Shimla, Jun 21 (IANS): Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and his cabinet colleagues along with hundreds of residents and tourists practiced yoga at the historic Ridge here on Friday marking the fifth International Yoga Day.

Urging people to adopt yoga for a healthy lifestyle, the Governor said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has established yoga at an international level and the entire world is adopting it.

He asked the people to make yoga an integral part of life and stressed on making it a routine activity to evade negative energy in life.

In a tweet, the Chief Minister said the science of connecting the body, mind and soul is yoga.

"Participate in building the best India with a healthy body and a healthy mind. All the people of all the countries and countries wish them heartfelt greetings on the International Day of Yoga," Thakur said.

There was great enthusiasm among youth, women, school-children and various organisations about the event across the state.

At most of the places, participants started assembling at venues well ahead of the yoga sessions that started at 7 a.m.