Yoga centres to come up in all blocks in Assam
From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal took the lead as Assam observed the International Day of Yoga on Tuesday along with the rest of the globe.
On the special day, Assam government announced that all the blocks (over 300 in number) in the state would be equipped with a Yoga Vikash Kendra while the picturesque Majuli river island in Brahmaputra River will be developed as the spiritual and cultural capital of Assam.
Sonowal, health and education minister Dr Himanta Bishwa Sarmah led the Yoga day celebration on the sprawling ground of Majuli College in the river island. The chief minister performed in yoga demonstration in which thousands of students, inhabitants of Majuli and senior officials participated.
Sonowal said the state would take up a slew of initiatives to make Majuli a spiritual centre and a cultural hub. “Yoga helps to build not only healthy body and stable mind but also moulds our personality. For inculcating discipline, punctuality and grooming of personality, the world has realised the importance of Yoga,” said the chief minister.
“For making Assam a developed State, we have to be disciplined, punctual and hard working. Founder of vaishnavite religion and culture in Assam, Srimanta Sankaradeva and his chief disciple Madhabdeva, tried to bring about major transformation in the State through Yoga. We have to follow their ideals to attain our avowed goals,” he added.
Health minister Dr Sarmah announced the government’s decision to set up yoga development centres in more than 300 development blocks across the State. “These centres will help to inculcate scientific temperament by imparting practice on yoga among the youth of the State,” he added.
Yoga enthusiasts celebrates Yoga Day in Mizoram
Aizawl: Braving early morning showers, the second International Yoga Day was observed in Aizawl where more than 1,000 yoga enthusiasts participated in yoga exercises organised by the Assam Rifles.
Addressing a function on the occasion, state governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma, expressed the hope that yoga would transform ‘Healthy Mizoram Campaign’ into a reality.
He also sought to demystify the allegation that yoga was an unsafe exercise for followers of some religious faiths by stating that the sole purpose of yoga was to impart good health to people in general. “Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition to the world that is presently afflicted with a myriad of health problems,” he said.
He invited more people to come forward and be a part of the group of yoga practitioners of more than 200 countries who were reaping the benefits of yoga.
Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church’s Mizoram Synod warned the church members against the practice of yoga saying it is based on Hindu religion and cannot be suitable for Christians.
While accepting that the practice of yoga could cure some illness, the Mizoram Synod said in its message to all the local churches, that it cannot give real cure as given by Jesus Christ.
Earlier, the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), conglomerate of 14 major church denominations, also made an appeal to the Christians to avoid yoga as it could dilute their religious beliefs. (PTI)
Tripura celebrates International Yoga Day
Agartala: The second International Yoga Day was celebrated across Tripura with school students, sports persons, employees of the state government and common people participating in yoga camps and attending related programmes.
The central programme was held at the Umakanta mini stadium here where students from different schools of the capital, employees of the AYUSH department, sports persons and others performed yoga in the morning, Director of Sports, Dulal Chandra Das said.
Yoga was practiced in all district headquarters and sub-divisional towns of the state, Das told reporters. State sports minister Shahid Chowdhury, who addressed the central programme here, said “Yoga is an excellent way of keeping health and mind well. As part of sports, it makes people disciplined and tension free.” He appealed all to perform Yoga every day for good physical and mental health. Many clubs and NGOs including the Patanjali Yog Samiti, organised yoga camps in different parts of the state.
Binoy Bhushan Bhattacharjee, organiser of Patanjali Yoga Samiti, said, “There are around 146 branches of our organisation throughout the state where we organised such camps today.”
Papri Roy, a yoga admirer who took part in the camp, said “I believe yoga has nothing to do with any religion, it is a way of life which keeps us healthy and peaceful.” Yoga was also performed in different camps of the BSF. (PTI
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Yoga not a religion but science of well-being
Kohima: Governor of Nagaland and Assam P B Acharya on Tuesday said Yoga is not a religion but science of well-being and people should take out time to practice the ancient discipline.
In his message to the people after an event marking the International Yoga Day organised by Nagaland government at Indira Gandhi Stadium here on Tuesday morning, Acharya said Yoga plays a vital role in maintaining physical and mental well-being.
Noting that modern life is full of stress and problems, the Governor said Yoga offers the cheapest and harmless solution to these problems in the form of relaxation. “It helps in changing our life styles and creating consciousness….And Yoga has nothing to do with religion….It is a science and an exercise to keep our body fit,” he said.
Nearly 2,000 people, including students, teachers, NGOs, government servants and members of public joined the International Yoga Day celebrations. (PTI)
Rijiju, Arunachal Guv observe World Yoga Day
Itanagar: The second International Yoga Day was observed in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday with Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Governor J P Rajkhowa participating in yoga programmes.
Despite inclement weather, several MLAs, senior citizens, government officers, police and ITBP personnel, members of civil societies and school students participated in the main function at Indira Gandhi Park here. Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said for peace, prosperity and a healthier nation, yoga is very important.
Exhorting the people to practise yoga and incorporate it in their daily lives, Rajkhowa said that yoga embodies unity of mind, body and promotes unity and harmony amongst people, man and nature. “It is a matter of great pride for every Indian that the United Nations Organization by a unanimous resolution supported by 177 countries, in agreement with the views and appeal of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day. Today, the Day is being observed in more than 150 countries of the world and not only providing employment opportunities as yoga instructors and teachers to many but also helping many more entrepreneurs and local small scale industries in producing Yoga mats and apparel,” the Governor added.
In his address Rijiju said that yoga was known throughout the world but in the last two years only after the initiative of the Prime Minister, its popularity has grown tremendously. He further said that because of yoga philosophy, the outlook towards India has changed in the world for the better. (PTI)