CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said yoga was the passport for health assurance and since it fights stress it was one of the strongest weapon to have peace.
Speaking after unveiling the 112-foot tall face Adiyogi at the Isha Foundation in Coimbatore, he said today yoga has come a long way. ”The beauty of yoga was it is ancient, yet modern. It is constant, but yet evolving. The essence of yoga has not changed,” he added.
Pointing out that the changing lifestyles of the 21 st century have brought their own set of challenges, Mr Modi said lifestyle related ailments, stress related diseases were becoming more and more common.
”The communicable ailments can be controlled but what about the non-communicable ones”, he asked. ”It gives me immense sadness, one that I cannot describe in words, when I read about people taking to substance abuse and alcohol because they are not at peace with themselves”, he said.
Stating that today, the whole world wants peace, not just peace from wars and conflict but peace of the mind, the Prime Minister said the burden of stress takes a heavy toll and one of the sharpest weapons to overcome stress is Yoga.
”There is ample evidence that practising yoga helps combat stress and chronic conditions. If the body is a temple of the mind, yoga creates a beautiful temple”, he said. ”That is why I call Yoga a passport to health assurance. More than being a cure to ailments, it is a means to wellness”, he said. (AGENCIES)