NEW YORK (TIP): Ahead of the first International Day of Yoga on June 21, Indian Consulates and Embassy in Washington in the United States started a series of curtain-raiser events to raise awareness about the ancient Indian practice of Yoga.

In New York, Overseas Volunteer for a Better India in association with the Indian Consulate General of New York launched, April 28, the Yogathon Website and started a movement to create a platform where hundreds of partner organizations, including those representing diverse ethnic organizations in the US will come together to become part of the Yoga movement. OVBI along with partner organizations plans to have an event celebration of the International Day of Yoga in more than 100 cities in the US.

Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay, Consul General of India in New York said at the event that Yoga signifies much more than what we conceive of it and it is not just about aasanas. He further stated that Yoga is not just an Indian heritage; though, it originated in India. However, it has become a world heritage and that is why we need to celebrate it.

In Washington, Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, at a talk on ‘Nurturing Peace through Yoga and Meditation’, emphasized the relevance of Yoga in today’s world, saying it’s not only about flexibility in body but also flexibility in mind and thinking.

Indian Embassy will collaborate with Yoga organizations, practitioners, and community organizations for a day-long event at the Mall in Washington on June 21.

“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,” Charge d’Affaires Taranjit Singh Sandhu quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as saying at the UN last year.

“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 us deal with climate change,” he added.

The United Nations General Assembly had on December 11 adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as the ‘International Day of Yoga’. It was passed within a record time of 75 days with 177 countries becoming co-sponsors.