RSS : Several programs are being held throughout the country to observe the Fourth National Yoga Day today.

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) has determined ‘Yoga for Peace and Prosperity’ as the slogan for this year’s celebration.

A Main Organizing Committee was organized in coordination of Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel and comprising representative members from more than 100 organizations related to Yoga.

The Main Organizing Committee will arrange the celebration of the Day that was first proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. The United Nations later proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga and the International Yoga Day was being observed on June 21 since then.

However, the Yoga campaigners in Nepal had proposed the Council of Ministers through then Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction to declare January 15 as the National Yoga Day.

The Council of Ministers on August 13, 2015 had officially decided to observe Magh 1 every year in the Nepali Calendar as the National Yoga Day and handed the responsibility of its coordination to the Ministry of Education.

In a week-long celebration, a rally will be organized at Shanti Batika in Kathmandu in the morning where the employees at the MoEST will participate. Discourses and discussion on Yoga would be organized to observe the Day.

On the concluding day on January 21, a workshop would be organized where working papers would be presented.

The MoEST has already corresponded with all the 753 local levels and the 77 District Coordination Committee through the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to celebrate the Day with special programs.

The Yoga Day has been observed in the country to raise awareness on the aesthetic discipline as yog and to encourage people to practice it regularly in their daily lives.

Nepal Sanskrit University’s Chief of Yoga Department Dr Hari Prasad Pokharel asserted that the Nepal could be developed as the spot for yoga.

He further said that Yoga which was developed in between the Himawatkhanda and Manaskhanda of Nepal and thousands of foreigners were coming Nepal to learn yoga. According to him, around 50 yoga centers in Kathmandu have been imparting lessons on yoga to foreigners.

Nepal Maharshi Vedic Foundation has launched Yoga and meditation in more than one dozen of community schools and 75 Gurukuls across the country.

Foundation’s Chair Deep Prakash Banskota told National News Agency (RSS) that plans were afoot to extend the program to other Gurukuls and schools in the country.

Similarly, the Patanjali Yog Peeth has deputed around 40,000 yog teachers in Nepal and has been offering classes on yoga through all 77 yoga centers run in all districts in the country.

Likewise, Brahmakumari Rajyog Service Center has launched Rajyog and medication campaign in 72 districts of the country.

Baskota said that Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) was also preparing to develop Pashupati area as a conducive place for yoga and meditation.

Mahatma Sushil has started imparting Pashupat Yoga at the Pancha Debal in front of the northern main gate of the Pashupatinath Temple every morning.

The training on yoga which has been conducted in aid of the Trust would be expanded across the country, according to the PADT.