Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat along with Art of Living’s Sri Sri Ravishankar participated in the international Yoga festival in Rishikesh on Monday.
Welcoming Ravishankar on the second day of the week-long festival organised jointly by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board and Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, the Chief Minister said that he had gained fame across the world also for his efforts to mediate and bring peace in nations facing disturbance.
Recently, he also visited the riot affected areas of Delhi to contribute towards bringing peace and normalcy. Rawat said that Ravishankar had introduced many in India and abroad to Yoga. He creates an atmosphere of Yoga in whichever nation he visits.
He said, “The world is getting attracted to Yoga with even those nations which do not follow our language being attracted towards it. In this way, the attraction for Yoga is also bringing such people closer to India. Today, many nations have incorporation Yoga in their daily lives. Even then, the people from such countries are coming to Uttarakhand in search of Yoga with spirituality.
The Yoga teachers of Uttarakhand are noted for their diligence. Due to this, the Yoga teachers from Uttarakhand are teaching Yoga in most countries.” Rawat also inaugurated the meditation and holistic health centre at Ganga Resort on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Ravishankar said that the importance of Yoga is paramount in the world. The message of Yoga has spread around the world from the Devbhumi of Uttarakhand. He said, “Yoga has the power to make the human mind, body and environment healthy.
Today about two billion people across the world are connected with Yoga. It is not just physical exercise but a philosophy which is also a means for connecting nature and culture. In addition to helping treat stress and depression, it is also a means to lead a happy and normal life while also helping one in facing challenges.”
The preacher also requested all Yoga practitioners to plant at least five trees in their lifetime. He also appreciated the efforts of the Central and State governments for providing a better atmosphere for tourists and pilgrims in Uttarakhand through efforts like the all-weather Char Dham road project and other works. He commended the chief minister for Kedarnath reconstruction and works for development of Badrinath and other areas. The State’s Tourism and Culture minister Satpal Maharaj also informed the gathering about the importance of Yoga and the aim of the international Yoga festival.
He said that Yoga brings happiness, prosperity, peace and stability, which is why it is gaining followers across the world. Referring to Uttarakhand as the land where the Yogis underwent penance, he pointed out the clean environment, pure water, picturesque places and peace which are conducive for the practice of Yoga.
The Vidhan Sabha speaker and Rishikesh MLA Premchand Agrawal, Agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal, Rishikesh mayor Anita Mamgain, tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar and others were also present on the occasion.