The three-day Rishikesh Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, a city in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, concluded on 17 December 2024.
Over 500 participants from more than 25 countries attended the event, which featured yoga sessions, workshops, and satsangs.
The festival began on 14 December, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Yog Guru BKS Iyengar. It opened with a Yagya ceremony and an evening Ganga Aarti led by Swami Chidanand Saraswati.
Participants took part in workshops on Iyengar Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, meditation, sound healing, and Ashtanga Vinyasa. Satsangs with Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati complemented the sessions.
More than two dozen yoga schools from Rishikesh participated. At the closing ceremony, participants were encouraged to share yoga’s teachings authentically. A call was made to celebrate World Meditation Day on 21 December with enthusiasm similar to World Yoga Day.
“Rishikesh is a sanctuary of yoga’s true essence. It’s inspiring to see people from around the world come together to carry this ancient wisdom to their communities. It’s time for Green Yoga, where yogis work to protect water bodies and the Earth,” said Swami Chidanand Saraswati.
“Yoga is more than just asanas; it’s a way of life. The festival reminds us to live yoga with service and devotion, especially here at the holy banks of Maa Ganga,” said Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event
Pope Francis greets Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit near Bari, Italy, in June last year, as Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and then British prime minister Rishi Sunak look on