As the world gears up to celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21, the Government on Wednesday said that Suryanamaskar asana will not be part of this year’s Yoga Day celebrations and chanting of “Om” won’t be compulsory, even though yoga is incomplete without it.
Just like last year, PM Narendra Modi will take the lead this time too to perform yoga at Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex where as many as 30,000 participants are likely to be present. last year, the mega event was held at Rajpath in New Delhi.
Replying to questions if Suryanamaskar and chanting of Om were compulsory during the upcoming event, Ayush Minister Shripad Naik told reporters at a Press conference, “The Suryanamaskar asana is a complex exercise. last year also we had not taken it. It is difficult to do in 45 minutes, especially for people who are new to it. Therefore we have not kept this one.”
The Minister also dismissed the controversy related to chanting of Om during the event and said it was not compulsory.
Muslim groups have protested against Suryanamaskar and chanting of Om as their faith does not allow such a practice.
“There is always some opposition whenever some good work is done. There is no opposition this year to it as we have not made it compulsory.... We have made those people who are opposing it, understand this and it seems they have understood,” he said but added “without Om, yoga cannot be complete.”
About whether a holiday would be declared on June 21, Naik said, “It is not needed, nobody has demanded that. last year, also there was no such demand. Also, the time to perform yoga is early morning. It will go on around 8 am...There is no need for a holiday.”
However, “if the demand comes, I will request the Prime Minister to do so (declare a holiday),” he said. Significantly, Yoga Day this year falls on Tuesday while last year it was on a Sunday.
Ayush Ministry officials said that yoga has been added to physical activity sessions in various schools for class six to tenth, but it has not been made compulsory.
Naik said that a circular has also been issued by the HRD Minister to all schools to include yoga and while many schools have adopted it, for others it is “work in progress”.
“last year, the drill was for 35 minutes. This time, it will be for 45. Some asanas have been increased. Shitalapranayam has been added. Some more intermediate asanas have been added,” said Anil Ganeriwala, Joint Secretary of Ayush Ministry.
Asked about the budget for the celebrations, Ministry Secretary Ajit Sharan said every Ministry is spending its own money and the Ayush Ministry is not supporting anybody in terms of funds for celebrating this. “But from the Ayush Ministry side, the sum is around Rs 15 crore,” he said.
Sharan said a survey by his Ministry after the first International Yoga Day last year suggested that all yoga institutions have received “double or triple” the number of applications from people wishing to be yoga trainers.
Also, to professionalise the entire ecosystem of yoga, Ayush Ministry has got special yoga apparels designed by two leading institutes, National Institute of Design (NID) and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), and sent it to various companies including Fabindia, Reebok and Khadi board for them to adopt it free of cost, he said.
Sharan said his Ministry was not looking at yoga as a business but its main objective was promotion and highlighting the serious aspect of the exercise.