A sea of yoga at the Park
By Kaveesha Fernando
The term ‘yoga’ means ‘to yoke, join, or concentrate’. A practice which is said to date as far back as 6th century BCE, this ancient art form is based on a harmonizing system of development for the body, mind, and spirit. A common sight in Hollywood movies is the trim, fit woman in her 30’s who goes for yoga sessions, and this highlights the evolution of yoga from an ancient art form which originated in India and was practised only by select few to something which is now easily accessible to many across the world.
Yoga is still as popular as it used to be in India, its country of origin, because it is hailed as tonic for both the mind and body. It is this inherent nature of yoga which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the United Nations to consider in 2014 when he suggested an International Day of Yoga. 175 nations endorsed this resolution, which was passed unanimously. The resolution, which was adopted on December 11, 2014 was cosponsored by Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka, having played a pivotal role in the adoption of the U.N. resolution for an International Day of Yoga, has not stopped there. The celebration of the first International Day of Yoga was held on June 21, 2015 at the Galle Face Green. This year’s celebrations were also significant. Practitioners of yoga from all over the island gathered at the ViharaMaha Devi open air theatre on June 21 to celebrate the second International Day of Yoga. This event was organised by the Indian High Commission in collaboration with yoga institutions of the island.
Speaking at the event, Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha stated that in these days of stress, we need something peaceful that will keep us calm throughout the day. In a video message played at the event, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented on the fact that he felt that yoga was about both physical and spiritual betterment and therefore is something which is necessary for personal development. He also thanked all participants in the celebration for their enthusiasm, the scale of which the Prime Minister did not expect, he says. ‘From today onwards all of you are ambassadors for yoga’ he said.
The celebrations began with a beginner’s yoga session for all participants, which was done by different yoga instructors from all over the island. An advanced yoga demonstration, followed, with experts in the field demonstrating the many poses as the extreme end of the scale. Finally, a demonstration of yoga in Kandyan dancing was held, with Kandyan dancers demonstrating the close connection between these two art forms for the participants.
The date for the International Day of Yoga is also significant. It was suggested that this celebration be held annually on June 21, the summer solstice, because the date is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world. It is also believed that on the day of the summer solstice, the first yogi (Adiyogi) turned south and first set his eyes on the Saptarishis or Seven Sages, who were his first disciples to carry the science of yoga to many parts of the world. The celebration of the International Day of Yoga on a day that is associated with the spread of yoga seems befitting.