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| India yoga: Thousands gather for Modi-inspired event | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| People are gathering in Delhi to participate in a mass yoga programme in the Indian capital, Delhi, on the first ever International Yoga Day. | |
| Security is tight in the city with thousands of police and paramilitary deployed for Sunday morning's event. | Security is tight in the city with thousands of police and paramilitary deployed for Sunday morning's event. |
| Thousands of colourful mats have been laid out on Rajpath - King's Avenue - where the main event will be held. | Thousands of colourful mats have been laid out on Rajpath - King's Avenue - where the main event will be held. |
| Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be at the celebrations, but officials say, he will not be doing any yoga there. | Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be at the celebrations, but officials say, he will not be doing any yoga there. |
| Mr Modi, a yoga enthusiast who says he practices the ancient Indian art daily, lobbied the United Nations to declare 21 June International Yoga Day. | Mr Modi, a yoga enthusiast who says he practices the ancient Indian art daily, lobbied the United Nations to declare 21 June International Yoga Day. |
| On glacier and at sea | On glacier and at sea |
| Authorities say more than 35,000 bureaucrats, soldiers and students will perform yoga just after dawn for 35 minutes on Rajpath, aimed at setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest yoga class at a single venue. | Authorities say more than 35,000 bureaucrats, soldiers and students will perform yoga just after dawn for 35 minutes on Rajpath, aimed at setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest yoga class at a single venue. |
| Millions of others are expected to do yoga at similar events planned in hundreds of Indian cities and towns. | Millions of others are expected to do yoga at similar events planned in hundreds of Indian cities and towns. |
| Yoga will also be performed on Siachen glacier and the high seas, the defence ministry has said. | Yoga will also be performed on Siachen glacier and the high seas, the defence ministry has said. |
| The day will also be celebrated around the world and Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj says "tens of millions" will do yoga on Sunday. | The day will also be celebrated around the world and Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj says "tens of millions" will do yoga on Sunday. |
| Ms Swaraj herself will be in New York where she will attend the celebrations with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In Times Square, 30,000 people are expected to do yoga. | Ms Swaraj herself will be in New York where she will attend the celebrations with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In Times Square, 30,000 people are expected to do yoga. |
| But the day, being billed as one to promote "harmony and peace", has hit a controversial note with some Muslim organisations saying yoga is essentially a Hindu religious practice and is against Islam. | But the day, being billed as one to promote "harmony and peace", has hit a controversial note with some Muslim organisations saying yoga is essentially a Hindu religious practice and is against Islam. |
| Many others say Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist government has an agenda in promoting the ancient Indian discipline. However, the authorities deny the charge - they say participation in the yoga day is not mandatory and reports that Muslims are opposed to yoga are exaggerated. | Many others say Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist government has an agenda in promoting the ancient Indian discipline. However, the authorities deny the charge - they say participation in the yoga day is not mandatory and reports that Muslims are opposed to yoga are exaggerated. |
| International Yoga Day in numbers: | International Yoga Day in numbers: |