My comments posted on Times of India newstory: Saudi Arabia celebrates World Yoga Day during Ramadan:
The TOI headline: "Saudi Arabia celebrates World Yoga Day during Ramadan" is grossly misleading. The account of Indian School, Jeddah run by Indian Embassy among other schools, cannot be stretched to claim that Saudi Arabia as a State has officially organized such Yoga Day celebrations. We as Indians do not need such spurious propaganda to push Yoga that without such hijacking exercise has been accepted world over without any prejudice as a very effective alternative exercise routine that delivers. The more our fanatics try to paint Yoga as a Hindu ritualistic exercise, the more detractors of Hindu or Hindutva religious overreach, will set in motion counter propaganda that will unnecessarily harm nation's interest and dent its goodwill around the world.
Irfan Mohammed | Jun 23, 2015, 05.30 PM IST
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Saudi Arabia celebrates World Yoga Day during Ramadan
Irfan Mohammed | Jun 23, 2015, 05.30 PM IST
Demonstration of yoga in Indian school in Jeddah on Sunday.
JEDDAH: International Yoga Day was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to popularize the ancient Indian practice across the world including Arabian Gulf countries.
The Indian diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia organized maiden yoga sessions in various Indian schools in the kingdom to celebrate International Yoga Day that is being observed around the world on June 21.
The Indian consulate in Jeddah and Arab Yoga Foundation has conducted Yoga session at Indian International School which was addressed by yogacharya Nouf Al Marwaai, president of Arab Yoga Foundation. She emphasized the need of practicing yoga and adopting a natural lifestyle which is essential to get rid of increasing obesity and other diseases among Saudis and also Indians and people across the world.
Arab Yoga Foundation was founded in 2010 by the Arab yogacharya Nouf Al Marwaai, who is an expert in yoga asanas and exercises and has been associated with various yoga organizations in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.
The event was attended by Indian consul general B.S. Mubarak, consul Anand Kumar and other Indian officials. Over 1200 students participated in the event to mark International Yoga Day by practicing various yoga asanas using proper techniques.
A week ago, Indian consulate and Arab Yoga Foundation had conducted a two-day brainstorming yoga workshop at the Indian consulate at dusk during Ramadan. A gathering of Saudis and Indians participated in the workshop, where organizers demonstrated to participants various yoga asanas, and distributed instruction sheets. The two-day event followed the guidelines of the common yogic protocol released by the Indian government. For personal use and practice, books and DVDs on Yoga were made available to the public.
In Riyadh, the Indian embassy also marked event in its premises and also at the Indian international schools in Riyadh and Dammam. The embassy had also organized a demo and lecture on 'Subtle Yoga, power breathing and relaxation' which was attended by the diplomatic fraternity also prominent Indian community members.
Hemant H. Kotalwar, deputy chief of mission briefed the audience on Sunday about the importance of yoga in modern life.
Around 1500 students of the international Indian school in Riyadh also gave a demonstration of various asanas during the event, according to a statement released by the Indian embassy in Riyadh.
The Indian diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia organized maiden yoga sessions in various Indian schools in the kingdom to celebrate International Yoga Day that is being observed around the world on June 21.
The Indian consulate in Jeddah and Arab Yoga Foundation has conducted Yoga session at Indian International School which was addressed by yogacharya Nouf Al Marwaai, president of Arab Yoga Foundation. She emphasized the need of practicing yoga and adopting a natural lifestyle which is essential to get rid of increasing obesity and other diseases among Saudis and also Indians and people across the world.
Arab Yoga Foundation was founded in 2010 by the Arab yogacharya Nouf Al Marwaai, who is an expert in yoga asanas and exercises and has been associated with various yoga organizations in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.
The event was attended by Indian consul general B.S. Mubarak, consul Anand Kumar and other Indian officials. Over 1200 students participated in the event to mark International Yoga Day by practicing various yoga asanas using proper techniques.
A week ago, Indian consulate and Arab Yoga Foundation had conducted a two-day brainstorming yoga workshop at the Indian consulate at dusk during Ramadan. A gathering of Saudis and Indians participated in the workshop, where organizers demonstrated to participants various yoga asanas, and distributed instruction sheets. The two-day event followed the guidelines of the common yogic protocol released by the Indian government. For personal use and practice, books and DVDs on Yoga were made available to the public.
In Riyadh, the Indian embassy also marked event in its premises and also at the Indian international schools in Riyadh and Dammam. The embassy had also organized a demo and lecture on 'Subtle Yoga, power breathing and relaxation' which was attended by the diplomatic fraternity also prominent Indian community members.
Hemant H. Kotalwar, deputy chief of mission briefed the audience on Sunday about the importance of yoga in modern life.
Around 1500 students of the international Indian school in Riyadh also gave a demonstration of various asanas during the event, according to a statement released by the Indian embassy in Riyadh.
