In the lead-up to the 11th International Yoga Day on June 21, International Yoga Week began on Sunday with a large inaugural event at Namo Ghat in Varanasi. Throughout the week, yoga sessions will be held across the district in schools, parks, ghats, jails, and village panchayats.
The opening ceremony at Namo Ghat was attended by several dignitaries. These included MLA Neelkanth Tiwari, MLCs Hansraj Vishwakarma and Dharmendra Singh, District Panchayat President Poonam Maurya, Divisional Commissioner S Rajalingam, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar, and Chief Development Officer Himanshu Nagpal.
During the event, public officials and yoga experts spoke about yoga’s power to promote health and raise awareness in society. The yoga session was led by instructors Ashish Upadhyay, Abhay Swabhimani, and Raksha Kaur, who guided participants through standard yoga exercises.
At the same time, yoga events took place at all ghats, Amrit Sarovars, parks, block headquarters, district jail, and village panchayats. These events were organized jointly by the AYUSH department and various yoga institutions. Participating organizations included Shrimad Bhagwat Yoga Institute, Gayatri Peeth, Patanjali, Om Yoga Fitness Center, DS Group, Dhanwantari Karmyog Peeth, Brahma Kumaris, Govardhan Peeth, and Varanasi Yoga School.
At the Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital, the Principal, Prof. Neelam Gupta, inaugurated the yoga week activities. Under the coordination of Dr. Vijay Kumar Rai, students, teachers, doctors, and staff took part in a special yoga session. The exercises included Surya Namaskar, Pranayama, and various asanas.
In her keynote speech, Prof. Gupta said, “Yoga is not just physical exercise but a complete lifestyle. It supports mental peace, physical health, and spiritual growth. The combination of Ayurveda and yoga is essential for total well-being.”
Dr. Rai added that International Yoga Day aims to increase awareness and acceptance of yoga among young people and the general public. He emphasized yoga’s important role in disease prevention and promoting wellness.
The event ended with a group chanting of “Om” and a prayer for peace. Dr. Ajay Kumar, the media in-charge, shared that from June 15 to June 21, daily programs such as group yoga sessions, seminars, slogan contests, awareness rallies, and street plays will be held across the district as part of the celebrations.
