Today, International Yoga Day is being celebrated.

Kathmandu, 21 June:  International Yoga Day is being celebrated in Nepal today with various programs. International Yoga Day is observed every year on June 21 with various awareness-raising programs. According to the decision made by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, International Yoga Day has been celebrated since June 21, 2015. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi had proposed during the 69th UN General Assembly to declare an International Yoga Day, stating that yoga is essential for everyone, forever.

After Nepal’s then Prime Minister Sushil Koirala was the first to support the proposal, the European Union and permanent member states of the United Nations also endorsed it. Yoga Day set a record by gaining support from 177 countries within 90 days—the fastest for any UN-declared observance. Since 2016, International Yoga Day has been celebrated worldwide on June 21.

In Nepal, Yoga Day began to be observed on Magh 1, 2036 BS (mid-January), coinciding with the start of the sun’s northward journey (Uttarayan). The Nepal Sanskrit University has been offering a six-month course on yoga and naturopathy. Although yoga, which was developed by sages in the Himalayan foothills during the Vedic period through study and research, had nearly disappeared in Nepal, efforts have now begun to revive it in this very region by declaring the day and raising public awareness.

The World Yoga Day, which was initially observed on Magh 1 (mid-January), later shifted to June 21 in line with the international celebration. However, Nepali yoga activists proposed declaring Magh 1 as National Yoga Day through the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction. The Government of Nepal, on Shrawan 28, 2072 BS (mid-August 2015), officially declared Magh 1 as National Yoga Day, based on a proposal by then Peace Minister Narahari Acharya.

(Note: Magh 1 corresponds to mid-January in the Gregorian calendar and marks the beginning of Uttarayan—the sun’s northward journey—which holds spiritual significance in Hindu tradition.)

Since Uttarayan (the sun’s northward journey) is considered highly auspicious for yoga and meditation, the Government of Nepal declared Magh 1 (Makar Sankranti, the first day of Uttarayan) as National Yoga Day. Currently, Nepal observes two Yoga Days:

• Magh 1 (mid-January) as National Yoga Day

• June 21 as International Yoga Day

This dual celebration honors both Nepal’s traditional spiritual significance of Uttarayan and its commitment to the global observance of yoga.