Yoga transcends religions: Naidu

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu has said that yoga transcends religions and, therefore, people across religious persuasions can and should adopt it for a healthy life both in the body and the soul.

He said this while speaking at a programme organised as part of the International Yoga Festival being celebrated at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh on Saturday. “In India, yoga has assumed scientific contours while retaining its deeper link with the depth of the soul,” he added.

He said that the air, land and water of Uttarakhand speak of yoga. “I am feeling honored to take part in the festival here,” he said. 

“Though the present age is of  ‘ON LINE’ the Yoga keeps us ‘IN LINE’ for life,” he said.

Speaking of the resilience of the Indian culture to survive the onslaught of time, he said that the cultures that once thrived in Egypt and Greece were great aside from the Indian culture.

“However, now the Indian culture alone is surviving. This is because it is based on giving, sharing and enriching,” Naidu said. 

He exhorted all the yoga enthusiasts who gathered to plant trees by way of protecting environment.

The Governor Krishan Kant Paul said that Yoga helps in keeping a balance with environment.

He lauded the efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi which culminated in making Yoga an international movement. The Governor invoked Swami Vivekananda on the occasion to stress that  the true objective of  the human race and all religions is union with God with Yoga  being one of the mediums  to achieve it. “Yoga  connotes adding and assimilating, something which remains the soul   of the Indian culture for thousands of years,” he said. He also called Rishikesh the international capital of Yoga.

In his address, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat welcomed 1500 yoga enthusiasts from 94 countries for attending the festival. He exuded confidence that all the participants would take home peace, tranquility and satisfaction from the festival. “It the power of the Yoga which has resulted in congregation of  so many people from across the globe. Yoga is indeed  a medium to bust tension and pressure and it is a gift of eternal India  to the world which is meant to bring about a peaceful and healthy world,” he added. 

The Union minister of state for tourism (independent charge), K J Alphons said that Yoga unites the world as it gives a message of the oneness of humanity.  He also urged to all, particularly the women and the youth, to fight hunger and violence as well as the ill effects of  global warming.

Swami Chidanand Saraswati of Paramarth Ashram said that Yoga is another name for dedication and devotion. He said that at this pious place one should think about ‘I Why’ instead of ‘Wi Fi’.  The Swami also elaborated on how to attain a lifestyle which is happy, healthy and harmonious.

Among others the Speaker of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha Prem Chand Agarwal, forest minister Harak Singh Rawat, state minister for higher education Dhan Singh Rawat and Yamkeshwar MLA Ritu Khanduri were present.