What is Yoga? In general, people outside India, associate yoga with a complex amalgamation of different twisting and turning postures that are believed to provide some kind of mental and physical benefit. Very few people are aware of the fact that yoga in Sanskrit basically means “union”. It is an experience where everything in our conscious and unconscious state of mind becomes one. It is form of science which helps to enhance a human beings ability to perceive and realize his ultimate nature. The UN declaration of Yoga Day would make people more aware of his surrounding and help him to lead a better and stress free life.

Events Leading To the UN Declaration of Yoga Day
The declaration of World Yoga Day is marked as a big victory for India on the international platform, where the resolution for declaring 21st June as World Yoga Day was passed with an overwhelming majority. The events leading to this declaration can be traced back to the year 2014, when PM Narendra Modi in his address to the UN General Assembly on 27th September 2014 said, “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action." Following this speech, a resolution was proposed by the United Nations proposing a dedicated Day for highlighting the virtues of practicing Yoga. This resolution was endorsed by a total of 177 countries out of 193 member countries within a sphere of 100 days.

The World Health Organization in recognition of this day asked its member countries to urge its citizens to increase physical activity. Referring to the recognition of June 21 as an International Day of Yoga, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon termed yoga as a "sport that can contribute to development and peace"

Need for an International Yoga Day
Yoga as a spiritual and ascetic discipline of life was practiced by people in different parts of the world for centuries. The need for this ancient form of self-rejuvenation has become all the more significant under current circumstances, because we live in a fast progressing world, where we barely have time to understand our inner self. In order to counter this general lack of empathy and cohesiveness among the current generation the practice of yoga has become all the more significant and relevant. The importance of yoga can be summed up in the words of Narendra Modi “Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”