No fewer than 300 participants, including Nigerians, Indians, Russians and other foreign nationals, on Sunday took part in this year’s International Day of Yoga in Lagos.
The participants, who converged on the premises of the Lagos office of the Indian High Commission, were exposed to the basic requirements for practicing yoga on their own.
Indian Minister of External Affairs, Mrs Susan Swarai, in a message presented on her behalf by Head of the Commission’s Lagos office, Mr Vyas Choudhary, said that the event was taking place for the second time globally.
”It is a matter of immense happiness that at the initiative of India, the United Nations had declared every June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.
”This is second year that we would be celebrating the International Day with great fervour of Indians at home and abroad.
”Given the grand scale at which we are celebrating the International Day of Yoga, I invite each and everyone of you to join us in yoga practice, ” she said.
According to her, Yoga is not merely an exercise, but a combination of exercise for the body, as well as for the soul.
Indian Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, in a message also presented by the Head the Commission’s Lagos office, announced his government’s committment to nurturing the practice globally.
Modi, who also maintained that the practice was good for preventive health care and well-being, said about 36,000 Indians had participated in this year’s Yoga practice in New Delhi, India.
An official of the Russian Embassy, Mr Radomir Ganich, who participated in the practice with his wife, said it often benefits him spiritually and physically.
A Nigerian, Mr Bauri Kazeem, who also participated, said he had been doing the practice for over 20 years.
”I have been doing this yoga practice for the past 20 years.
“This yoga practice, apart from excercising your body, keeps you fit mentally and physically, ” he said.
Vice-president of the Indian Community Association in Lagos, Chief Sanjay Jan, said that the event was organised by Association and the Indian High Commission to sensitise Nigerians and foreign nationals in Lagos on the importance of Yoga practice. (NAN)