KATHMANDU: Some 5,000 people who had thronged the Yog Vigyan Shivir-2010 today were compelled to return home due to lack of enough space. However, additional space has been managed to adjust more people.

According to the Main Organising Committee, around 40,000 tickets were sold out. However the space was just enough for 30,000 persons but still 35,000 were adjusted in the available space.

One Rajani Sharma from Kupondol in Lalitpur said that she had to go back home for there was no space. "I could not get any space to sit for the camp as it was already occupied. Though I had the ticket I arrived late to get any space," she added.

Prabhari Babita Karki, head, Central Zone Yoga Committee, said, "Nearly 5,000 people were compelled to return home this morning for lack of adequate space for all interested," she said. "Therefore, we have widened the space for those who will come to the camp tomorrow," she added.

Karki maintained that many from various districts across the nation have enquired if they could take part in the camp. "The number of participants expected for tomorrow is around 50, 000," she said. The visitors are divided into five categories; gold paying Rs 500, VIP paying Rs 1,100, VVIP paying Rs 2,100, special invitees and free pass.

Swami Ram Dev, who runs Patanjali Yog Peeth in Haridwar of India, is holding the camp from March 27 to April 1 at Tundikhel in Kathmandu. Keeping in mind the overwhelming interest of Nepalis in Yoga, the Swami has pledged to train some 100,000 Yoga teachers in Nepal.

Addressing the camp that started at 5:00 in the morning, the Swami said, "There are 25,000 Yoga teachers in Nepal. "I am planning to produce 100,000 such teachers here," he said. "Yoga makes people healthy and cultured and that will help develop the nation," he added.

Further, the Swami will lay foundation stones for eight Yoga centres including ones in Mahendranagar, Dhangadhi and Chitwan, said Karki. Swami Ram Dev and Ayurveda Acharya Balkrishna also visited the Armed Police Force Headquarters at Halchowk in Kathmandu today. The duo briefed APF personnel there about the importance of Yoga. The duo also attended a function at Pashupatinath Temple, where 21,000 butter lamps were lighted.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav inaugurated the camp and also released Bichar-Kranti, a book written in Nepali language on Yoga and spiritualism. Meanwhile, leaders of political parties including CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Unified-CPN Maoist leader Amik Sherchan and Janardan Sharma 'Prabhakar', industrialist Upendra Mahato, Minister for Industry Mahendra Raya Yadav, Minister for Local Development Purna Kumar Sherma Limbu and Deputy Inspector General of Police Upendra Kant Aryal also attended the camp this morning.

Highlights

KATHMANDU: About 3,000 people received treatment and free check up at the Yoga Camp on Saturday. About 5,000 more persons were queuing up for the check up still. Forty Vaidhyas from India provided the service. According to the organisers, the health camp will continue from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm everyday during the camp.