International Yoga festival concludes in Rishikesh

The International Yoga Festival at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram concluded today with participants from over a 100 nations playing Holi with revered gurus and renowned artists including singer Kailash Kher and percussionist Sivamani.
Holi was played with organic colours to send the message that celebration and environmental conservation should go hand-in-hand, the organisers said.
"People enjoyed Holi in a way that will protect our environment and health. Let this serve as an example for everyone and so that all festivals may become green," the Ashram's head, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, said here.
He asked people to make Yoga their 'mantra' to a healthy, happy and harmonious life.

The annual event was attended by over a thousand people and saw lectures and presentations by over 70 gurus, yogacharyas and experts.
"People from 101 nations celebrated Holi today and we want them to return home with their hearts coloured in the colour of Yoga, oneness and peace," the festival's director Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati said.

The closing ceremony was attended by Union Minister for AYUSH Shripad Naik, Swami Avdheshanand and yoga guru Ramdev among others.
"Rishikesh is known as the city of the divine. It comes as no surprise that people from across the world attended the Yoga festival. Yoga originated in ancient India and it is timeless and eternal. We are proud of our Yoga heritage. It must become an eternal part of our life," Naik said.

After Ganga Aarti, participants were enthralled with a musical by Sivamani.