International Yoga Day will be celebrated at seven different locations in the national Capital, including Connaught Place.
The event will altogether host a large gathering of approximately 10,000 people. And as the day comes nearer, the New Delhi Municipal Council, in coordination with the AYUSH Ministry, is girding up to celebrate International Yoga Day across the national Capital in a big way.
NDMC Secretary Chanchal Yadav told The Pioneer, “The NDMC is making preparations at four venues, including at Connaught Place, lodhi Garden, Nehru Park and Talkatora Stadium.”
The other three locations for the mega yoga event include Swarn Jayanti Park in Rohini, District Park in Dwarka and Yamuna Sports Complex in Surajmal Vihar. These will be managed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Diplomats and bureaucrats are likely to take part in the June 21 events at Nehru Park and lodhi Garden.
Volunteers from organisations like Art of living, Patanjali Yoga Peeth, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Centre for Nature Cure and Yoga, Prajapita Brahm Kumari, the Delhi Police and volunteers from RWAs will perform yoga on the occasion, said the official.
Yadav said, “For the first time, ‘Public Art’ will be seen at various locations of the Connaught Place area. The idea is to promote awareness about the yoga among people and simultaneously, this will beautify the area too.”
We have restored a subway where people with optimum artistic skills will draw the paintings, she added.
Preparations are also being done at NDMC’s School on Hanuman Road. Best paintings and arts will be displayed all around the Connaught Place area, said Yadav.
Minister of Science and Technology Harshvardhan will be the chief guest at the Connaught Place event. lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung and BJP MP Meenakshi lekhi will be the guests of honour. Officials of the Delhi Government have also been invited for the function, said the source. From June 20 onwards, the entry of vehicles will be strictly restricted in the CP inner circle. The NDMC is in touch with the Delhi Traffic Police for the requirements and assistance, said NDMC secretary.
About 250 traffic cops are likely to be deployed for the smooth functioning of traffic. While the yoga performance will last for 45 minutes as a common protocol developed by AYUSH Ministry, several ambassadors of different diplomatic missions are also expected to participate at lodhi Garden and Nehru Park.
“The gala event in the national Capital will start at 5.30 am and will have speeches on yoga, and musical performances. Special yoga performances by two differently-abled groups will also be displayed, including yoga on wheelchair,” the official said.
The AYUSH Ministry will also organise a two-day international conference on ‘Yoga for Body and Beyond’ at Vigyan Bhawan from Jun 22 to 23 in which experts from across the globe will participate.
Rehearsals will take place at all the locations on June 19-20. Special yoga sessions will be conducted at Raahgiri at Connaught Place area on June 19, said Yadav.
Moreover, training camps at Nehru Park is also being conducted on regular basis.
Ahead of the Yoga Day on June 21, a mini marathon will be flagged off by flying Sikh Milkha Singh on Saturday and National Yoga Olympiad will also be organised from June 18 to June 20 by the NCERT and the AYUSH Ministry, said the official. last year the nation celebrated the first International Yoga Day at Rajpath on June 21 lead by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.