As the entire world observes International Yoga Day on June 21, a record number of more than 2,500 people registered themselves so far to perform yoga asanas and is the number expected to get bigger at the iconic Washington Monument.

For the third time, the Washington Monument would host the International Yoga Day celebrations.

The fifth international Day of Yoga would be possibly the largest gathering of a free yoga event in Washington, given the enthusiasm of health-conscious people.

"We are seeing a robust response to our call for participation at the fifth International Day of Yoga at the iconic Washington Monument on Sunday, June 16. The event has already received over 2,500 registrations," the Indian Ambassador to the U.S., Harsh Vardhan Shringla, told PTI.

In association with more than 20 organizations, the Indian Embassy in the association is organizing the event.Immediately right after the yoga event, the embassy has scheduled a vegetarian food festival as an added incentive, Shringla said.

Shringla, since his arrival in January 2019, has been making efforts for successfully organizing the yoga day, which in five years has turned a sought-after event in Washington. He has chaired a preliminary meeting of embassy officers and representatives of the partner organizations.

All the representatives and ambassadors of UN organizations have been invited to the event. Representatives from various wings of the U.S. government and the Congress are also likely to attend the event.

"Over the last few years, the popularity of yoga has increased manifold in the U.S. I am told there are now about 36 million yoga practitioners in the country. And this is good news!" Shringla said.

The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga following a proposal moved by India on December 11, 2014.

To quote Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "Yoga has evolved as a way to achieve healthy living and combines physical, mental and spiritual pursuits to achieve harmony of the body and mind. Its appeal today has truly transcended cultural and linguistic boundaries and it has become a global phenomenon,” he said.

Events Across the U.S.

This year’s event is to witness an active promotion from the Indian embassy through its social media handles and website. The embassy is running a Facebook advertisement campaign aiming individuals within the bounds 25 miles of D.C., and individuals with curiosity in yoga, meditation, Lululemon, and yoga-related activities. By June 15, the advertisement is expected to reach around a million people.

In the run-up to the event, more than 12 curtain raiser events have been organized at various locations across the United States, including Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Several other promotional programs have also been held.

The Indian embassy reached out to yoga studio owners and teachers to make sure of the participation from American yoga enthusiasts.

By Sowmya Sangam