Showers fail to dampen enthusiasm of yoga participants

Early morning rains failed to dampen the mood of thousands of yoga enthusiasts, who assembled at the sprawling Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here today to perform asanas along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the face of continuous downpour, people took cover under yoga mats.

In a lighter vein, Modi said yoga enthusiasts here were not only spreading a message that yoga is important in life, but they were also demonstrating as to how yoga mats could be used to protect them from rain.

"People of Lucknow have turned up despite rains...your effort is praiseworthy," he said referring to people taking cover under yoga mats to save themselves from the downpour.

After addressing the participants, Modi came down from the dais and performed yoga with children.

Sporting a white T-shirt along with an Assamese gamocha (towel), Modi performed various asanas along with the children who followed the postures on orange, green, red and blue mats.

The prime minister performed yoga for almost 45 minutes before leaving for Delhi.

The programme commenced with chanting of Om three times. It was followed by a prayer before the asanas started.

A security cordon was thrown around the programme venue, and intensive checking of the vehicles done.

LCD screens were also installed at various places at the venue so that participants could follow the instruction of the yoga trainers properly.

When the programme concluded, Modi did not disappoint the crowd, who were eagerly waiting to have his glimpse or shake hands with him.