What is behind UNGA declaring Solstice Day coinciding with International Yoga Day?

There is a great need for Yoga enthusiasts from throughout the world to unite and oppose such divisive forces who are hell-bent to dilute and derail one of the most popular celebrations of the United Nations. Besides, practising the Yoga there is also a great need to keep an eye on geopolitics. 


Siddheshwar ShuklaSiddheshwar Shukla | Updated: 23-06-2019 07:28 IST | Created: 23-06-2019 07:28 IST
What is behind UNGA declaring Solstice Day coinciding with International Yoga Day?
Image Credit: Flickr

On the eve of the 5th International Day of Yoga the United Nations General Assembly, acting without a vote, adopted a resolution to observe one more international day on June 21 - The 'International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice. 

“The General Assembly, acting without a vote, adopted three resolutions today, including one through which it will recognize June 21 as the International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice,” said UNGA in a press statement on June 20. The text for Solstice Day (L.92) was introduced by the delegates of Bolivia S. S. L. Soliz as the main sponsor which was immediately adopted. After its adoption, delegates of four countries - Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, and the United States supported the event. Introducing the text for Solstice Day, Soliz made a high pitch note on indigenous and universal importance of the day. “It reaffirms the right of indigenous peoples to practice and revitalise their cultural traditions and customs. It also regards the celebration of the solstice as an expression of the unity of cultural heritage and traditions which contribute to stronger ties between people as well as peace and good neighbourliness,” said the UN communique. He went on to underscore the importance of living in harmony with nature which is inherent in all civilisations, it added. The representative of the United States of America (USA) supported the event but with caution. "USA delegation joins the consensus on Solstice Day on the understanding that the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity adopted by UNESCO and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are not legally binding on the Member States," said the USA delegate highlighting that the 'activities arising from the resolution should be met through voluntary contributions'.  He also reiterated the USA's concern about the proliferation of International Years.

Geopolitics out of Jealousy

Contrary to this quick and without vote adoption for the Solstice Day, the International Day of Yoga was proposed by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first speech in the UNGA on September 27, 2014. The draft resolution was co-sponsored by an all-time record of 177 member countries of the United Nations. As Yoga was already in practice in almost all the countries of the world the first International Day of Yoga was celebrated in 192 of the 193 member countries of the UN in 2015, without any significant involvement of the international and geopolitical lobbyists. The success and popularity of the Yoga particularly voluntarism and enthusiasm among participants from throughout the globe seem to have caused huge jealousy among some geopolitical lobbyists at the UNGA.  

Furthermore, there are striking similarities between the proposal submitted for observation of the ‘International Day of Yoga’ and that presented by the Bolivian delegate on June 20, 2019, for the ‘International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice’.  In his speech, Narendra Modi said, “The date, June 21, is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere (shortest in the southern hemisphere), having special significance in many parts of the world. From the perspective of yoga, the summer solstice marks the transition to Dakshinayana. The second full moon after summer solstice is known as Guru Poornima. Shiva, the first yogi (Adi Yogi), is said to have begun imparting the knowledge of yoga to the rest of mankind on this day and became the first guru (Adi Guru). Dakshinayana is also considered a time when there is natural support for those pursuing spiritual practices”. Here the significance of the Solstice has also been highlighted. 

Two solstices are observed in Europe and American countries – Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice – none of them have a fixed date. The 'International Solstice Day' adopted by the UNO corresponds to the Summer Solstice in most of the European countries. This year this day has fallen on June 21 but in 2016, it was on June 20. This is the same phenomenon to which Modi has mentioned the Sanskrit term Dakshinayana and is also known as ‘Karka Samkranti’ in Sanskrit medium texts of Space Science or Jyotish. Europe and American countries also celebrate ‘Winter Solstice’ which corresponds to ‘Makar Sankranti’ and is celebrated in almost all the South Asian countries by different names since time immemorial. The delegates have however presented ‘Solstice Day’ as a unique day of their countries without any mention to any Asian country.

There is no UN celebration corresponding to the Winter Solstice. Furthermore, there is no International Day either on December 21 or January 21. The Makar Sankranti which corresponds to the Winter Solstice of the West generally falls on January 14. This date is also vacant in the UN calendar of international celebrations.  

Why the second celebration of the same theme on the same date - June 21?

There are some other surprising similarities that indicate the role of jealous lobbyists. “The Itni Raymi is a sacred time that celebrates the grain harvest as winter in the Southern Hemisphere draws closure,” said the representative of Ecuador. He also emphasised on the importance of indigenous traditions that recognise the fertility of the land, cultural heritage and strengthened ties between peoples. How the theme of this festival is different from Lohri in Punjab and other festivals around Makar Sankranti in South Asian countries?

As Chile will experience a total eclipse of the sun in a few days, the delegate of Chile urged UNESCO to participate in solstice events. “Doing so can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, mitigate the effects of climate change and advance a culture of peace,” said the representative of Guatemala. This statement of Guatemala has surprising similarity to the statement of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks on the eve of the International Day of Yoga in ‘Yoga with Guru’ celebrations at the United Nations on June 20. The UNO has adopted ‘Climate Action’ as the theme for International Day of Yoga in 2019. There has been enough talk on how Yoga could help in achieving SDGs in various forums of the UN.

In a very short span of four years, the International Day of Yoga has surpassed all the parameters of popularity in terms of breaking territorial, nationalistic, regional, religious, linguistic and continental boundaries. Above all the voluntarism of the Yoga enthusiasts from throughout the world has increased the popularly of Yoga on the entire planet. This increasing popularity of the Yoga is enough to cause eyesore among Eurocentric intellectuals. Besides, Yoga has been creating demands for Yoga instructors and a whole industry around it. This demand is also propelling the educational institutions to start more and more certificate, degree and doctorate programms. Obviously, India is one of the major beneficiaries and this would have caused another eyesore for geo-political lobbyists operating at the United Nations.

In fact, this is neither the first nor the last attempt by lobbyists to derail the International Day of Yoga. The so-called intellectuals, apparently suffering from Eurocentric disorders, are engaged in discrediting the Yoga for years. A USA based online Yoga education portal has published an article proclaiming ‘Yoga is not a standalone treatment for psychological disorder’. Who claimed this as a standalone treatment? Yoga is inseparable from Ayurveda or Medical Sciences. An extremist Catholic Christian has called the Yoga as incompatible with Christianity while another Christian priest of Kerala drafted a doctoral thesis to preach against the Yoga among his followers. Besides, several Muslim extremists have been presenting dissenting views against the Yoga.

However, this is probably for the first time geopolitical lobbying is being done right inside the UNGA for apparently diluting the International Day of Yoga on June 21. There is a great need for Yoga enthusiasts from throughout the world to unite and oppose such divisive forces who are hell-bent to dilute and derail one of the most popular celebrations of the United Nations. Besides practising the Yoga there is also a great need to keep an eye on geopolitics! 

Note: The opinions expressed are personal views of the author.

  • FIRST PUBLISHED IN:
  • Devdiscourse News Desk
Give Feedback