YOGA// Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the first International Yoga Day, on June 21, as heralding a “new era of peace”, moments before he surprised thousands in New Delhi by taking to a mat himself to celebrate the ancient Indian practice. Modi, a yoga enthusiast himself, led more than 35,000 people, from all walks of life in performing poses such as the half camel and cobra in a 35-minute mass outdoor yoga session which was held at the grand Rajpath in New Delhi. The event set two new Guinness Book of World Records — one for the largest yoga class at a single venue with 35,985 participants and another for the most number of nationalities to attend with people from 84 countries, a government statement said. “Yoga is more than only physical fitness. We are not only celebrating a day but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace,” Modi told the crowd at Rajpath. He thanked the United Nations and the 177 co-sponsoring countries for adopting his idea for a world Yoga Day. Security was tight in the city with thousands of police and paramilitary deployed for this morning event.