Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline.
Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security.
The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of 'Common Yoga Protocol'. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga 'asanas' along with the people at the event.
Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga 'asanas' on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself.
Also Read: Yoga no religious activity, a global mass movement: PM Modi on Yoga Day
Earlier addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga.
"I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject --diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga," he said.
"All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus," Modi said.
Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease.
"In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes.
"It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease," he said.
Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said.
Here are the highlights of second International Yoga Day celebrations:
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins mass Yoga demonstration in Chandigarh
* Over 30,000 people are participating in demonstration on International Yoga Day event in Chandigarh
* Yoga demonstration at the Yoga Day event in Chandigarh
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins mass Yoga demonstration in Chandigarh
* Thousands of people practice Yoga at a camp in Chandigarh where PM Narendra Modi is also present
* Images of various Yoga asanas being demonstrated at Yoga Day event at Chandigarh
* One International Yoga Award and one National Yoga Award will be given from next year: PM Modi
* Yoga is a guarantee of wellness, not just of fitness: PM
* Let's focus on one thing in the coming days, how to mitigate diabetes through Yoga. Diabetes can surely be controlled through Yoga: PM
* Let's make Yoga more popular globally. Let India produce good Yoga teachers: PM
* Yoga will connect you to yourself, which is vital in these times when everyone is so busy: PM
* Important to integrate Yoga with our lives. Do not wait, make Yoga a part of one's life: PM* Today more and more gynaecologists are recommending Yoga for pregnant women-PM Modi
* Yoga does not discriminate between rich and poor: PM Modi in Chandigarh
* Yoga is not just about what one will get, it is about what one can give up: PM Modi
* Ye Yoga zero budget mein health insurance deta hai (Yoga gives health insurance in zero budget): PM Modi
* Zero budget se duniya mein kahi bhi health insurance nahi hota (Nowhere in the world, health insurance is provided in zero budget): PM Modi in Chandigarh
* Yoga parlok ka vigyan nahi hai, ye yehlok ka vigyan hai (Yoga is not a science of afterlife, it is the science of this life): PM
* Yog parlok ke liye nahi hai, isliye ye dharmik karmkand nahi hai (Yoga is not for afterlife, so this is not a religious practice): PM Modi
* All religious practices are for afterlife: PM
* This is a day linked with good health and now it has become a people's mass movement: PM on popularity of Yoga Day: PM Modi
* At present, in all parts of the nation people have been connected to Yoga: PM Narendra Modi in Chandigarh
* The world supported the idea of International Day of Yoga. All sections of society came together in this endeavour: PM Modi
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the gathering at Chandigarh Yoga camp
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Chandigarh Yoga camp where he Will practice Yoga and address the gathering shortly
* Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev holds yoga camp in Faridabad
* Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Meerut MP Rajendra Agarwal are participating in Yoga demonstration in Meerut
* Specially-abled students practice Yoga in Delhi
Modi will take part in a mass yoga demonstration of the "common yoga protocol" at the spruced up Capitol Complex in Chandigarh early on Tuesday morning.
Authorities were busy giving last-minute touches to the Capitol Complex amid fears of a washout after showers lashed the city on Monday evening.
A total of 30,000 participants -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- donning T-shirts and black or blue tracksuit lowers, will perform deep breathing and stretching exercises against the backdrop of the Capitol Complex, one of the acclaimed creations of French architect Le Corbusier.
Apart from the main event at the Capitol Complex, yoga day events will be held at 100 other locations across Chandigarh.
In the run up to Tuesday's event, Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Surya Namaskara in New Delhi on Monday.
President Pranab Mukherjee will kick off a yoga demonstration at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday in which around 1,000 persons will take part. The participants will include officers and staff of the President's Secretariat, their family members, members of Delhi Police, ITBP and President's Bodyguard as well as other residents of President's Estate.
Yoga events will also be held in the national capital in Connaught Place, Lodhi Gardens, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Dwarka.
Over 173 Indian missions across the world are also organising Yoga demonstrations to spread awareness for the International Day of Yoga. The event will also be observed by 191 of 193 members of the United Nations.
In a first, the UN was lit up for the International Yoga Day, with a huge panel showing the different yoga postures.
The lighting will be on from June 20 even as Yoga events are being undertaken in India and elsewhere.
The Embassy of India in Paris organised an event at the iconic Eiffel Tower on Sunday as part of the series of events to mark the second International Day of Yoga.
Yoga demonstrations will also be organised at several places in state capitals. Events have been planned at all district headquarters in the country in association with prominent yoga institutions.
The protocol for yoga events on Tuesday involves loosening up exercises like neck bending and body twisting.
A theme song for the International Day of Yoga, named 'Yog Geet' has been released this year in addition to the Yoga Protocol of 45 minutes.
The United Nations General Assembly had declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day on December 11, 2014 following a resolution moved by India and co-sponsored by a large number of nations. The first International Yoga Day celebration was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21.
