Every year, on June 21, Goa joins many other countries in celebrating International Yoga Day. In the name of healthy living, politicians, bureaucrats, celebrities and people across the spectrum take to their yoga mats, performing postures that often seem more about optics than authentic practice. This exercise, while seemingly promoting wellness, raises a fundamental question: Can a single day of awareness genuinely bring about a change, or has Yoga Day become a tool for political and institutional propaganda?
History shows that yoga, originating in ancient India, is much more than physical exercise. It is a holistic spiritual discipline that harmonises the mind, body, and soul. The word “yoga,” derived from Sanskrit, signifies “union”— integrating individual consciousness with universal consciousness. Postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation aim to promote mental clarity, physical health, and spiritual awakening. The question again is, whether a fleeting ceremonial gesture can bring about a monumental lifestyle change and if it serves the intended purpose. Or, are we merely following the trend of celebrating designated days?
The reality is that a day’s celebration, no matter how grand, is insufficient to instil the discipline or lifestyle shifts necessary for true wellness. A lifestyle change requires continuous effort, education, and cultural acceptance. When governments and institutions treat Yoga Day as a mandatory checkbox, with participation enforced through policies and directives, it risks reducing yoga to a performative act, stripping it of its depth and essence. Besides, it raises questions about genuine engagement.
Interestingly, the State government has declared participation in Yoga Day “compulsory” for all government employees. Schools are mandated to organise yoga events and broadcast Prime Minister’s addresses, turning the day into a spectacle of state-led enthusiasm. Promoting health is laudable, but the compulsion negates the efforts. Consensual participation through awareness would help, because there has to be a willing follow-up. It would be an exercise in futility if government employees go through the drills on Saturday and forget about them for the rest of the year when nobody bothers to ask or question them.
There is a palpable opinion that Yoga Day has been transformed into a propaganda tool. The focus on large-scale events, televised addresses, and involuntary participation suggests that it is more about projecting a unified image over fostering well-being. This approach risks commodifying a profound spiritual discipline into a superficial spectacle, detached from its original intent. When the emphasis shifts from personal growth to institutional image, the authentic spirit of yoga is compromised.
If the intent is on wellness, yoga must be integrated into everyday life not confined to a single-day ritual. Governments and organisations should focus on long-term strategies to balance a culture that values mental and physical well-being. Other pressing health issues like malnutrition and sanitation must get comparable attention. On the current scale, Yoga Day risks becoming merely a symbol of political showmanship rather than a genuine effort for health and spiritual upliftment.
Awareness days like Yoga Day help draw attention to health and well-being, but such a one-day commemoration cannot bring about a reform. What is needed is a sustained effort and a genuine embrace of yoga’s deeper purpose without fanfare, optics and propaganda.
