This year 8th International Yoga Day was celebrated with enthusiasm in the entire state under the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in the state level programme in Bhopal, while Union Ministers and ministers of Madhya Pradesh also took part in the mass yoga programmes organised in different districts. In districts, blocks and village panchayats also, MGNREGA workers, including students, villagers, women self-help groups performed group yoga at the work place and on the banks of Amrit Sarovars. People's representatives, officials and citizens also practised yoga on the theme of Yoga for Humanity at the archaeological and tourist places of the state.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar participated in the yoga session at the famous archeological site of Morena district Bateshwar temple group, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar at Amarkantak, the origin of Narmada river, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia at the archaeological site of Gwalior Fort and the Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma attended the yoga session at the world famous Buddhist monastery of Sanchi.
Special sessions of yoga were also held on the banks of Amrit Sarovars being built in Madhya Pradesh during the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence on the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In these, the workers, villagers and panchayat representatives engaged in the construction of the sarovars together practiced yoga. Similarly, yoga sessions were held in Anganwadi centres.
Yoga events started in Brahma Muhurta (early morning) at other tourist places including Queen of Satpura Pachmarhi. Tourists, citizens and school children along with the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, tourists also performed yoga with full of enthusiasm at the picturesque site of Dhupgarh hill. Yoga was also organised in Bison Lodge complex in Pachmarhi itself, in which AYUSH Department, SADA Pachmarhi, Tourism Development Corporation and local citizens and tourists of Pachmarhi performed yoga in the morning. Yoga sessions were also held at Tilak Sindoor of Itarsi, Awalighat of Seoni Malwa, the holy Sethani Ghat of Narmadapuram and Bandrabhan, where yogacharyas guided citizens to do yoga exercises close to nature.
In collaboration with the School Education Department, mass yoga was organised in all the schools of the state. Along with this, students also practised yoga in colleges. Scouts, guides, NCC, NSS youths and teachers also participated in the yoga sessions. Social organisations and social workers also played an active role in yoga programmes in all the districts. The members of Jan Abhiyan Parishad also conducted yoga sessions at the district, block and village panchayat level, connecting the citizens. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan encouraged the people of the state towards yoga on International Day of Yoga and administered resolve to them to perform yoga every day.
The CM said that doing yoga not only keeps the mind happy, but also fills the body with positive energy and the ability of a person to work also increases. I urge everyone to make yoga an integral part of their lives. Not just on International Day of Yoga, take out time to do yoga every day.
