Uttarakhand: CM Dhami inaugurated the International Yoga Festival 2023, said – people of Uttarakhand got new identity in the country and abroad due to yoga

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal, Finance Minister Premchand Aggarwal jointly inaugurated the International Yoga Festival 2023 organized by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council at GMVN Ganga Resort located in Muni Ki Reti on Wednesday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is giving the message of Yoga to the world. Yoga is neither ancient nor new. Yoga is eternal, which was before, is now and will always be. The whole world is adopting the eternal methods and traditions of India. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that two meetings of the G-20 conference will be held in Yoganagari. The image of Yoganagari will develop in different countries. Regarding the preparations for Chardham, the Chief Minister said that till now one lakh 51 thousand pilgrims have got themselves registered in Chardham. The state government is busy in streamlining the arrangements so that the pilgrims do not face any problem. The Chief Minister announced the construction of a bridge over the Chandrabhaga river on Astha Path soon. Mayor Anita Mamgain, Municipality Muni ki Reti President Roshan Raturi, Tourism Secretary Sachin Kurve etc were present on the occasion.

Government paying special attention to health tourism: Satpal

Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said that the government is paying special attention to health tourism. Pahari dishes like Manduva, Jhangora have been brought to the world level by the BJP government. Pahari dishes are being served in all the hotels and institutions of the state. The government has also made arrangements for Char Dham Yatra. So that facilities can be made available to the passengers. The state has secured the first position in the country in mountain tourism. Employment is being made available to the local people by the camp system in the natural litigants of the mountains. Math temples are being developed by making circuits.

It is not appropriate to call Rishikesh only Yoganagari: Uniyal

Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said that apart from Rishikesh, Muni Ki Reti, Swargashram is the spiritual city of Yoga. That’s why it is not right to call Rishikesh only the city of Yoga. Apart from mental and physical health, yoga has also become a means of employment for crores of people. The heritage group of Chaurasi Kutiya will be developed and given a place on the world stage.

Honored by the Chief Minister

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami honored Yogacharyas active in the field of Yoga at the International Yoga Festival. During this, he honored about 108 years old Yogacharya Padmashree Swami Sivanand, Padmashree Ranjikanth etc.

Light show was the center of attraction in the festival

The light show was the center of attraction during the evening Ganga Aarti on the first day of the International Yoga Festival organized at Ganga Resort from March 01 to 07. Various artefacts including Lord Shiva, Om, various activities of Yoga, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath attracted Sadhaks and Yogacharyas through drones. Through drones, the artefacts were captured one after the other by the Sadhaks, Yogacharyas and the local people in their mobile cameras over the river Ganges. For the first time, a light show took place at the festival with a drone camera.

Disruptions seen on the first day

For the first time, the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council organized an International Yoga Festival at GMVN Ganga Resort located in Muni Ki Reti. For the last 29 years, the International Yoga Festival was started by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam. On the first day of the Mahotsav, disturbances were seen for the yoga seekers at the Ganga Resort. There was no arrangement for food for the devotees here. Whereas before this arrangements for stay and food were arranged for the seekers and Yogacharyas at places like GMVN Ganga Resort, Hemkund Gurudwara Sahib, Swaminarayan Ashram etc. This time no such arrangement was seen in the festival organized by the Uttarakhand Tourism Department.

Sadhaks coming from remote areas have to make arrangements for food and accommodation at their own expense. Because of which many sadhaks have distanced themselves from this festival. Yoga seekers Pramod and Bhavna Sharma told that this time the arrangements of the department are not good in the festival. Due to unavailability of food, no seeker is able to join the yoga classes again. Said that in the year 2021, for attending the International Yoga Festival organized by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, a weekly fee of one thousand rupees was charged for the students and seven thousand rupees for the other seekers, but it included food and drink for the seekers. Accommodation was included.

No idea about the stalls either

International Yoga Festival has started. But proper arrangement of stalls could not be done in GMVN Ganga Resort till 2 pm. People were seen selling local products in a number of stalls.

No fee no arrangement

In the International Yoga Festival 2023 organized from March 01 to 7, this time no yoga fee is being charged from the seekers. That’s why facilities are not being provided to the seekers by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council. Officials of the tourism department said that till last Tuesday evening, 600 seekers had registered themselves online.