Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s Sanatan culture, bestowed upon humanity by the country’s sages for the welfare of the entire world. The journey of yoga, which began thousands of years ago, has today assumed a global dimension. Yoga is not merely a physical practice, it is a complete way of life that connects the body, mind, soul and society, he said.
The Chief Minister was addressing a yoga practice programme organised on the occasion of International Yoga Day at the Main Dham of Baba Bhuman Shah located at village Baba Bhuman Shah (Sangar Sarista) in Sirsa district on Friday. During the programme, he presented shawls to Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji and Mahant Mahesh Muni Maharaj of Kurukshetra.
He said that he experienced immense peace and positive energy while visiting Dera Baba Bhuman Shah Ashram, a centre of spiritual consciousness situated on this sacred land. In his address, the Chief Minister said that the entire world will celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21.
In this connection, yoga practice programmes are being organised across different districts of Haryana. He said that yoga has attained an international stature due to the efforts of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi.
As a result of his tireless efforts, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014. At that time, 177 countries supported the proposal, and today almost every nation in the world has embraced yoga.
The Chief Minister said that from New York’s Times Square and Paris’s Eiffel Tower to Tokyo and Toronto, India’s spiritual heritage is receiving global recognition through yoga. This is India’s strength, established not through the power of the sword but through the strength of penance, culture and spiritual values, he said.
He further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, Yogasana has been accorded the status of a sport and included in the Khelo India Youth Games. The Prime Minister’s messages like 'Khelega Bharat to Khilega Bharatand ‘Yoga Ki Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz’ have become a source of inspiration for people across the country.
India’s Global Prestige Has Grown Through Development and Yoga Over the Past 12 Years
The Chief Minister said that it is a happy coincidence that this year’s International Yoga Day is being observed at a time when the Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi is completing 12 years in office. During these years, India has reached new heights in infrastructure development, technology and the economy, while also showing the world the path of mental peace and better health through yoga.
He said that the journey of these 12 years of development and the global spread of yoga reflects the growing strength and global leadership of New India.
Teachings of Baba Bhuman Shah Continue to Guide Society
Describing Baba Bhuman Shah Maharaj as a great social reformer and saint devoted to public welfare, the Chief Minister said that he gave the message of providing food to the hungry, direction to the lost and dignity to those standing at the last rung of society. Baba Ji made humanity, love, moral conduct, service and righteous behaviour the foundation of life.
He said that Baba Bhuman Shah’s teachings consistently conveyed a message of awareness against substance abuse. Human life, he said, is a priceless gift from God and should not be wasted on social evils such as addiction.
The Chief Minister said that Dera Baba Bhuman Shah is a living symbol of the faith, spirit of service and cultural heritage of the Kamboj community. The history of the Kamboj community, he said, is filled with bravery, patriotism, perseverance and hard work.
Even today, lakhs of devotees in India and abroad continue to walk on the path of truth and service shown by Baba Bhuman Shah, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini. He further said that Gaddi nashin Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji has made a significant contribution to carrying forward this spiritual legacy.
Under his guidance, the Dham is setting new benchmarks in the fields of education, healthcare, spirituality and service to humanity. Describing the event as a beautiful confluence of spirituality and yoga, the Chief Minister said that yoga means union, the union of the individual soul with the Supreme Being, the balance of the body and mind, and the connection of the individual with society.
The message of simplicity and devotion given by Baba Bhuman Shah is also a form of inner yoga. He said that yoga is not confined to asanas and pranayama; rather, it is an art of living that fills life with positive energy.
Referring to the ancient dictum, ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam,’ he said it means excellence and skill in one’s actions.
Chief Minister Calls Upon Youth to Lead the Campaign Against Drug Abuse
Sh. Nayab Singh Saini urged people to take a pledge that they will neither consume intoxicants nor allow others to do so. He also appealed to society to make efforts to bring back young people who have fallen into the grip of addiction.
He said that Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi’s resolve of making India a developed nation by 2047 can be realised only when the country’s citizens are healthy, aware and free from substance abuse. The Haryana Government is continuously working on the theme of ‘Yoga-Yukt, Nasha-Mukt Haryana’.
Haryana Undertaking Extensive Measures to Promote Yoga
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is working on a large scale to make Haryana healthy, prosperous and yoga-oriented. Haryana is the first state in the country to establish the Haryana Yoga Commission for the promotion of yoga, he said.
The Chief Minister said that Yoga education has been introduced as a compulsory subject from Classes I to X. Yoga training is being imparted in schools, colleges and universities, and yoga clubs have been established. To promote yoga and Ayurveda, Shri Krishna AYUSH University has been established in Kurukshetra.
Vyamshalas in 6,500 Villages and Expansion of AYUSH Services
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is committed to establishing vyamshalas in 6,500 villages, out of which 883 have already been completed. A total of 859 AYUSH Yoga Assistants have been appointed.
He said that 397 AYUSH dispensaries and 109 sub-health centres have been upgraded into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, and 156 yoga instructors have been appointed in these institutions. He further said that the current financial year’s Budget includes a provision for a daily yoga break for employees in industrial units.
Weekly health campaigns are also being conducted for senior citizens through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. The Chief Minister said that practising Anulom-Vilom, Kapalbhati and Surya Namaskar for half an hour every day not only helps prevent diseases but also infuses life with positivity and renewed energy.
Regular Practice of Yoga Leads to a Healthy and Spiritual Life- Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji
Addressing the gathering, Guru Maharaj Baba Brahm Dass Ji said that yoga should be practised regularly in life. Regular practice of yoga keeps a person healthy, brings peace to the mind and opens the path to spirituality.
He said that saints, gurus and spiritual leaders have always embraced yoga and inspired society through their example. He also said that Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini is playing an important role in taking yoga to every section of society.
Former MP, Smt. Sunita Duggal, Chairman, Sh. Rohtash Jangra, Chairman, Sh. Om Prakash, Chairman, Sh. Dev Kumar Sharma, Municipal Council Chairman, Shanti Swaroop and several other distinguished persons were present on the occasion.