yoga venue rajpath yoga day international ayush modi un
yoga venue rajpath yoga day international ayush modi unPIB India

The main event for International Yoga Day will be held in Chandigarh this year on June 21. The maiden edition of the event was held in New Delhi last year led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The National Event of Mass Yoga Demonstration would be held at Chandigarh," the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

The first year's event was attended by 35, 985 participants and the government hopes to see a similar response this year as well.

Besides the main event at Chandigarh, there will be similar events across the country and at overseas locations also. The AYUSH ministry said that in addition to yoga, seminars, workshops, musical and cultural programmes based on yoga involving students from schools, colleges, universities and youth organizations will also be held.

The National Event of Mass Yoga Demonstration would be held at Chandigarh. However, similar events will also be held all across the nation and the globe.

The government has decided to play safe this year by making it clear that surya namaskar won't be compulsory as part of the International Yoga Day celebrations. 

The All India Muslim Personal Board (AIMPLB) launched a nationwide campaign last year demanding that government directive of making surya namaskar compulsory in schools should be abolished.

Similarly, participants also won't be made to compulsorily chant Om.