Kathmandu [Nepal], June 21 (ANI): Marking the 11th edition of International Yoga Day, yoga practitioners of Nepal performed asanas followed by music to mark the day with fanfare and zeal.

Hundreds of yoga practitioners, following their instructors, converged in Narayanchaur, marking the day. Celebrated globally on June 21 each year, the day aims to promote the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga.

'On the 11th edition of the International Yoga Day, 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health' is this year's slogan for the day. The importance of Yoga is spreading far and wide. Yoga gives peace to the mind and is an exercise which is done in the early morning. As the day startsFrom morning, yoga should be performed and it makes our life prosperous,' Bikram Shakya, a yoga instructor from Lalitpur, told ANI.

The United Nations General Assembly officially declared June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014, following a proposal by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 69th UN General Assembly.

He emphasised that yoga is a timeless practice essential for all. The proposal received immediate and widespread support, with Nepal, under the leadership of Nepal's then-Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, being the first country to endorse it. It was later supported by the European Union and other permanent members of the United Nations. Since June 21, 2015, International Yoga Day has been celebrated worldwide.

This year marks the 11th International Day of Yoga, with the theme 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health.' This theme echoes a vital truth about the interconnectedness of health, sustainability, and the environment, aligning with India's 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' vision highlighted during its G20 presidency.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014, first proposed the idea of the International Yoga Day. The draft resolution passed by India was endorsed by 175 members. International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on 21 June since 2015, following its inception in the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.

'I have experienced a lot of changes within myself. Before starting Yoga, whenever I felt bad about anything, I would ultimately start crying and screaming but after I started doing yoga, I could control myself. I found solace and peace within,' Ramita Bajracharya, a yoga practitioner, told ANI.

However, in Nepal, Yoga Day was first observed on Magh 1, 2036 BS, coinciding with the occasion of Uttarayan, the period when the sun begins its northward journey, considered auspicious for yoga and meditation.

Nepal Sanskrit University has also been contributing to this field by offering a six-month course in yoga and naturopathy. Historically, yoga--studied and practised by sages in the Himalayan region during the Vedic period--had nearly disappeared from Nepal.

The initiative to revive it by designating a special day has helped increase public interest and awareness. After International Yoga Day was officially adopted globally on June 21, yoga campaigners in Nepal submitted a proposal to the Council of Ministers through the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction to designate Magh 1 as National Yoga Day.

Acting on this proposal, the Nepal Government officially declared Magh 1 as National Yoga Day in 2072 BS, during the tenure of then Peace Minister Narahari Acharya. Since Uttarayan, which begins around Magh 1, is considered a spiritually significant time for yoga and meditation, the day holds special importance in Nepal's cultural and spiritual calendar. (ANI)