Mangaluru : A last-minute change in venue of International Day of Yoga event organised by the district administration added to the confusion even as different organisations celebrated the day in Dakshina Kannada on Tuesday.

The district administration changed the venue of the district-level celebration from the Officers Club, Hat Hill, to Srinivas Mallya Indoor Stadium, Lalbagh, in the morning.

As a result, many who came to the Hat Hill venue returned home without being aware of the change in venue, which was shifted due to accumulation of rainwater.

Ramachandra, a resident of Bejai-Kapikkad, who performed yogasana at the stadium, said that last year the day had been celebrated at the TMA Pai International Centre, MG Road.

This year, the day was observed by the district administration only for the namesake as the club venue was fixed without proper assessment of the rain condition. Many people who went to the club returned home as there was no one to guide them to the new venue.

Yoga instructor Gopalakrishna Delampady guided bureaucrats and others who did yogasana in the stadium.

Anti Pollution Drive Foundation, a non-profit organisation, celebrated the day with civic workers of Mangaluru City Corporation.

It included a one-hour yoga live demonstration and participatory programme from 7 a.m. at Padua High School.

Many civic workers performed yoga under the directions of yoga exponent Radhakrishna Shetty.

Mayor Harinath was present on the occasion.

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd., New Mangalore Port Trust, Corporation Bank, Mangalore University, Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. and Vikas Pre University College also celebrated the day.

Yoga Kendra and Mahalingehwara temple, both in Puttur, celebrated the day. Saplings of neem, bilva, teak, Mahogany were distributed to participants after the yoga session.

Shree Padre, journalist and water conservation expert, spoke on water harvesting on the occasion.