Fairs & Festivals : International Yoga Week

International Yoga Week is an annual festival organized by the Parmarth Niketan in association with Uttaranchal Tourism. The festival falls every year in the month of February or March. People from different parts of the world participate in the International Yoga Week of Rishikesh. They are taught various finer elements of yoga like Raj Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Karm Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Juana Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, etc. For the purpose, a camp is held on the banks of the holy river, Ganga.

The literal meaning of Yoga is "union", a union of body and breath, the mind and muscles and most significantly the union of the self to the divine. International Yoga Festival is organized to promote the ancient science of Yoga. The other attractions of this festival include cultural programs, meditation camps, consultations with yogacharyas, and Ganga aarti in the evening.

What better place to become "united" than on the sacred banks of Mother Ganga, in a land to which sages have flocked for millennia? To promote the ancient science of Yoga, a weeklong event is organised by the State Tourism Department in Rishikesh (Himalayan Foothills) during the first week of February.

Detailed lectures, demonstrations of various asanas by prominent exponents of Yoga are the major highlights of the Yoga Week.

Do you do yoga?

Rishikesh is well known for the large number of yoga schools with varying standards that offers courses on yoga, meditation and philosophy. Reputed among these are the Sri Ved Niketan Ashram, Shivananda Ashram, Yoga Niketan Ashram, the Omkarananda Ashram, the Vanmali Gita Yogashram and the Dayananda Vedanta Ashram.