The morning began with a live telecast of the Prime Minister's address from Visakhapatnam, which set the tone for the 11th edition of the celebration.
In the presence of union health minister, JP Nadda and NDMC vice Chairman, Kuljeet Singh Chahal, the session was led by Acharya Pragya Sagar in collaboration with the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga.
Addressing the crowd, Nadda said, "People around the world are doing yoga to stay healthy, and more and more people have started practising yoga in the past ten years."
NDMC made seamless arrangements across eight locations, including mobile toilets, healthcare services, and drinking water. Additionally, yoga protocol events were organised at NDMC Old Age Home and Working Women's Hostel, among other venues.
Participants from all walks of life took part, including both amateurs and seasoned practitioners, moving together through poses ranging from basic neck stretches to advanced ones like Trikonasana.
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Octogenarian Vipin Parmar, seen performing Kati Chakrasana, said, "Yoga is the ultimate lifeline. We don't realise it when we're young, but as we grow older, we understand that it is a gift from our Indian tradition."
Similar scenes could be seen at Lodhi Garden, where children aged 6 to 9 joined their parents. "As a woman, yoga has made my life more manageable. Even daily chores feel easier now," said Suman Singh, 58, who had earlier attended another yoga camp at Pandara Road.
Apart from NDMC, the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) also held yoga sessions across the city. At Baansera, lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena performed various yoga poses to showcase its wide-ranging benefits.
Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh joined an MCD-led session and urged parents to instil yoga habits in children, saying, "Yoga is not just an exercise but a lifestyle.
It is a priceless heritage of Indian culture, and everybody should do it regularly."
The historic Purana Qila in the capital also witnessed the celebrations of the International Day For Yoga, in a joint collaboration between the ministry of culture and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Marking a confluence of heritage and ancient tradition, the ASI marked the day by organising yoga sessions at 81 monument sites across the country. From Adalaj Ki Vav in Gujarat to the Sun Temple in Konark, these architectural wonders served as backdrops for mass yoga participation by people of all ages.
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