June 21 has officially been marked on the calendar as International Yoga Day every year. As we celebrate this ancient art which has been embraced across the world as one of the most beneficial practices for our mind, body and soul, here’s a look at some of the most interesting facts about it! With patrons like the gorgeous Kaali 2 actor Vidya Malavade who swears by it, yoga has become widely accepted as one of the most wholesome practices that can help us to live well in the modern world.

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An ancient art with its origins in India, yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice that has found universal popularity today. The name ‘yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’. It means ‘to join or unite,’ and symbolises the union of the body with the consciousness.

Why has the date of June 21 chosen as International Yoga Day? In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared it as such, a few months after India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea. PM Modi chose this day of the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and the shortest in the south, as it has great significance worldwide.

This year, as we battle the novel Coronavirus pandemic, the theme for World Yoga Day has been announced as ‘Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family.’ We continue to take precautions to protect ourselves from the infection by restricting our movements outside the house, making sure to wear a mask when we step out, and maintaining social distancing. Thus, doing yoga at home is a great way to stay fit, healthy, and strong!

There are several different forms of yoga that are practised throughout the world. Based on your needs, you can choose from as many as 11 styles, each varying in how relaxing, physically demanding, or meditative it is. Vinyasa, Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga and Bikram yoga are just a few of the popular forms!

Yoga for dogs or ‘Doga’ was born in 2002 in New York, USA. Invented by Suzi Teitelman, it involves doing yoga with your pet dog! If you have a canine child at home, definitely look into this practice if it is something that piques your interest. Wouldn’t it be such a fun activity for you and your pet?

Which of these facts about yoga did you enjoy the most? Tell us in the comments below, and have a happy International Yoga Day!

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