He yogathe ancient spiritual discipline originated in the India and that points towards harmony of mind and body, is celebrating. It’s just that today is the International Yoga Day and in Buenos Aires and other cities in the country it is celebrated in a big way.
Since 2014 the United Nations Organization (UN) established that this date be celebrated every June 21, more and more people practice it.
And those who have done it with greater continuity for some time, affirm that This practice is more than an exercisesince it involves art and science to have a healthy life, both in body, mind, and also in spirit.
Celebrations for this day take place throughout the country. But in the city of Buenos Aires, the biggest event was concentrated. It is that the Embassy of India in Argentina and Uruguay decided to celebrate this 10th edition of the International Yoga Day with the motto “Yoga for the Self and Society” in a mega event, which free and freein it Ocher Pavilion of La Rural, in Palermo.
Infobae He attended the event in one of the Buenos Aires icons of large meetings, where upon entering you could experience being in India.
Dozens of stands in the shape of Hindu tents, with different pleasant fragrances from incense burners and a festival of colors in the sales stalls, in the classic clothing of some women and in the mats that neatly lined the Ocre room of La Rural, ready for their owners to begin the different sessions that would mark the day.
At 11:30 the ambassador of India in Argentina and Uruguay, Dinesh Bhatiagave the words of welcome to the meeting: “I would like to begin by wishing all Yoga practitioners and enthusiasts in Argentina a very happy International Yoga Day, since Today we celebrate its 10th edition. You will all remember that today’s date was designated by the United Nations in 2014. I am especially glad that this ancient heritage of India no longer be limited by geographic or national borders. It has taken deep roots and has become extremely popular in all countries, continents and cultures.”
And he added: “This year’s motto ‘Yoga for the self and society’ It is quite timely, as yoga transcends the personal goal of aligning one’s body, mind and soul to unite people and make them a cohesive society. Nowadays, Surrounded by wars and conflicts, climate changes, natural disasters and stress due to a modern and fast-paced lifestyle, yoga offers us a ray of hope that helps calm us down. Yoga also helps us get back to basics and connect with ourselves in a sustainable way. We should not limit ourselves only to the physical aspects of yoga, but delve into it to achieve general well-being.”
Bathia also thanked Argentina for having adopted yoga as a natural part of its culture and society and immediately invited the head of Government of the City of Buenos Aires to the stage.Jorge Macri, who was accompanied by his wife María Belén Ludueña.
“Happy International Yoga Day. I have known Dinesh, the ambassador and his wife for several years now. We met when I was the mayor of Vicente López and on some of these dates we celebrated there. It was a discovery for me. One thinks one knows what yoga means, but it is a whole world that opens up behind what one perhaps sees at first. We have enjoyed several meetings, music and culture. Argentina and the City of Buenos Aires are places where diversity, the possibility of enjoying different mechanisms, cultural, spiritual, origin, and creed ties, coexist in an exceptional way,” Macri explained.
And he concluded: “And in these moments, as the ambassador said, so convulsed, so hard, where by thinking differently and believing differently, we reach the extremes of war, the most dramatic, the most brutal. society has. We have to send a message from the City of Buenos Aires that this coexistence, that this love in diversitywhich does not only mean accepting the other, but embracing and loving them in that diversity that completes us.”
Once down on stage, Macri explained to Infobae: “We are a city that embraces diversity. It is also a time where, especially post-pandemic, people are looking for emotional and spiritual health and they are looking for it in different practices, creeds, exercises, methods and everything that helps us find that axis, that being, that well-being. , that tranquility in such a turbulent time. That’s important to me. Not just accept it, but embrace it, encourage it, and let it be lived. Put light on it so that more people know. May they be encouraged to come and discover yoga and this entire community. And it seems to me that everything that comes out of here is good. “That helps us make a better society.” This year, the celebrations not only commemorate International Yoga Day, but also the 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Argentina.
Yoga is essentially a ancient spiritual discipline originating in India, which points towards harmony of mind and body. It is an art and a science to healthy living. The word yoga has its roots in the Sanskrit language, yuj meaning “to unite.”
When the UN set the date for World Yoga Day in 2014, the then Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi celebrated it by stating: “Yoga is an invaluable gift of our ancient tradition, embodies the unity of mind and body, thought and action in a holistic approach valuable to our health and ours welfare. Yoga is not just about exercise; It is a way to discover the sense of unity with yourself, the world and nature.”
The initiative promoted by the Indian Embassy aims to disseminate Yoga and is part of a program of the Ministry of AYUSH of the Government of India, created by the Prime Minister, to promote alternative health systems that complement Western medicine, among they Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH for its acronym).
The Indian ambassador to Argentina and Uruguay, Dinesh Bhatia explained to Infobae that in Argentina this world day has been celebrated every year, except during the pandemic:
“We have done important events in Vicente López and La Boca in previous years. Now this year it is much bigger in La Rural, with the participation of so many people who did not think they would come despite the rain. But there are a lot of people today and it makes me very happy. And this also means that Argentina has adopted, accepted yoga as part of its natural life. In addition, there are celebrations in different Argentine cities, from Tucumán to Tierra del Fuego,” said Bhatia.
Asked why he believes yoga is a phenomenon that is growing worldwide and also in Argentina in recent years, Bathia stated:
“It is a practice that is very useful not only for physical health, but also for mental health. So everyone wants to do it. Today, for example, in several countries they do yoga, not knowing many things about yoga or India, but they do yoga for the help it provides to the body and also the mind.”
And he noted: “So everyone wants to practice it more and more. I believe that it gives us tranquility, happiness, and a balance between the human and the unique environment. The idea is not only to unify the person of the being, the body, the mind and the soul, but to unify with the main energy or the God in which we believe, but also unify with society to have a better society.
Bathia clarified that yoga does not teach religion as it belongs to the Hindu religion. “But the Hindu religion is not a religion, it does not have a guide book. It only has hundreds of scriptures and it is a way of life for us that is not a regime. Thus, yoga does not teach any type of religion, except to improve life and to be a better human.”
After the words of Macri and Bathia, there was a special session called Common Yoga Protocol, where all attendees were invited to participate in a collective session of this practice. The day’s agenda also included a discussion panel titled “Yoga for the Self and Society”, where the importance of yoga in daily life and its impact on the community was explored.
The day also offered a meditation sessionfollowed by more cultural shows of dance, meditation and conversations.
The initiative of the Ministry of AYUSH of the Government of India seeks to spread alternative health systems. The first celebrations in Raj Path in New Delhi in 2015 generated two records Guinness. Since then, the event has been held annually in more than 190 countries.
The word “yoga” derives from Sanskrit and symbolizes union of body and consciousness. Originated thousands of years ago, it was spread by the Rishis throughout the world, with special development in India thanks to Sapta Rishi Agastya. The great wise man Maharishi Patanjali systematized this practice in his “Yoga Sutras”.
The discipline continued to evolve with contributions from various scholars, and today it is recognized globally as a method for disease prevention and the Health promotion. Millions benefit from its practice daily.
Photos: Nicolas Stulberg
