Yoga Pics from Around Half the World. The other half is waking up: June 21, 2015 for Surya Namaskar

Yoga enthusiasts around the world practised sun salutations in the streets on Sunday as part of International Yoga Day.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi urged the United Nations to adopt the day at a UN Assembly in 2014. On Sunday, he led yoga practise for more than 35,000 of his countrymen in a sea of pink and green yoga mats on New Delhi's main avenue, Rajpath, SBS reported.

"We are not only celebrating a day but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace," he said.

Organisers in New Delhi are hoping the event broke the Guinness World Record for the biggest yoga class ever assembled in one place. Yoga-fans globally also took part, with people in more than 192 countries said to have taken to the mat.

France
Participants perform yoga at an event to celebrate the International Yoga Day, pictured from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: KAMIL ZIHNIOGLU/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Participants dressed in white perform yoga at an event to celebrate the International Yoga Day under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: KAMIL ZIHNIOGLU/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thousands of participants dressed in white performing yoga on yellow mattresses are pictured from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower at an event to celebrate the International Yoga Day in Paris, France, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: KAMIL ZIHNIOGLU/ASSOCIATED PRESS
India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left front, lies down on a mat as he performs yoga along with thousands of Indians on Rajpath, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: SAURABH DAS/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, sits on a mat as he performs yoga along with thousands of Indians on Rajpath, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: SAURABH DAS/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indians perform yoga on Rajpath, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: MANISH SWARUP/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indians perform yoga at an event to celebrate the International Yoga Day in Bangalore, India, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: AIJAZ RAHI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
An Indian girl, left, displays a picture of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi painted on her face as another sports the logo of International Yoga Day in Bangalore, India, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: AIJAZ RAHI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
China
A child performs yoga at a hotel banquet hall to mark the International Yoga Day, in Changping District, on the outskirts of Beijing, China, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: ANDY WONG/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chinese perform yoga at a hotel banquet hall to mark the International Yoga Day, in Changping District, on the outskirts of Beijing, China, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: ANDY WONG/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Malaysia
Malaysians participate in a yoga exercise during the International Day of Yoga festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: JOSHUA PAUL/ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Malaysian boy is seen playing during the International Day of Yoga festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: JOSHUA PAUL/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thailand
Thousands of people participate in a yoga exercise at Chulalongkorn University field, marking the International Day of Yoga in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: SAKCHAI LALIT/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thousands of people participate in a yoga exercise at Chulalongkorn University field, marking the International Day of Yoga in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: SAKCHAI LALIT/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thousands of people participate in a yoga exercise at Chulalongkorn University field, marking the International Day of Yoga in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: SAKCHAI LALIT/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Afghanistan
Afghans and foreigners perform yoga during the first International Yoga Day, at the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: MASSOUD HOSSAINI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Afghans and foreigners attend yoga classes a day ahead of International Yoga Day, at the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, June 20, 2015.
IMAGE: MASSOUD HOSSAINI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Afghans and foreigners attend yoga classes a day ahead of International Yoga Day, at the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, June 20, 2015.
IMAGE: MASSOUD HOSSAINI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
An Indian man practices yoga a day ahead of International Yoga Day, at the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, June 20, 2015.
IMAGE: MASSOUD HOSSAINI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Taiwan
A boy drinks water as Taiwanese perform yoga at the start of International Yoga Day in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: CHIANG YING-YING/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Taiwanese perform yoga poses at the start of International Yoga Day in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: CHIANG YING-YING/ASSOCIATED PRESS
South Korea
Hundreds of people perform yoga to mark the International Day of Yoga in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: LEE JIN-MAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hundreds of people perform yoga to mark the International Day of Yoga in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: LEE JIN-MAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Philippines
Participants raise their feet as they attempt a yoga pose during the International Yoga Day inside a mall in suburban Taguig, south of Manila, Philippines on Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: AARON FAVILA/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Participants stretch their arms during yoga poses as they join the International Yoga Day inside a mall in suburban Taguig, south of Manila, Philippines on Sunday, June 21, 2015.
IMAGE: AARON FAVILA/ASSOCIATED PRESS