Lucknow: Muslim community gears up to mark International Yoga Day with PM Modi

Lucknow [India],June 2, (ANI): The Muslim community here in Lucknow is all set to celebrate International Yoga day with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 21. On the occasion of International Yoga Day, Prime Minister Modi himself will be doing yoga along with the people of Lucknow, and there is a lot of enthusiasm among the people for the same. Keeping aside caste and religious differences, the locals are all prepped up to perform yoga. The preparation for the same is also going on with great zeal. Not only Muslim men but women are also taking part actively in the preparation and arrangements for the yoga day. "We are very happy that Prime Minister Modi chose our city for the yoga day. We all are eagerly waiting for this day and this is why we all are learning yoga," said a Muslim man. Giving a message to the ones who associate yoga with religion, they said that "yoga itself means to connect." "Those who ask Muslims to not perform yoga, they say this to divide the society. Yoga has nothing to do with religion. Yoga is itself a religion and on top of that it is important for our health. The Muslims have been practicing yoga for 1450 years. While doing Namaj also we sit in a position which is same as yoga," said another Muslim man. Urging the nation to make Yoga an essential part of their lives to remain stress free, Prime Minister Modi in his radio address 'Mann ki Baat' said that Yoga is the only thing that is uniting the world. "June 21 has become one of the known dates across the world. The entire worlds celebrate International Yoga day. In very short span of time the message of yoga has spread in every corner of the world. Yoga is integrating the world today. Through Yoga, India as a whole has successfully started connecting the world," the Prime Minister said in his 32nd ' Mann Ki Baat' address. The world will celebrate the third International Yoga Day on June 21. It is celebrated annually since its inception in 2015. An International day for Yoga was declared unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 11 December 2014 (ANI)