Where world meets on mat: Yoga fest begins in R’kesh

The International Yoga Festival began at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh on Monday, bringing together over 1,500 yoga practitioners, teachers and enthusiasts from nearly 80 countries. The week-long festival, held on the banks of the Ganga, opened with yoga sessions and discussions on the role of yoga in daily life. More than 25 ambassadors and diplomats are also participating in the event. The festival began in 1989 in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh govt and has been hosted annually at Parmarth Niketan since 1999.The first day started with sunrise chanting and yoga sessions including Hatha yoga, pranayama and meditation. Participants also attended a morning fire ceremony. A keynote session titled ‘Embodied Action: From Mat to Mission - Living Karma Yoga as Sacred Life' discussed the role of yoga beyond physical practice. Speakers included Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, director of the festival, Ishan Tigunait, spiritual head and executive director of the Himalayan Institute, Shiva Rea, founder of Prana Flow, Anand Mehrotra, founder of the Sattva Yoga Academy in Rishikesh and Tommy Rosen, founder of Recovery 2.0, an international organisation that uses yoga, meditation and other practices to support people recovering from addiction.Sadhvi Bhagawati said, "Yoga is not merely something we practice on the mat. It is a way of living, a way of being and a way of remembering who we truly are." Rosen added, "Yoga can help people understand their role in serving others. If I do my yoga practice and come to my heart centre, it will reveal how I can best serve the world."Swami Chidanand Saraswati, president of Parmarth Niketan, said yoga can help promote peace. "If we wish to bring peace to the world, we must first create peace within ourselves. Yoga is the path that unites us," he said.Participants from different countries also shared their experiences. Adrian, who travelled from Washington DC, said it was his first visit to the festival. "I'm looking forward to experiencing the talks, yoga sessions and asana classes. I hope this will be the first of many visits in the future," he said.Mahi, who has been volunteering at the festival, said the event brings together people with positive energy. "I have been coming for the last two years to the International Yoga Festival and I love being surrounded by so many positive people. Rishikesh has that positive energy. I like attending the classes, especially breathwork yoga," she said.In the evening, participants attended the Ganga aarti. A Mallakhamb performance and workshop led by Dronacharya awardee Yogesh Malviya showcased the traditional Indian discipline that combines yoga, strength and acrobatics.