Sri Lanka celebrates International Yoga Day
New Delhi: The High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Colombo joined hands with the Sri Lankan Armed Forces to commemorate the Seventh International Yoga Day with a unique Yoga session held virtually on Monday.
General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defence, was the chief guest at the event, which was also attended by General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, and other defence personnel.
The Most Venerable Dr Maitape Wimalasera Thero, Chief Priest and Director of the Param Dhamma Chetiya Pirivena in Ratmalana, sought Lord Buddha’s blessings for everyone’s overall well-being.
On this occasion, the messages of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, encouraging the people to continue the tradition of Yoga because of its multiple advantages, were shared with the participants.
In his message, Modi emphasised the importance of this year’s topic, Yoga for Wellness, given the current Covid-19 scenario. Yoga, he said, is beneficial for community, immunity, and unity because of its innate power to connect.
Rajapaksa said that Yoga is a rare, beautiful gift from the wealth of spiritual traditions and practises passed down through millennia by Indian sages and that it has impacted the lives of generations of people all over the world.
Since 2015, the High Commission of India has been celebrating the International Day of Yoga in Sri Lanka with tremendous zeal, with the involvement of Sri Lankan leaders and the general public. Over the years, the event has attracted tens of thousands of people. Despite the pandemic, about 7,000 people participated in various online events held this year to commemorate the International Day of Yoga.
(Venkatesh Iyer)
