Silchar, June 21: Thousands across the Northeast took to the mat today, stretching and bending along with millions across the world to celebrate International Yoga Day.
Despite early morning showers and church leaders urging Christians not to practise yoga because it relates to "Hindu philosophy", thousands took part in yoga sessions across Mizoram.
Although 87 per cent of Mizos are Christians, Yoga Day was celebrated in a "grand way".
Mizoram's Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) department, which falls under the health and family welfare department, along with the 29 Assam Rifles held a programme at AR Ground in Aizawl. Mizoram governor Lt Gen. (retd) Nirbhay Sharma was the chief guest at the event and over 1,000 people participated.
Sharma distanced yoga from religion and said the sole purpose of Yoga Day was to improve the health of the people.
"In Mizoram, we really value and cherish our community activities. Our closely-knit social fabric, familial relations, the tremendous social work done by the church, NGOs and civil society stand testimony to the solidarity and unity in our society. Yoga is gaining in popularity and has the potential to become a community activity. It will also allow people to come together, spend quality time, and enhance their mental and physical well-being," he said.
"Those who have not been introduced to yoga and are unaware of the basic tenets of the ancient science should utilise this occasion as an opportunity to understand the science," Sharma said.
Over 1,000 people, including Brig. M.S. Mokha, deputy inspector-general, 23 Sector Assam Rifles, and Col. Arijit Mukhopadhyay, commandant of 39 Assam Rifles, its officers and personnel, BSF, CRPF, armed forces, and members of Central Young Mizo Association took part in the programme.
Arunachal Pradesh
Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh governor J.P. Rajkhowa led Yoga Day celebrations at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar.
Meghalaya
In Meghalaya, a series of events were lined up across the state today.
Meghalaya governor V. Shanmuganathan visited the Assam Regimental Centre in Happy Valley, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture and Ward's Lake in Shillong.
An event for all central armed police forces in the state was organised by the headquarters directorate-general, Assam Rifles, at Rising Sun Sports Complex at Laitkor. More than 1,000 jawans of the Assam Rifles, BSF, CISF and CRPF performed yoga. Volunteers from Patanjali Yogpeet, Shillong, guided the soldiers.
Similarly, the event was celebrated at the Eastern Air Command headquarters in Upper Shillong. It was inaugurated by AOC-in-C Air Marshal C. Hari Kumar.. The hourlong programme was attended by over 340 participants.
Students and staff of North Eastern Hill University (Nehu) also joined the celebrations. Nehu vice-chancellor S.K. Srivastava gave away prizes to the winners of the events organised for the Yoga Fest.
The BJP's Meghalaya unit also observed the day at U Tirot Sing Stadium in Shillong.
BJP national spokesperson Nalin S. Kohli, who is in charge of Meghalaya, led the session in the absence of the scheduled yoga instructor, who couldn't make it to the venue due to traffic congestion.
Nagaland
Governor of Nagaland and Assam P.B. Acharya today said yoga is not a religion but the 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 International Yoga Day, organised by the Nagaland government at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima this morning, Acharya said: "It (yoga) helps in changing our lifestyles and creating consciousness....And yoga has nothing to do with religion....It is a science and an exercise to keep our body fit."
Nearly 2,000 people, including students, teachers, NGOs, government servants and members of the public took part in the event.
Several hundred students from different colleges and schools participated in the celebrations at Dimapur.
During the programme, the participants were taught about the importance of yoga followed by a step-by-step performance led by Prof Amod Sharma from Nagaland University and Rosy Jemu. The programme was organized by the department of youth resources and sports. Similar programmes were organised in Phek, Mon, Mokokchung and Zunheboto.
Manipur
Manipur health and family welfare minister Phung Zathan Tonsing today said yoga is totally free from caste, creed and politics.
Yoga Day was celebrated at the Indian Medical Association hall at Lamphelpat jointly by the directorate of Ayush, government of Manipur and State Health Society. Inaugurating the programme, Tonsing called upon the people to practice yoga for improving physical, mental, moral and spiritual well-being and stressed that yoga was not a religious practice.
The Asam Sahitya Sabha, Assam police, National Disaster Relief Force, State Bank of India (Northeast circle), India Tourism Guwahati and Northeast Frontier Railway also celebrated Yoga Day.
Additional reporting by Andrew W. Lyngdoh in Shillong, H. Chishi in Kohima and PTI
