Since 2015, World Yoga Day has been celebrated on June 21st. As a result, India, as the country of origin of the ancient teachings, is moving into the focus of world public opinion. But for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the day of action is more than a reason to celebrate.
Aerial view of the Indian capital New Delhi: Thousands of people in white robes sit in lotus positions on the floor and meditate. Meanwhile, in Times Square in New York, hundreds in leggings go down in the Downward Dog. At the same time, techno beats rumble through a yoga studio in Berlin, where sweaty students flow synchronously through a sequence of movements. June 21st is not only the summer solstice and thus the longest day of the year, but also World Yoga Day. The Indian doctrine has long had millions of followers all over the world. In Germany alone, ten million people regularly roll out the mat.
Calm down in the otherwise hectic Times Square: a campaign for World Yoga Day
© Erik McGregor / Picture Alliance
There are numerous events every year for World Yoga Day – at least in times before Corona. They range from taster courses to midnight yoga and breathing workshops. The offers are just as numerous as the styles that have developed over the years from Indian teaching. For the subcontinent, the day of action is an opportunity to raise public awareness annually as the country of origin of yoga. This applies both to other countries and to India itself. For the government, the doctrine anchored in Hinduism is also a political instrument.
Yoga conducive to the health of the world population
In late 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a World Yoga Day to the United Nations. 175 countries support his initiative. The head of state described the spiritual teaching as a “priceless gift”. “This is a program for human well-being, for a tension-free world and for spreading the message of goodwill,” he said Austrian radio then the politician. The World Yoga Day should herald a “new era of peace”. In the UN resolution it is said that yoga contributes to the long-term development goal of global health. Because one has recognized “that yoga offers a holistic approach to health and well-being”. Therefore, spreading information about the benefits of yoga is conducive to the health of the world’s population.
On the first World Yoga Day in 2015, Indian embassies in over 190 countries organized events. Prime Minister Modi himself practiced in Delhi with 36,000 other yoga enthusiasts. Three years later, the northern Indian city of Kota presented the world record for the yoga classes with the most participants. More than 100,000 people came together to practice together. Modi presents himself as an avid yoga fan. Calls the practice a “priceless gift”. Referring to the first World Yoga Day, he said: “It embodies the unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfillment, harmony between man and nature, a holistic approach to health and well-being.” Officially, the events on June 21st focus on the health aspect of yoga.
It is now scientifically proven that yoga actually has a positive effect on body and mind. Doctors and psychotherapists have been investigating the healing effects of regular practice for decades. Again and again they found that the combination of movement, meditation and breathing techniques improves both their physical well-being and their mental state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi practiced with thousands of others on World Yoga Day. people of Delhi
© Harish Tyagi / Picture Alliance
Yoga as an Indian “export hit”
Nevertheless, behind the World Yoga Day there is above all a political move, like the “The New Zurich Times” and the “DeutschlandfunkModi’s Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata (BPJ) has been campaigning for the national and international popularization of yoga since Modi took office in 2014. According to “Deutschlandfunk”, the intention behind this is to strengthen Hinduism.
As a tradition rooted in religion, yoga has therefore gained even more importance under Modi’s leadership. The right-wing conservative BJP is trying to fundamentally change Indian society, according to the journal “From politics and contemporary history“. Political scientist Pierre Gottschlich writes: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying less political-institutional than socio-cultural to form India into a Hindu state.”
Among other things, the head of state seems to be using the spread of yoga for this purpose. According to the “Neuer Zürcher Zeitung”, Modi wants to use World Yoga Day to strengthen his country’s “soft power”. What is meant by this is the exercise of power by a state over its cultural attractiveness. Yoga as an “export hit” like it Nancy Krueger, author of Practical Yoga Philosophy, falls into this category. A cultural asset that draws international attention to India and casts a positive light on the state. In addition, there is the economic factor on which a large part of the BJP’s party program is based. According to Gottschlich, in order to achieve the “Hindu state,” the conservative politicians are less interested in promoting a religious identity than in gaining popularity through economic reforms. According to the political scientist, this would have helped the party to win the 2014 election.
In the same year, Narendra Modi founded his own ministry for traditional Indian medicine, called “AYUSH” for short. Since then, a minister has been specifically concerned with promoting ancient practices such as yoga and Ayurveda. Two years later, the UNESCO Yoga as an intangible world cultural heritage. The responsible commission once again emphasized the health aspect. “Based on the union of body, mind and spirit, yoga aims for mental, spiritual and physical well-being,” the statement said. Mention is also made of the high status that yoga has in Indian society, “for example in the areas of health, medicine, education and art.”
Criticism from Muslim groups
These developments have raised concerns on the part of religious minorities. As the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation reported in 2015, Muslim groups, who have repeatedly been victims of human rights violations in India, criticized World Yoga Day as Hindu propaganda. Political scientist Gottschlich points out that the BJP is pursuing a “politics of fear” and in particular is deliberately fueling the fear of an “Islamization” of society. Mahadev Sadashivrao Golwalkar, longtime leader of RSS, a cadre Hindu nationalist organization, stressed that non-Hindus need to assimilate to Hindu culture. “If not, they can only stay in our country if they completely submit to the Hindu nation,” says his writing on the Indian nation.
Although many Muslims also practice yoga, they reject the religious, Hindu part
© Photoshot / Picture Alliance
But while the origins of World Yoga Day are politically motivated and the story behind the day of action points to worrying developments in the Indian state, the UN’s stated purpose of the day of action should not be lost sight of: health and well-being. According to a UN resolution, June 21 should help people “make health-promoting decisions and lead healthy lifestyles” with the help of traditional yoga teachings.
In addition to movement and relaxation, the original goal of the Indian practice is enlightenment, which one should achieve through processes of awareness and self-reflection – in other words: Yoga should help to lead a more mindful life. Even Prime Minister Modi emphasizes this: “It’s not about movement, it’s about discovering the feeling of unity with yourself, the world and nature.” Yoga can help to change one’s lifestyle and create awareness. An awareness that should not exclude negative aspects of yoga.
Sources: AFP, “From politics and contemporary history“, “Deutschlandfunk“, German press agency, German UNESCO Commission“The world“, “Foundation Teacher Training. An Introduction to Yoga”, “Guinness World Records“, “The New Zurich Times“, Austrian radio“spectrum“, “extra“, United Nations“Yoga Me Home” (I), “Yoga Me Home” (II)