Stretching and arching his back, India’s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi knelt on a mat in India-held Kashmir on Friday, leading hundreds in a yoga session.
The exercises in Srinagar marked the 10th International Yoga Day, an initiative spearheaded by Modi himself.
Yoga, while not inherently religious, traces its roots to Hindu philosophy, with the god Shiva considered the first yogi.
Despite this, many Kashmiris remain indifferent to the practice. The event in Srinagar gathered thousands of participants, including government employees, schoolteachers, and students from across the region, although rain forced Modi’s session indoors.
After the event, Modi addressed a gathering, which included numerous police and armed forces personnel at Dal Lake, encouraging them to incorporate yoga into their daily routines. He emphasized yoga’s benefits for strength, health, and wellness.
However, not all residents of Srinagar welcomed the event. One resident criticized it as a cultural imposition, expressing concern that yoga was being used to influence future generations and control minds.
Modi’s visit to Kashmir follows recent attacks, including a tragic incident where a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims met with a fatal accident, purportedly due to an attack.
Since its inception a decade ago, June 21 has been observed as International Yoga Day, with Modi leading events at significant locations throughout India and even at the UN headquarters in New York last year.
