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About the Day
What is International Yoga Day?
International Day of Yoga is observed every year on 21 June — the summer solstice (longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere), a date of special significance in many cultures. The day was proposed by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech at the UN General Assembly on 27 September 2014. The UN adopted the resolution on 11 December 2014 — with a record 177 countries co-sponsoring it, the highest ever for any UN resolution.
"Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature."
The word "Yoga" comes from the Sanskrit root yuj — meaning to yoke, unite, or join. Yoga is the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness, of body with mind, and of self with the world.
5000+
Years of yoga's history in India
300M
People practicing yoga globally
177
Nations co-sponsored the UN resolution
21 Jun
Summer solstice — longest day of year
History
5,000 Years of Yoga in India
- ~3000 BCEThe earliest evidence of yoga postures found in the Indus Valley seals from Mohenjo-daro and Harappa — figures depicted in meditative postures suggesting yoga's practice in the pre-Vedic age.
- ~1500–500 BCEThe Vedic period establishes the foundations of yoga in the Rig Veda. The word "yoga" appears for the first time. The Upanishads (especially the Katha, Chandogya, and Mundaka) develop yoga as a path to self-realization.
- ~500 BCEThe Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6 especially) presents three yoga paths: Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), and Karma Yoga (action) — a complete philosophical framework still relevant today.
- ~200 CEPatanjali codifies yoga in the Yoga Sutras — 196 aphorisms organizing the practice into the 8-limbed Ashtanga system: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.
- 19th–20th CenturySwami Vivekananda introduces yoga to the West at the 1893 Parliament of World's Religions. T. Krishnamacharya, B.K.S. Iyengar, and Pattabhi Jois develop modern yoga styles. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi introduces Transcendental Meditation globally.
- 2014–2015India proposes and the UN establishes International Day of Yoga. The first Yoga Day (21 June 2015) sees 35,985 people perform yoga at Rajpath, New Delhi — setting two Guinness World Records.
India Focus
International Yoga Day in India
India's Celebration
India celebrates Yoga Day with mass yoga sessions at iconic locations — from the Rajpath in New Delhi to the Gateway of India in Mumbai, the Ghats of Varanasi, the beaches of Goa, and military bases across the country. The Prime Minister leads a mass yoga session broadcast live to millions. Every school, government office, and many corporate organizations observe the day with yoga sessions, workshops, and demonstrations. UNESCO recognized yoga as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
Yoga Practice
Key Yoga Asanas & Their Benefits
- 1Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) — 12 PosturesThe complete full-body sequence of 12 poses performed as a flowing sequence at sunrise. Strengthens every major muscle group, improves flexibility, boosts metabolism, and calms the mind. The most efficient yoga practice — 30 minutes of Surya Namaskar burns ~350 calories while also being a form of worship to the Sun.
- 2Tadasana (Mountain Pose) — Foundation of All Standing PosesStand tall, feet together, arms at sides, body perfectly aligned. Improves posture, strengthens spine, and teaches body awareness. It is the most fundamental asana — understanding stillness and alignment as a foundation for all movement.
- 3Vrikshasana (Tree Pose) — Balance & FocusStand on one leg, place other foot on inner thigh, hands in namaste above head or at chest. Develops balance, concentration, and mental focus. Teaches that like a tree, we must be rooted to stand tall. Excellent for children's focus and confidence.
- 4Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) — Spine & OrgansLie face down, hands under shoulders, raise upper body with spine bent back. Strengthens spine, opens chest, stimulates abdominal organs, and relieves lower back pain. Especially beneficial for people who sit at desks for long hours.
- 5Anulom-Vilom Pranayama — Alternate Nostril BreathingClose right nostril with right thumb, inhale through left. Close left with ring finger, exhale through right. Then inhale right, exhale left. This is one complete cycle. Balances the two hemispheres of the brain, calms the nervous system, reduces stress and anxiety, and purifies nadis (energy channels). Practiced daily for 10–15 minutes.
How to Observe
Ways to Celebrate Yoga Day
Begin at Sunrise
Wake with the sun and practice Surya Namaskar — 12 rounds facing east as the sun rises. Combine it with deep breathing and the Gayatri Mantra for a complete morning sadhana.
Family Yoga Session
Practice yoga as a family — even 20 minutes together creates bonding and sets healthy habits. Children who practice yoga with parents are more likely to maintain the practice lifelong.
Organize at School/Work
Host a 30-minute yoga session at your school, college, or office. Download the "Common Yoga Protocol" from the Ministry of AYUSH — a free standardized yoga sequence for group sessions.
Use Free Digital Resources
The Ministry of AYUSH offers free yoga apps (YOGA By Ministry of AYUSH) and the Common Yoga Protocol video in 23 languages. YouTube channels of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, Sadhguru, and Art of Living offer excellent free guidance.
Commit to 21 Days
It takes 21 days to form a habit. Start a 21-day yoga challenge on Yoga Day — even 15 minutes daily of pranayama + 3 asanas will transform your wellbeing by the end.
Visit a Yoga Center
Visit a traditional yoga ashram or center — Rishikesh (the Yoga Capital of the World), Mysuru (Ashtanga tradition), Pune (Iyengar tradition), or Coimbatore (Isha Yoga Center). Many offer free classes on Yoga Day.
Yoga Mantras
Sacred Mantras for Yoga Practice
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम्।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥
The Gayatri Mantra — the most powerful mantra for yogic practice: "We meditate on the radiant glory of the divine light that illuminates the three worlds (earth, atmosphere, heaven). May that sacred light inspire and guide our intellect." Chanted at sunrise during Surya Namaskar.
ॐ नमः शिवाय — Om Namah Shivaya
ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः — Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः — Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
"Om Namah Shivaya" — Salutations to Shiva, the lord of yoga and the first yogi (Adiyogi). "Om Shanti Shanti Shanti" — the three-fold peace invocation: peace in body, peace in mind, and peace in the world — chanted at the closing of every yoga session.
Patanjali's Definition of Yoga (Yoga Sutras 1.2):
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः — Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodhah
"Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind." — This one line is the heart of all yoga philosophy: not perfect postures, but a perfectly still mind.
India's Yoga Institutions:
Patanjali Yoga Peeth (Haridwar) · Isha Foundation (Coimbatore) · Art of Living (Bengaluru) · Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute (Lonavala, since 1924) · Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (New Delhi) · Bihar School of Yoga (Munger)
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः — Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodhah
"Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind." — This one line is the heart of all yoga philosophy: not perfect postures, but a perfectly still mind.
India's Yoga Institutions:
Patanjali Yoga Peeth (Haridwar) · Isha Foundation (Coimbatore) · Art of Living (Bengaluru) · Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute (Lonavala, since 1924) · Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (New Delhi) · Bihar School of Yoga (Munger)