International Yoga festival: PM Modi says yoga brings peace and harmony among nations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the International Yoga festival via video conferencing and called for peace among nations amid the challenges like terrorism and climate change faced by the world today. He said that yoga brings peace and harmony within individuals, families, societies and nations.

“World is today threatened by challenges-terrorism, climate change. There should be peace among nations. Yoga is a way to create such harmony and peace within individuals, families, societies, nations,” he said.

On Wednesday, Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul inaugurated the 29th edition of the International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh, and said the event was growing in stature and helping the state become a sought-after destination for spiritual tourism.

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“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 organised 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.

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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.

(With inputs from PTI)