Yoga session at America's tallest building World Trade Centre kickstarts 75-day countdown to Yoga Day

New York: Yoga mats were rolled out in the iconic New York city landmark World Trade Centre as a special event at the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere kickstarted the 75-day countdown to the 11th International Day of Yoga.

The Consulate General of India in New York hosted a special "75 days to go" yoga session, a countdown to the 11th International Day of Yoga, that will be commemorated globally on June 21.

Overlooking expansive aerial views of Manhattan and New Jersey, the special yoga session was held early morning on a rainy Monday on the 102nd floor of the One World Observatory at the 1,776 feet tall One World Trade Center, built near the site of the Twin Towers that were destroyed in the 9/11 terror attacks.

Consul General of India in New York Binaya Pradhan told the participants that the over the hour-long session celebrates the 75-day countdown to the International Day of Yoga.

The special yoga session at the One World Observatory was led by eminent yoga and meditation instructor Ruchika Lal of the Art of Living Foundation and attended by Deputy Consul General of India in New York Vishal Harsh, members of the Indian diaspora, students, yoga enthusiasts and practitioners.

Pradhan "kickstarted the countdown with a soulful Yoga session on the 102nd Floor" of One World Trade Centre - "the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and a symbol of resilience and hope", the Consulate said in a post on X.

"The session included meditation, Yogasanas, breathwork & self-awareness techniques — a powerful way to begin the day with peace and positivity. The session brought together members of the Indian Diaspora and friends of India in a shared celebration of health, harmony & holistic living," the post added.

Lal told PTI that a "venue that had the most gruesome act of terrorism is now bringing people together in yoga".

Describing the session as "amazing", she said a yoga session "from the top of the world" is the best way to be counting down to the International Day od Yoga.

Before commencing the yoga session, Lal told the participants that the One World Trade Centre location has a violent history, making a reference to the 9/11 attacks, but added that "yoga is all about bringing people together, bringing minds together. That we are all coming here together in peace is quite incredible."

In the run up to the Yoga Day commemoration in June, several events will be held across the US -- from the Times Square and the UN headquarters to other iconic destinations -- culminating in grand Yoga Day celebrations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had led a historic Yoga Day commemoration at the North Lawn in the UN headquarters in 2023, nine years after first proposing from the UN General Assembly podium to mark International Yoga Day on June 21 as an annual commemoration.