Dehradun, June 21: Terming yoga as the "unifying force of the world", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday led thousands of yoga enthusiasts in performing asanas in Uttarakhand's Dehradun. Marking the fourth International Yoga Day, the Prime Minister said yoga has become one of the biggest mass movements in the quest for good health and well-being.

Along with the Prime Minister, around 50000 yoga enthusiasts kick-started India's International Yoga Day celebrations at Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute today. The number of yoga-related events was also organised across the world to mark the event. The purpose of International Yoga Day is to promote yoga and an endeavour towards making it a part of everyone's daily routine.

The first International Day of Yoga was observed all over the world on June 21, 2015, where more than 30,000 people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, performed yoga asanas (postures) at Rajpath in New Delhi. The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by Prime Minister Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 27 September 2014.

Here are top quotes by Prime Minister Modi on International Yoga Day:

  1. In today's fast-changing time, Yoga binds together a person's body, brain, and soul, hence making one experience a feeling of peace. Dehradun se Dublin tak, Shanghai se Chicago tak, Jakarta se Johannesburg tak, Yoga hi Yoga hai (From Dehradun to Dublin, Shanghai to Chicago, Jakarta to Johannesburg, there is Yoga all around). Yoga has become one of the unifying forces of the world.

  2. Yoga is India's gift to the world. It is a passport for wellness. The world has embraced Yoga and glimpses of this can be seen in the manner in which International Day of Yoga has been marked every year. In fact, Yoga Day has become one of the biggest mass movements in the quest for good health and well-being.

  3. Yoga is beautiful because it is ancient yet modern, it is constant yet evolving. It has the best of our past and presents and a ray of hope for our future. In Yoga, we have the perfect solution to the problems we face, either as individuals or in our society. India is Yoga's top ambassador.

  4. We should be proud of our culture. On the contrary, if we doubt our tradition and culture then the world will not put its faith in us.

  5. India should be honoured to be the "guardians of the great practice".

  6. The way to lead a calm, creative and content life is yoga. It can show the way in defeating tensions and mindless anxiety. Instead of dividing, yoga unites. Instead of further animosity, yoga assimilates. Instead of increasing suffering, yoga heals.

  7. If we regularly practice pranayama and asanas, we can minimise illness around us. Yoga plays an important role in promoting health. I urge all the people in the nation to practice yoga and those too who have never tried it.

  8. Practising yoga has the ability to increase brotherhood. That means it needs more teachers. New institutions are being set and even technology being used for it. May this yoga day become an opportunity to deepen our connection with people. This can have an enduring impact.

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