Times Square Embraces The Spirit Of Yoga

NEW YORK- Hundreds of people representing diverse nationalities and ethnic backgrounds gathered in Times Square on June 20 to mark the International Day of Yoga, showcasing the universal appeal of the ancient Indian practice.

The Indian Consulate General-sponsored programme featured a daylong series of yoga sessions in Times Square, drawing thousands of participants and visitors.”

HR Nagendra, Chancellor of Vivekananda Yoga University, inaugurated the programme, saying, “I bring you the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji”.

“Yoga is not just a physical exercise, it’s the science of holistic living,” he said, bringing the message to Times Square, often referred to as the “crossroads of the world”.

Ruchika Lal, a senior faculty member of the Art of Living Foundation, conducted the first yoga session of the day.

The celebrations, held in partnership with the Times Square Alliance, featured yoga sessions every other hour, with additional participants joining through overflow registrations.

Thousands of tourists visiting Times Square watched participants perform yoga asanas on multiple stages set up for the event.

Yoga has been widely embraced across New York City, where hundreds of studios and classes cater to people from different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the universality of a practice that originated in India.

Tom Harris, President of the Times Square Alliance, said, “It’s our hope that you can find some calmness in the midst of the chaos of city life here today”.

The Alliance also set up a Yoga Village in Times Square, bringing the message of holistic living to one of the world’s most recognizable public spaces.

Douglass Stewart, co-founder of Summer Solstice — Yoga in Times Square, said, “As we practise our yoga, we open up to our harmony vibe, we open up to our steadiness vibe, and our love vibe, and, and, and all goodness, goodness and all oneness”. (IANS)