INDIA HONEST : International Yoga Day at Delhi Rajpath Made the Guinness Book of World Records .

India set two world records on Sunday with the Yoga mass session at Rajpath in new Delhi -- one for largest number of participants and another for the most number of nationalities at a single event.

The Rajpath event made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest yoga demonstration at a single venue with 35,985 people participating. It also set a new record for the largest number of people of various nationalities--84, performing yoga at one place.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an avid yoga practitioner for many years, led the event early in the morning by joining the huge gathering in performing asanas. The entire two-km stretch from Rafi Marg crossing near Vijay Chowk to India Gate was lined with blue and red mats over green carpets with people of all ages performing various yoga exercises.

The gathering at the UN included Ban Ki-moon, secretary general of the United Nations, Sam Kutesa, president of the General Assembly, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

In his message on the occasion, UN chief Ban said, "By proclaiming 21 June as the International Day of Yoga, the General Assembly has recognised the holistic benefits of this timeless practice and its inherent compatibility with the principles and values of the United Nations".

"Yoga offers a simple, accessible and inclusive means to promote physical and spiritual health and well-being. It promotes respect for one's fellow human beings and for the planet we share," the UN chief said.

The announcement was made at the United Nations headquarters at New York, where external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj participated at the first International Yoga Day celebrations at the UN. Thanking the 192 member states who passed the resolution declaring June 21 as Yoga Day, she said " the world can unite with yoga."

"At a time when ethnic conflicts and extremist violence are threatening to destabilise societies, yoga can serve as the perfect antidote to stem such negative tendencies and move us on the path of harmony and peace," she said.

"I am confident that Yoga can also become a potent tool for the United Nations to promote the message of brotherhood and amity in the finest Indian tradition of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'," she added.

United Nations has passed a resolution declaring June 21 every year as the International Yoga Day (World Yoga Day). India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the International Community to adopt 21 June as the International Yoga Day.

Every year in Northern hemisphere, the Summer Solstice falls on June 21. It is the day when Day is longest and the night is shortest. It is the day when Earth is at its closest distance from the Sun on its orbit.

From the perspective of yoga, the Summer Solstice marks the transition of Sun from Uttarayana to Dakshinayana, according to ancient Vedic Calendar. According to Vedic Books, it was the day when Lord Shiva, first taught Yoga to his disciples. The knowledge of Yoga first descended from Shiva on this day. We can say, June 21 as the Birthday of Yoga. This is the reason why several Yogic Preachers had advocated celebrating June 21 as the International Yoga Day