About 7000 persons of different age groups and professions participated in the celebrations held in Jakarta, Bali, Medan and Surabaya. Despite Ramadan, yoga enthusiasts started queuing up at the venue early in the morning.
The event started at 6:30 AM with the Ambassador addressing the participants and thanking them for participating in the event.
It was followed by set of yoga postures (Asanas) which are being performed around the world.
The venue of the event, Plaza Selatan, Gelora Bung Karno, wore festive look as large number of people, donning white T-shirts with colourful logos of International Day of Yoga and Sahabat India, gathered to celebrate festival of health and well-being along with celebrities like Mr. Anjasmara Prasetya who led the Yoga practices from the main stage.
H.E. Ms. Esti Andayani, Director General for Information and Public Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, represented the Government of Republic of Indonesia in the event.
Ms. Listyowati, Director for South and Central Asian Affaris and Mr. Al Busra, Director, Public Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia also participated in the event.
The event witnessed participation of large number of prominent celebrities such as Nicholas Saputra, actor; Mr. Anjasmara Prasetya, Actor; Ms. Farah Quinn, Celebrity Chef; Ms. Asma Nadia, Travel and Movie script writer; Ms. Nia Dinata, Director and Actor; Mr. Didiet Maulana, Ikat designer; Mr. Ringgo Agusrahman, Actor, and Dr. Lula Kamal, Actress were prominent Indonesian celebrities who participated in the function.
The actors who played role of Pandavas in Mahabharat serial and have large fan following in Indonesia, also participated in the event.
The presence of large number of celebrities in the event who also kept tweeting about Yoga Day helped the message get across to the large number of people.
In a special gesture on International Day of Yoga, the Embassy of India in Indonesia released a special publication, a comic book “Perjalanan Menelusuri Sejarah: Cerita Indonesia Dan India†which focuses on the historic India-Indonesia relationship.
“Travels through Time†as it is titled in English, is a part of the ongoing ‘Sahabat India: Festival of India in Indonesia’ which has revived and revitalized India’s cultural links with Indonesia at large.
It is an initiative of Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Mr. Gurjit Singh and the former head of the Indonesian Archives Ms Tamalia Alisjahbana, who worked with Indonesian historian Prof. Agus Aris Munandar to prepare the text.
The Embassy is also thankful to friendly print, electronic and online media groups and partners who helped in promoting the International Day of Yoga which resulted in growing awareness about benefits of Yoga.
The Embassy also thank the print, electronic and online media for being supportive of ‘Sahabat India – The Festival of India in Indonesia’ throughout the last several months.
The Embassy were specially helped in mobilization of people by Art of Living Indonesia; Iyengar Yoga Indonesia; Mr. Anjasmara Prasetya, Actor; Indonesia Yoga School; Celebrity Fitness and Yoga Gurus such as Mr. Omar Faqih.
In acknowledgement of their valuable work, the Ambassador of India distributed certificates and prizes to all those whose efforts led to success of this event.
Participation of large number of people and celebrities in the event goes to show that this ancient science of health and well-being has capacity to provide solutions to the modern life-style diseases on one hand and to the global issues such as peace and harmony between ‘man and man’ and ‘man and nature’ on the other.
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
