Srinagar, June 21: Asserting that Yoga is India’s greatest gift to humanity,Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that it has transcended the boundary of religion, sect, and geographical barriers to bring happiness in the lives of people.
The idea of Yoga Day was first proposed by Prime Minister NarendraModi on September 27, 2014, during his speech at the UN General Assembly, where a resolution to establish June 21 as International Yoga Day was introduced.
Addressing the Yoga enthusiasts to mark the 9th International Yoga Day Celebrations at Botanical Garden, Srinagar, the LG said Yoga is not just a physical exercise, but it also symbolizes the spirit of oneness between body-mind and nature.
Highlighting the benefits of yoga in everyday life, he said, “Yoga helps calm the mind and energize the body. Whenever we talk about health and wellness, yoga comes to our minds. It is a kind of preventive care as it builds immunity in the body”.
“Yoga for VasudhaivaKutumbakam, One World, One Health. This year’s theme underlines the vision of “One Earth, One Family, One Future” of Prime Minister NarendraModi,” he said.
LG Sinha said the first Sutra of MaharshiPatanjali-Now the Discipline of Yoga and the second one on cessation of the mind, is the key to understanding Yoga.
“Body-mind together as one in the present moment, here and now helps to reduce stress level, brings mindfulness, and improves physical strength,” he said.
LG Sinha said the great sage MaharshiPatanjali has observed that disorder within our body-mind is the main reason for stress, anxiety, inflammation in the body, and heart diseases. Yoga brings harmony in our body-mind, he said.
“Yoga is not just a physical exercise, but it also symbolizes the spirit of oneness between body-mind and nature. This rich and ancient tradition, is based on prevention for better health,” LG Sinha said.
He also said that Yoga has been accepted by medical science and researchers as a unique and significant practice of a traditional system of medicine. It offers tremendous physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages, LG Sinha said.
The Lt. Governor said that for Yoga, one needs both physical and mental discipline, so that body and mind do not function separately but work in an integrated manner.
“In today’s world, doctors, while prescribing the medicine for disease, always give free and important advice of bringing change in lifestyle for long term health,” he said.
LG Sinha said that yoga is the medium that brings a change in the lifestyle and strengthens the bond between people. Yoga has helped humanity to remain healthy and today the world is attracted to Yoga,’ he added.
“Today the nation is grateful to Prime Minister, who participated in a Yoga event at the UN. He also congratulated the Directorate of AYUSH, J&K for its efforts in the promotion of the traditional system of medicine and for getting the approval of Homeopathic College in Kathua,” LG Sinha said.
The Directorate of Ayush, Department of Health and Medical Education had made all the arrangements across the UT on the occasion 9th International Day of Yoga.
Director AYUSH J&K, Dr Mohan Singh said 20 mega events were held across Jammu and Kashmir. He said in March, the department started count down days and planned iconic sessions across all districts in J&K and districts were asked to hold sessions.
“Over the past four months, more than 500 pre-Yoga Day mega sessions were organized and the government reached more than 3.5 lakh people physically,” he said.
The sessions were held for jail inmates, students in schools, Panchayats, Gram Sabha and PRIs members, teachers and staff of line departments were also involved in Yoga sessions.
“Today non-communicable diseases like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, etc. is huge challenge and people were encouraged to take in Yoga to prevent and fight the diseases and decrease the impact of diseases. Yoga holds a key importance in daily life,” he said.
Dr Mohan said in the future the department will converge Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Cells in districts and ill work to limit the incidence of NCDs in Jammu and Kashmir.
The event was attended by SMC Mayor JunaidAzimMattu, Rajeev RaiBhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor; Dr.Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Dilbag Singh, DGP.
Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary, of the Forest Department; Dr.Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor; Bhupinder Kumar, Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department and senior officers also participated in the International Yoga Day celebration.
