On International Yoga Day 2017, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with his wife Amruta and other popular faces, led the state in the event at Worli, starting off similar well-attended events across Mumbai, suburbs and major cities of Maharashtra. Many Bollywood celebrities including Jackie Shroff, Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora Khan were spotted stretching themselves on Yoga mats for several yoga asanas. Apart from this, over 10,000 naval personnel and their families and Indian Army officers also practiced yoga aboard ships and special Yoga camps in the military areas of the city.
Celebrities and commoners unite to mark the beginning of International Yoga Day 2017, which coincides with Summer Solistice, the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. They practiced Yoga asanas on land, water and underwater.
"People participated enthusiastically and did yoga on the decommissioned aircraft carrier, (INS) Viraat, 15 other warships and even underwater in submarines," Defence Ministry spokesperson Rahul Sinha told IANS.
Yoga teachers from the Brahmakumaris and Kaivalyadham institute trained staffers at the Raj Bhavan and officers and staff accompanied by their families in yoga. Lakhs of students started the day on a healthy note by doing yoga to the instructions of their PT masters in thousands of schools and colleges across Mumbai and in the rest of Maharashtra.
The ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai's famed dabbawalas, state and central government employees, state and city police departments, private companies, hotels, beach and hill resorts, mega-housing complexes and other venues thronged with yoga buffs on Wednesday.
Some private groups also offered novelties with themes of yoga for peace, adventures, for power, happiness, self-development and wellness to lure the masses to tourist spots.
(With IANS Inputs)
