Saturday, 21 June 2025
Saturday, 21 June 2025
From the calm waters of the Narmada to defence posts in Jammu and Kashmir, International Yoga Day turned into a nationwide display of asanas, stretches and in some cases, social media snark.
The day has grown into an annual spectacle since it was first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and adopted by the UN in 2014. This year was no different with viral bloopers, unexpected stars, and politicians who were all in (or at least tried to be).
Modi in Andhra, Rajnath in the North
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led this year’s International Yoga Day celebrations from Andhra Pradesh, attending a mega event that underscored yoga as both a soft power tool and a wellness movement.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stretched it out in Jammu and Kashmir, with soldiers and officers joining the session.
While official ceremonies across states went ahead with usual discipline and grandeur, the internet took a different approach with a few awkward asanas that probably weren’t in the original yogic scriptures.
Nitin Gadkari’s Chair Yoga
It was Union minister Nitin Gadkari who, albeit unintentionally, gave the online world a meme-worthy moment. Participating in the Yoga Day event, Gadkari chose to perform his asanas seated on a chair...a move that triggered sarcasm.
One user on X said: “When you had only 5 pieces of kachori and still hungry… and your colleague tells you to participate in Yoga Divas.”
Another wrote: “Mockery of Yoga. If you only do it once in a year by sitting on a chair, better get some easy stretch.”
While the chair may have supported Gadkari’s back, it did little to support his online image.
The Tamil Nadu Governor who stole the show
The Governor of Tamil Nadu, R.N. Ravi was hailed for his enthusiastic participation.
At 73, Ravi performed alongside more than 10,000 students at the Velammal Educational Institution in Madurai. Dressed in a vest and tracksuit the former IPS officer showed remarkable flexibility and control, executing asanas with unexpected agility.
Videos of his performance went viral.
Yoga, but Aquatic
Taking the commitment a notch higher or deeper, groups in Madhya Pradesh marked the day by performing yoga in the Narmada river. In Jabalpur, yogis balanced their poses midstream, legs planted on submerged rocks or floating mats.
The visuals were stunning...part serenity, part daredevilry.
Little Yogi, big moment
Amid all the yoga performance, a toddler won hearts nationwide. Posted by the ministry of AYUSH, the image of the child performing yoga with surprising focus gained traction.
“This one’s clearly been doing it longer than some of our MPs,” one X user wrote.
A Global Yoga-gram
International Yoga Day has steadily grown into a visual phenomenon. Across continents, yoga practitioners... from New York rooftops to Berlin parks joined in.
Celebrities and influencers posted curated shots and reels, some livestreaming their entire routines. Yet, not all were taken seriously.
