Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday stressed the importance of practicing yoga regularly for maintaining one’s mental, physical and emotional health, as the International day of Yoga celebrations saw people in Karnataka celebrating it in a low key manner, with COVID-19 restrictions in place.
Schools, parks, clubs and playgrounds in Bengaluru wore a deserted look, unlike in previous years, as people did not congregate there due to the restrictions.
The Governor and Chief Minister greeted the people on the day.
Sharing images of the Governor performing solo Yoga, the Raj Bhavan, in a press release, quoted him urging people to perform it regularly to boost immunity and improve mental, physical and emotional health.
“Honourable Governor wishes happy sixth International Yoga Day 21 st June, 2020 to the people of Karnataka State and appealed to practice ‘Yoga at home, Yoga with family’,” a press release said.
It said the staff practiced yoga on the lawns of the Raj Bhavan at 6 am.
In his tweet, Yediyurappa said Yoga is a gift from India to the world, which was handed down to us by our ancestors.
“We have to preserve Yoga and also need to practice it regularly to celebrate a strong, healthy and meaningful life”, he said.
Many ministers and government officials shared images of them performing Yoga.
State ministers B C Patil and S T Somashekar performed yoga together at a lawn and shared the videos and images.
The Pantanjali Yoga Kendra members performed Yoga on the Parakala Math premises in Mysuru, maintaining social distancing.
The Karnataka unit of BJP celebrated the day at the basement of the party office, where the state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and other office bearers performed it.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, who represents Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka, too shared his photographs and Yoga Day message on Twitter, saying it helps in boosting immunity and is the most effective way to combat COVID-19.