Houston: Thousands of yoga enthusiasts are all set to roll out their mats across Texas to bend and twist their bodies in complex postures on June 21 and celebrate International Yoga Day.
The Consulate General of India in partnership with several groups is organising several events across Texas during the week to celebrate the 5th International Day of Yoga. The main event on Friday will be held on the lush green lawns of Midtown Park at 6pm, with demonstration by yoga experts for major 'asanas', breathing techniques and meditation. The event will wrap up at 7.30pm with a colour powder dance party, akin to the Holi festival.
Consul General of India in Houston, Dr Anupam Ray, said that yoga is what "we (India) export... well being of mind and body... we do not export hatred or say that my religion is better than yours... what we say is that yoga is good for mind, body and heart".
"Houston has a vibrant Yoga family and there are many Yoga centres from different parts of the world. It is an opportunity to remove the duality and promote the spirit of oneness between mind and body, thought and action and man and nature," he said.
The Yoga Day demonstrations will include a special session devoted to children and another one will show how to do Yoga while sleeping. The consulate has also planned a series of events in Dallas and San Antonio. The yoga day will be observed in Dallas on 22nd June, Saturday at 8:00 am at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza and in San Antonio on 21st June at 6:00 pm at the Riverwalk Mall.
In Austin, the capital of Texas, Yoga day celebrations began June 15th evening, from the stately State Capitol building, which was attended by over a 1000 yoga enthusiasts from all walks of life. The Bohra community of Houston also had yoga day at the mosque on Saturday, attended by both men and women. "They were so excited with the session that they requested regular sessions at their mosque," said Deputy Consul General Surendra Adhana, who led the events both at the mosque and at Austin.
In addition to these main events, multiple events are being organized at churches, temples, community centers, Arya Samaj Greater Houston, Brahma Kumaris, India House, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Shakas (HSS), Jamatkhanas and Patanjali Yogpeeth USA Trust between 15th and 23rd June.
International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21 since its inception in 2015. The concept of the Yoga Day was proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014.
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