By Elvin Carl Croker
THE second curtain-raiser in observance of the 8th International Day of Yoga (IDY2022) was held on Wednesday in the auditorium of the Guyana Defence Force, Base Camp Ayanganna, Georgetown.
The one-hour session, organised by the High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, comprised a number of physical body stretches and movements.
High Commissioner, Dr. KJ Srinivasa, on his arrival, was met by Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, who thanked him for the initiative.

Uniformly attired in white T-shirts with yoga emblems, all 80 army personnel of varying ranks took up positions on matts of varying colours to perform what many of them say was their first attempt at the ancient Indian art of balancing the mind and body.
Ably led by yoga teacher, Agnela V Patil, the soldiers were taken through a number of positions designed to relax the mind and achieve both mental and physical health.
The first-curtain raiser was held Saturday last at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary.
The main yoga event is slated for June 19 at the Everest Cricket Ground, Georgetown. And a special yoga event will be held at the Indian Arrival Monument in Palmyra, Berbice on June 21, starting at 08:30 hrs.

This event is scheduled to be telecast live across the world as part of an initiative of the Government of India to ensure live broadcast of 24 hours of Yoga on IDY 2022 from iconic locations from across the globe.
The Indian High Commission is inviting the general public to join the celebrations which will also be broadcast live on the Facebook pages of the High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, as well as on prominent TV channels.

Yoga was founded in India more than 5, 000 years ago. It is seen as a universally acclaimed tool to tackle physical and health challenges.
In December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution sponsored by 177 member nations for June 21, the longest day in the northern-hemisphere, to be declared International Day of Yoga.
Since then, June 21 is being celebrated as International Day of Yoga every year.