Enthusiasts from the country and China perform wellness art on the Great Wall

India’s soft power, already riding high on the mega-success of Aamir Khan’s blockbuster — Dangal — in China, got another boost on Tuesday, with enthusiasts from both countries, climbing a section of the Great Wall, to perform yoga.

In the early hours on Tuesday, around 200 yoga practitioners from India and China carried out simple exercises, inspired by India’s ancient wellness art.

Twenty young Ambassadors from the Morarji Desai Institute in India, put on a more professional show, striking advanced yoga poses, in the presence of visiting Minister of State for External Affairs, V.K. Singh.

Maiden event

The maiden joint yoga event on the Great Wall, took place on the eve of the International Day of Yoga.

The Embassy of India in Beijing, along with the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Yogi Yoga co-hosted the event.

Mr. Singh, who was in China to participate in the first BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) foreign minister’s conclave quoted Prime Minster Narendra Modi as saying that yoga was the Indian civilisation’s gift to the world, which benefited both body and mind.

Amit Narang, India’s Charge d’ Affaires at the embassy and Lin Yi, CPAFFC’s vice-president hailed the event as a marker for advancing Indo-China cultural ties.

Close to a thousand people are expected to practice yoga on Wednesday to observe the International Yoga Day in the Beijing’s Central Business District.