English rendering of PM’s address in the 123rd Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on sunday

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Welcome to‘MannKiBaat’... Greetings to all of you. At this moment, you all must be full of the energy of yoga and memories of ‘International Yoga Day’. This time as well, on the 21st of June, crores of people across the country and the world participated in the ‘International Yoga Day’. Do you remember, it began 10 years ago. Now, over these 10 years, this event is turning grand with every passing year. This is also an indication that more and more people are adopting yoga in their daily lives. We have seen somany attractive pictures of ‘Yoga Day’ this time. Three lakh people performed yoga together on the beach of Visakhapatnam. Another amazing visual emerged from Visakhapatnam itself... more than two thousand adivasi students performed 108 Surya Namaskars for 108 minutes. Imagine how much discipline, how much dedication there must have been! A grand glimpse of yoga was also witnessed on our naval ships. In Telangana, three thousand divyang friends participated in a yoga camp together.

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They showed how yogais also a medium of empowerment. People of Delhi connected yoga with the resolve of a clean Yamuna and performed yoga on the banks of the Yamuna. In Jammu and Kashmir, people also did yoga on the Chenab Bridge, which is the world's highest railway bridge. The snowy peaks of the Himalayas and ITBP soldiers... yoga was seen there too; courage and sadhana were hand in hand. The people of Gujarat also created history anew. In Vadnagar, 2121 (twenty one hundred & twenty one) people did Bhujangasana together and created a new record. Pictures of yoga came in from New York, London, Tokyo, Paris; every big city ofthe world... andone thing was special in every picture - peace, stability and balance.

This time the theme was also very special, 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health’. This is not just a slogan; it is a direction which makes us realize the essence of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. lam sure, the grandeur of this year's Yoga Day will certainly inspire more and more people to adopt yoga.

My dear countrymen,

When someone embarks on a pilgrimage, the first feeling that comes to mind is, “Chalo Bulawa Aaya Hai” i.e. Let's proceed amid the Divine Call... This very feeling is the soul of our religious pilgrimages. These pilgrimages are a means of disciplining the body, purifying the mind; mutual love and brotherhood, and connecting with God. Apart from these, there is another great aspect of these pilgrimages. These religious pilgrimages are also a great ritual of opportunities for the spirit of service. When any pilgrimage takes place, more people engage inserving the pilgrims than the number of people who undertake the pilgrimage. Bhandaaras and langars i.e. Free Food Distribution, are set up at various places. People set up drinking water stalls on the roadsides. Medical camps and facilities are arranged witha spirit ofservice. Alotmany people arrange for dharamshalas and accommodation for the pilgrims at their own expense.