International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on June 21 to raise awareness about the many benefits of Yoga worldwide. June 21 was chosen to celebrate International Yoga Day as it is the longest day of the year. The word ‘yoga’ comes from Sanskrit which means to unite or join symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. Now, it is practiced in different forms and gain popularity across the world. The main aim of this global day is to highlight the importance of Yoga and its important role in rejuvenating our mind and body leading to a healthier lifestyle.

Earlier, The United Nations General Assembly declared that International Yoga Day is celebrated every year on June 21 with the support of 177 countries. It’s a great achievement of our Prime Minister of India that the entire world celebrates Yoga Day on June 21. International Yoga Day is first celebrated on June 21, 2015, worldwide. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea of practicing ‘Yoga Day’ during his speech at the United States General Assembly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also termed Yoga as an invaluable gift from an ancient tradition of India and also highlighted the importance of yoga for health in his speech. It is believed that yoga is originated thousands of years ago in India which also mention in ancient mythological books such as Rig Veda.

International Yoga Day is celebrated worldwide to highlight the importance and several health benefits of practicing yoga daily. The main benefit of Yoga is it calms and refreshes the mind with the improvement of patience and concentration. During yoga, pranayama, and practicing yoga maintains the purification of the internal system of the body. The energy produced in the body during the practice of yoga is then channeled into meditation for calm, stability, and peace. Yoga offers physical and mental relaxation and also develops resilience and strength. Several benefits of Yoga make it a popular practice for people across the world, especially during the pandemic when physical and mental health is under stress.