South Africa Celebrates International Day of Yoga with Events at UNESCO Sites Across Major Cities

In South Africa, a month-long series of yoga events concluded with International Day of Yoga celebrations at UNESCO landmarks in four major cities. Indian High Commissioner Prabhat Kumar expressed gratitude for the support from South African communities during these events, which took place in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town.

"The support from the South African communities at the International Day of Yoga IDY events hosted by us here in Pretoria and by our Consulates in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town over the past month at various venues across the country was very gratifying," said Indian High Commissioner Prabhat Kumar.

Yoga Events Across South Africa

In Pretoria, Kumar spoke after an IDY event at the Union Buildings' lawns. He highlighted that South Africa is now among many countries worldwide that have embraced IDY as an annual event. "After the events at the four UNESCO sites here over the weekend, South Africa is now firmly established as one of the many countries all over the world which has adopted the IDY as an annual highlight. Especially so amid the growing understanding by thousands of enthusiasts here that yoga is an ancient discipline for exercise and well-being," Kumar said.

In Cape Town, Indian Consul General Ruby Jaspreet organised an IDY event at Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens on Table Mountain's slopes. This site is a UNESCO Heritage site and one of the new seven natural wonders of the world. Mireille Wenger, Minister of Health and Wellness in Western Cape Province, thanked the Indian mission for bringing IDY to Kirstenbosch. "This is an opportunity to understand the benefits of yoga for our mental, physical and spiritual well-being," Wenger said.

Celebrations in Johannesburg and Durban

In Johannesburg, Indian Consul General Mahesh Kumar joined youths at Cradle of Mankind, another UNESCO Heritage site. Reflecting on last year’s celebration at Wanderers Cricket Stadium with over 8,000 participants, Kumar noted that although Saturday’s numbers were smaller, combined events nearly matched last year's total. "We took a conscious decision to take IDY to communities in different areas to make it more accessible to them," Kumar said.

Meanwhile, in Durban, Thelma David collaborated with Ezemvelo Wildlife and local partners to host nearly 300 participants at Drakensberg Amphitheatre within uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, a UNESCO Heritage site. Earlier events were also held in Free State and Eastern Cape provinces.

Yoga Nrity Performance

At Pretoria's event, choreographer Saswati Das led a Yoga Nrity performance with one local Indian and three expatriate performers. This fusion of yoga and music combines physical and spiritual elements. "This involved performing yoga asanas poses in a flowing, rhythmic manner, synchronised with music, to create a dynamic and expressive practice. This blend aims to enhance physical fitness, mental well-being, and spiritual harmony," Das explained.

The Durban Consulate partnered with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre for yoga sessions at Pietermaritzburg Railway Station. This National Heritage site is where Gandhi began his fight against discrimination after being removed from a train. A separate beachfront event saw local leaders praise organiser Ishwar Ramlutchman from Sivananda World Peace Foundation.

The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal province, Thami Ntuli, opened the beach yoga for a second year. "Yoga unites us, fosters peace and harmony, and inspires us to live in balance with ourselves and nature," Ntuli said.

With inputs from PTI