Mysuru: The cultural city of Mysuru has been witnessing a significant increase in the number of yoga practitioners every year and there is a need to expand the same to the entire State to ensure at least 2 crore people take part in the International Day of Yoga celebrations next year, said Avadhoota Datta Peetham Junior Pontiff Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji, here on Sunday.  

He was speaking after inaugurating 3rd Sankalp Divas organised by Mysore Yoga Okkuta at Nada Mantapa in Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashram on Nanjangud Road as a prelude to International Day of Yoga celebrations to be held on June 21. 

“Yoga, which is famous in Mysuru, should be spread across all regions to enrol 2 crore yoga enthusiasts for next year’s Yoga Day celebrations. Every religion will have good scriptures. But the confluence of prayer and meditation is Yoga,” he said and expressed concerns of growing cases of youngsters falling prey to narcotic drugs.  

Speaking on the occasion, KR MLA T.S. Srivatsa said Mysuru had become a synonym for yoga which received international fame after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the International Day of Yoga celebrations in city. 

He also added that other States in the country had adopted Mysore yoga event as a model to implement it in their respective regions.  

Over 500 perform yogasanas 

The yoga event held at Ganapathy Ashram witnessed more than 500 yoga enthusiasts performing various asanas. The event began with prayers, warm-up following which Tadasana, Vrukshasana, Padahastasana, Ardha Chakrasana, Trikonasana, Bhadrasana, Vajrasana, Ardha Ushtrasana, Ushtrasana, Shashakasana, Uttana Mandukasana, Vakrasana, Makarasana, Bhujangasana and Shalabhasana among others were preformed. The event concluded with Kapalabathi, Pranayama, Naadi Shodane and Meditation.  

District Ayush Officer Dr. Renuka Devi, Mysore Yoga Okkuta Secretary Srihari Dwarakanath, Sri Datta International Yoga Centre Head Rameshwara Raju, Madhu of Bharat Swabhiman Trust, Ganesh Kumar of Yoga Sports Federation, Najundaswamy of Sri Pathanjali Yoga Shikshana Samsthe, Sarala and Roopashree of GSS Yoga Samsthe and others were present on the occasion.