DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul today inaugurated the 29th edition of the InternationaI Yoga Festival at Rishikesh, and said the event was growing in stature and helping the state become a sought-after destination for spiritual tourism.
“It is from Devbhumi Uttarakhand that Yoga originated and has now spread in the entire world. It is wonderful to see, year after year, so many people from across the world and from every walk of life gather here to celebrate this festival of Yoga and Spirituality,” he said.
The week-long event, jointly organized by the AYUSH ministry, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, Parmarth Niketan and Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, was inaugurated at Parmarth Niketan along the banks of the Ganges River.
“It is only apt that the festival coincides with the spring season when the holy Ganga has clear pristine water from the snows which have just begun to melt in the Himalayas and there is fragrance of spring flowers in the air,” the Governor said.
Nearly 70 saints, yogacharyas, presenters and experts from more than 20 countries around the world are participating this year at the festival. There will be separate sessions on Ashtanga Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Bharat Yoga, Ganga Yoga, and Somatics Yoga during the week.
There will also be classes on meditation, mudras, Sanskrit chanting, reiki, Indian philosophy and much more.–PTI
