The iconic Mysuru Palace was the perfect backdrop for over 15,000 enthusiasts led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the 8th edition of the International Day of Yoga after a two-year hiatus. The iconic Mysuru Palace was the perfect backdrop for over 15,000 enthusiasts led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the 8th edition of the International Day of Yoga after a two-year hiatus. Mysuru hosted the main event of the 8th edition of International Day of Yoga (IDY) with a massive yoga demonstration after a two-year break. It was the first public event of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) after the COVID-19 outbreak.
The City of Palaces had come alive while hosting the country’s premier Yoga Day event, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the grand celebration themed “Yoga for Humanity.” The theme depicted how yoga served humanity in alleviating suffering during COVID-19.
There have been no yoga demonstrations in public in India since 2020 due to the curbing of mass gatherings due to the Covid-19 pandemic.There could be no better location than the iconic Mysuru Palace, which provided the perfect setting for the event. For the occasion, there was a green carpet all over the building. The excitement was palpable with Mr. Modi, who persuaded the United Nations to announce an International Day of Yoga in 2015 and give yoga a global stage, who led the way and encouraged the crowd. By morning, nearly 15,000 participants had gathered on the grounds, which had been turned into a high-security fortress due to Mr. Modi’s presence. Dressed in white T-shirts with the IDX logo, people of all ages poured into the palace to be part of the ‘historic’ event. The gigantic crowd was housed in 17 enclosures equipped with yoga mats.
The stage for the IDY event was set up near the Jayamarthanda gate of the palace, overlooking the grand and impressive castle. However, after his usual speech, Mr. Modi stepped off the stage and sat among the crowd to perform yoga. Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, Health Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and Minister in charge of Mysuru district ST Somashekar attended the event along with top officials of Ayush Ministry, central institutions and the top officials of the state government. Yoga practitioners from as far as Delhi had come to Mysuru to participate in the event.
Only valid pass holders were allowed to enter the hall after thorough screening by the police. The palace gates were closed at 6 am. The Prime Minister arrived at the location at 6:30 am. After his speech, the yoga demonstration started at 7 am and lasted 45 minutes. Of course, all eyes were on Mr. Modi, who easily performed all of the “asanas” specified in the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP). Selfie points were made up. The participants were seen with their mobile cameras.
Interestingly, young people and women showed up in large numbers. Doordarshan had a live broadcast of the event. Mysuru Palace is a favorite venue for mega-events. The first IDY took place on-site. It provided an impeccable backdrop as the participants performed full-body stretches and performed various asanas under the guidance of experts on stage.
