Modi unveils 112 ft Shiva statue, hails Yoga as health assurance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said yoga was the passport for health assurance and since it fights
stress it was one of the strongest weapon to have peace.

He called for efforts to protect nature and mould human activities to bring them in sync with ecological surroundings. He also termed unity in diversity as the speciality and strength of the Indian culture.

"This (Maha Shivaratri celebrations) symbolises a spirit of vigilance, that we have to protect nature and mould our activities in sync with our ecological surroundings," he said addressing a gathering after unveiling a mammoth 112 feet bust of 'Adiyogi" Lord Shiva at Isha Yoga Foundation in Coimbatore.

The beauty of yoga ws it is ancient, yet modern. It is constant but yet evolving. The essence of yoga has not changed, he added.

Pointing out that the changing lifestyles of the 21st century have brought their own set of challenges, Modi said lifestyle related ailments, stress related diseases were becoming more and more common.

"The communicable ailments can be controlled but what about
the non-communicable ones", he asked.

"This is Yoga, Yoga is a journey from me to we," he said, emphasising India's biggest strength was its diversity. Modi began his speech by greeting people in Tamil "Ungal Ellorukkum En Anbana Vanakkam."

Founder of Isha Foundation, Jaggi Vasudev, said the bust of 'Adiyogi' was built in eight months. He also lauded Modi for practising Yoga.