PM Modi urges people to take up yoga, joins Yoga Day celebrations in UP

Taking part in the celebrations in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday morning, where he inaugurated a number of facilities on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said, "From Lucknow I convey my greetings to all those joining the #YogaDay2017 celebrations all over India," while adding, "I urge everyone to make Yoga a part of their lives."

"Today, Yoga has become a part of so many lives. Yoga's popularity outside India is high & has connected the world with India," he said.

The Prime Minister also expressed happiness over the growing demand for yoga.

"I am glad to see several Yoga institutes take shape over the last three years. Demand for Yoga teachers is increasing," PM Modi added.

Modi also urged the youths to emphasise on wellness alongside fitness.

"In addition to fitness, wellness is important. Yoga is a medium to achieve wellness," he said.

Speaking about the benefits of yoga, the Prime Minister said that it was an inexpensive form of exercise and is easily affordable.

"Yoga is about health assurance. It is not even expensive to practice," PM Modi said.

This is the third edition of Yoga Day, which started in 2015 and is annually celebrated worldwide on Jun 21.

Derived from the Sanskrit word 'yuj', yoga is union of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit.

The practice is 10,000 years old and originated in ancient India.

Traces of it can be found in the Rig Veda, the world's oldest surviving literature.

image: narendramodi.in