International Day Of Yoga Celebrated Across South African Cities

About 4000 yoga enthusiasts from all communities joined various events organised to celebrate International Day of Yoga across South Africa.

The main event was held on Sunday on the beachfront in Durban, home to the largest Indian-origin community outside India.

Sivananda Peace Foundation, the organisers, said they exceeded their target of about 4,000 yoga enthusiasts from all communities who joined local leaders in performing different asanas.

The foundation was started a few years ago by Ishwar Ramlutchman, who focused on the unifying power of yoga across South Africa's diverse cultures.

“Durban has firmly established itself as the heartbeat of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) in the African continent. This practice transcends race, age, and background. The essence of yoga - harmony, mindfulness, and connection - aligns seamlessly with our South African spirit of ubuntu. Today is a living tapestry of wellness and peace,” Ramlutchman said.

Among the many government officials and dignitaries who attended the event was the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, who emphasised the intersection of wellness and public administration to build resilient and stable municipal communities.

"Yoga is not just an individual practice; it is an instrument for social cohesion and peace-building. By promoting healthy, mindful, and active lifestyles among our people, we lay the groundwork for peaceful, united, and resilient communities that can work together to rebuild society,” Hlabisa said.

Indian High Commissioner Prabhat Kumar on Sunday led more than 400 participants at the seat of government, the iconic Unions Buildings in Pretoria, as yoga practitioners guided them through exercises.

But inclement weather, unusual for this time of the year, brought an abrupt end to the proceedings as people scurried to escape the rain and cold.

“Yoga unites individuals, families, societies, countries and the entire humanity,” Kumar said in his address, adding that this aligned perfectly with the Indian concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one) and the African idea of Ubuntu (I am because you are).

“This reminds us that our well-being is interconnected and true progress can only be achieved through mutual respect and compassion and shared responsibility,” the diplomat said.

“Throughout the year, the high commission has partnered with schools, universities, communities and wellness institutions to conduct numerous yoga outreach programmes, bringing together hundreds of participants and further strengthening bilateral relations between our countries,” Kumar said.

In Johannesburg, newly-appointed Consul General S Koventhan on Saturday shared with participants how the themes of IDY over the years have been very special to him.

“Every time the theme matches with me somewhere… Yoga for Harmony and Peace in Brazil when the first IDY was celebrated in 2015. Then when I moved to Bhutan, the theme was Yoga for Sustainable Development Goals, which matched that location and now it is Yoga for Healthy Ageing. As I have crossed 40, I’m realising that this theme is much more relevant for me,” Koventhan said.

In Cape Town, IDY celebrations were held mainly at two locations.

The official diplomatic gathering was hosted by the Consulate General of India in Cape Town, featuring an event set against the backdrop of the UNESCO heritage site of Table Mountain. The city's broader yoga community met at the Rooftop on Bree in the city centre.

Many smaller IDY events were hosted by numerous community organisations and yoga schools across South Africa on Sunday.