The seven day long annual international yoga festival kicked off at Parmarth Niketan on Sunday. The chief minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the festival with a lamp lighting ceremony. Parmarth Niketan President Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Dr. Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, renowned orator Jaya Kishori, and nearly 1,000 yoga practitioners, teachers, and ambassadors from 50 countries, were present during the inaugural ceremony on the ganga ghats.
The Chief Minister encouraged everyone to explore 'Sunshine Tourism' and visit the revered Char Dham and Jageshwar Dham. Urging participation in the Char Dham Yatra, the upcoming Kumbh Mela, and the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra, he emphasized Uttarakhand's rich spiritual heritage. He concluded by calling Uttarakhand the land of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam where "the world is one family". He encouraged the visitors to carry this message forward.
Festival Highlight
900 Yoga lovers from nearly 50 nations, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Director International Yoga Festival said, "
Highlights of this year’s highly anticipated Festival include: Spiritual Wisdom Sessions and total wellness panels with renowned yoga and wellness experts from around the globe including Zach Bush, Ram Kumar Kutty, Ganesh Rao, Amish Shah, Mirabai Starr and so many others, Yogasana classes with international experts including Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Shiva Rae, Stewart Gilchrist, Tommy Rosen, Kia Miller, Anand Mehrotra, Jai Hari Singh, and many more; captivating musical performances Kailash Kher, Sivamani, Runa Rizvi, MC Yogi, Gurnimit Singh and Special Eco-Friendly Holi Celebration with ecstatic drumming by Sivamani, dancing and flowers, followed by group Ganga Snan with sacred mantras.
Swami Chidnanda Saraswati saud, "Ganga aarti welcomes participants to come together as one world, one spirit, one family, one consciousness as our world falls tragically more and more into the throes of divisiveness, polarization, and violence. "