Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami attends International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh, bats for spiritual tourism

RISHIKESH: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday visited the ongoing International Yoga Festival (IYF) at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, joining spiritual leaders and participants from across the world on the banks of the Ganga river for a traditional yagna and evening Ganga aarti.

Dhami participated in the ceremony alongside spiritual leaders Swami Chidanand Saraswati and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Swiss embassy official Simon Sevan Schafer and singer Kailash Kher.

Addressing the gathering, Dhami highlighted Uttarakhand’s spiritual legacy and its global association with yoga. He said the state govt was taking steps to promote yoga and spiritual tourism, including implementing a yoga policy and planning to establish five new yoga dhams as well as Ayush and yoga wellness centres.

“Uttarakhand is not only Devbhoomi but also the birthplace of yoga and meditation. From here, the energy of life and spiritual consciousness spreads across the world,” he said, adding that the festival symbolised spiritual unity and the expansion of consciousness.

Earlier in the evening, the Ganga aarti began with chants led by Parmarth Niketan’s young scholars, filling the riverbank with devotional music and prayer.Swami Chidanand Saraswati, head of the ashram, set the tone by chanting the mantra,“Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnuh." Participants later gathered for a group photograph, chanting “Om” together while holding flags of their respective countries, reflecting the global participation in the event.

Over 1,500 participants from nearly 80 countries are attending the week-long festival, which features yoga sessions, meditation, philosophical discussions and cultural programmes.

Speaking at the event, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, festival director, IYF, said the festival was not merely about learning techniques but about experiencing a deeper spiritual awakening. “We are here not just to practise yoga on the mat, but to connect with our highest truth and the freedom that yoga offers,” she said.

She also spoke about the symbolism of the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra dedicated to Lord Shiva, explaining that spiritual growth comes through inner maturity and awakening rather than rejection of the world.

Swiss embassy official Simon Sevan Schafer said the festival offered a powerful message of global harmony. “If we want peace in the world, it must begin with ourselves, our families and our communities,” he said, adding that the welcoming spirit at the festival reflected India’s deep cultural ethos.

The evening concluded with a musical performance by Kailash Kher and his Kailasa band, blending devotional music with the spiritual ambience of the riverbank.