The stage is set for the third International Yoga Day

Roll out your mats

Foreigners from various countries during a Yoga training session a day before International Yoga Day at Parmanand Ashram at Khandwa Road, Indore.

From Central Park in Connaught Place to Central Park in New York, the stage is set for the third International Day of Yoga on June 21 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the celebrations -- and 55,000 enthusiasts - in performing asanas in Lucknow.

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BCCL

Embracing health

Yoga guru Baba Ramdevji (R) and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved, Acharya Balkrishna, take part during a Yoga workshop in Ahmedabad on June 20, ahead of the International Yoga Day.

"About 5,000 events will be held across the country to mark International Day for Yoga (IDY)," a senior official from AYUSH ministry said.

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Bending over backwards

In India, the biggest gathering will be at Lucknow's Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan where Modi and about 55,000 others will stretch and bend in various yogic postures.

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Breaking barriers

Events are being planned in each district in the country. Besides, various departments, state governments and institutions will also be conducting their own programmes.

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Divine unity of mind and body

A sadhu performs yoga during a four-day long camp by yoga guru Baba Ramdev ahead of International Yoga day in Ahmedabad.

The PM's Award for Outstanding Contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga at the national and international level will be given tomorrow to individuals and organisations.

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Strike a pose

In Delhi, eight events have been planned in the national capital with the main event being held in Connaught Place.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will be organising events at Connaught Place, its six radials and inner circles and at the city's three gardens -- Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden and Childrens' Park at India Gate.

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Great Wall of China

About 150 yoga enthusiasts practiced various poses of India's ancient physical discipline at China's iconic Great Wall on the eve of International Yoga Day.

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PTI

Look who's here

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh took part in the event and practiced the yoga postures for a while. The event was jointly organised by Embassy of India, Beijing Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Yogi Yoga, a popular yoga school.

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PTI

India's gift to the world

Singh, who wrapped up his visit to Beijing to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting, took time out on his way to the airport to join the event.

In a brief speech, Singh talked about the goodness of yoga and quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as saying that yoga was Indian civilisation's gift to the world.

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PTI

Getting in shape

Gurukul students make a human formation in the shape of International Day of Yoga logo at Swaminarayan Gurukul in Surat.

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PTI

A perfect circle

Thousands of students rehearse to create the 'Largest Yoga Chain' for Guinness Book of World Records ahead Yoga Day at Mysore Palace in Karnataka.

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PTI

Bend it like baba

Yoga teacher Mahesh Yogiji attempting a world record for the longest yoga session in Ahmedabad, ahead of International Yoga Day.

According to Guiness World Records, the longest yoga marathon undertaken by a man lasted 69 hours and was achieved by V Gunasekaran in Tamil Nadu.

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Bit of a stretch

A boy takes part in a yoga session at the amphitheatre lawns at North Beach on June 18, 2017 in Durban, South Africa.

Celebrations will take place in 150 countries with Indian missions coordinating activities in landmark places such as Eiffel Tower in Paris, Trafalgar Square in London and Central Park in New York.

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Global wellness

People perform yoga during a four-day long camp by yoga guru Baba Ramdev ahead of International Yoga day in Ahmedabad.

The United Nations General Assembly had made a declaration in December 2014 that every June 21 would be observed as International Day of Yoga, a move that India lobbied hard for.

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