A spirit of enthusiasm and celebration overflowed outside the UN headquarters here as people arrived in large numbers to attend a historic event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga.
The overwhelming number of people of Indian origin mixed with a smattering of yoga enthusiasts of other nationalities formed a long queue outside the entrance amid tight security measures.
Many people who arrived in the hope to get in without the pass given in advance were left disappointed.
“I took a chance but it is alright. It is nice to see such an enthusiastic crowd for yoga,” said Madhusudan, who travelled from New Jersey on a train to reach here.
Modi’s presence at the event has worked as a magnetto draw Indian-Americans in large numbers to the venue as they arrived in buses and trains.
“Modi is the ambassador of yoga for the world. World needs peace and harmony amid war and conflict, yoga is the medium for this,” said Pramod Bhagat of the World Peace and Health Foundation.
Standing in the queue, Caroline, a German national, said she came after she got to know about the UN event and praised yoga’s benefits.
Meanwhile, Over 150 people from the Indian community participated in the 9th International Yoga Day organised by the India High Commission in Singapore.
The hour-long event led by the High Commissioner P Kumaran at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Little India also saw the launch of a book on health, happiness and harmony.
“High Commissioner P Kumaran led Singapore Indian community leaders in celebrating international yoga day at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Wednesday and launched a special book on health, happiness and harmony,” the High Commission said.
The 161-page book is a three-year work of Archana Amlapure who has been teaching yoga in Singapore for 10 years.
She said yoga enthusiasts are mostly doing physical postures but she wants to promote yoga awareness as a lifestyle.
Talking of the event and benefits of Yoga, Manoj Thakur, a permanent resident in Singapore, said: “Yoga is one of the most popular sports in Singapore”.
