Uttarakhand: CM Dhami asks people to take out an hour for yoga daily

Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday asked the people of Uttarakhand to do yoga on a daily basis for their physical and mental well-being.

"Uttarakhand already enjoys the reputation of being an international centre for yoga and our effort is to further strengthen this identity. We are not only trying to make Uttarakhand a leading state in the country but also make it the global capital of 'sanatan' culture of which yoga is an integral part," Dhami said addressing a programme on the International Yoga Day in Haridwar.

"We should get up before sunrise and take out an hour for ourselves and do yoga every day to stay physically and mentally fit.

"Yoga helps in staying calm while dealing with the challenges and stress of the fast-paced modern life," he added.

He attributed the growing popularity of yoga all over the world to the fact that it helps people develop self-restraint.

The spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the entire world is one family) has been suitably chosen as the theme of this year's International Yoga Day as it is deeply embedded in Indian culture, Dhami said.

The BJP leader also performed different 'asanas' along with Baba Ramdev and his close aide Acharya Balkrishna at the programme.

The Chief Minister later attended another programme on Yoga in Almora.

A number of programmes were organised throughout the state to mark the ninth edition of International Yoga Day on Wednesday.

Similar programmes on yoga were also held at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh and at Dehradun's Maharana Pratap Sports College's hockey synthetic turf.

Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj and Dehradun Mayor Sunil Uniyal Gama also took part in another programme on yoga at Doon Defence Dreamers ground.