Week-long Yoga festival in Rishikesh from March 1

In an initiative to promote tourism and Yoga, the Uttarakhand government is organsing a week-long International Yoga Festival at Ganga Resort in Muni-ki-Reti at Rishikesh from March 1.

In addition to yoga classes, a number of cultural events have been planned during the seven-day event. The state tourism department has roped in several yoga teachers, spiritual gurus, and cultural artists and performers for the event.

Swami Avdheshanand Giri, Sister B K Shivani, Swami Parmatmanand, Gaur Gopal Das, Acharya Balkrishna, Swami Atma Swaroopanand, and Grand Master Akshar are scheduled to attend the yoga festival. Besides, a number of musical performances, including Susmit Sen, Ritesh Mishra, Rajnish Mishra, Indra Naik, Tribuvan Maharaj, Sumit Kutani, Hansraj Raghuvanshi, and Mrigya Band are scheduled to perform on different days of the festival.

A health session by Masterchef Pankaj Bhadouria would also be organised for people attending the event. ` Tourism minister Satpal Maharaj told TOI, “Rishikesh is known as Yognagri and people look forward to attending the yoga festival. We have focused on various aspects and in addition to yoga classes, musical and cultural activities are being organised for people coming for the event.” He, however, maintained the social distancing norms would be strictly followed. “We will have special teams, which will ensure social distancing norms. People coming to Rishikesh have been requested to follow Covid-19 norms,” he added.