Garhwal Post Bureau
Rishikesh, 12 Mar: The fourth day of the International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan continued to inspire over 1,500 participants from nearly 80 countries to gather for this week-long yogic celebration on the holy banks of River Ganga for a day of transformative yoga practices, spiritual wisdom and healing experiences.
The evening of day 3 was completed with a vibrant Sacred Sound Experience concert with artists including Gurnimit Singh, James Cassidy, Charlotte Holmes, Simon Glöde, Ryan O’Connell and Vinod Joshi. The day concluded with a deeply moving Ganga Aarti, with yogic demonstrations by accomplished young yoga champions Durgesh Amoli, Praveen Kumar and Mayank Bhatt. The Festival was also visited by renowned music director and producer Harry Anand, brother of celebrated composer Anand Raj Anand, as he offered the bhajan Achyutam Keshavam to those present.
On Day 4 of IYF, participants gathered for Sunrise Chanting with Sudhanshu Sharma, filling the air with sacred mantra and devotion.
Participants also explored traditional yogic practices including Kriya Yoga with Dr Indu Sharma and Pranayama Techniques with Dr Ruchi Gulati, deepening their connection with breath and inner vitality.
Sadhvi Abha Saraswati guided participants through a deeply restorative Yoga Nidra session, offering an opportunity for profound relaxation and inner awareness. Jahnavi Claire Missingham, one of the UK’s most respected Yoga Instructors & Teacher Trainers – with over 20 years in the Yoga business, led Vinyasa Practice – Invoke the Goddess, encouraging participants to embody strength, grace and sacred feminine energy through mindful movement.
Kia Miller, devoted Yogini and teacher offered Chakra Intelligence: Kriya & Meditation, helping practitioners explore the subtle energetic systems of the body, while Katie B Happyy guided Reverence Flow – a fifth and sixth chakra balancing vinyasa practice focused on reconnecting with inner power and intuition.
Participants then joined the Parmarth Niketan Sacred Morning Fire Ceremony (Yagna/Havan) led by Swami Chidanand Saraswati and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, offering prayers for peace, healing and harmony for the entire world.
At the heart of Day 4 was a powerful Wisdom Talks Spiritual Plenary, titled Ayurveda: The Wisdom of Wholeness – Balance, Alignment & Wellness the Yogic Way, featuring renowned teachers Dr Krushna Pankaj Naram and María Alejandra Avcharian, moderated by Paula Tapia. The discussion explored how Ayurveda offers a timeless roadmap for living in harmony with nature and cultivating physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Paula Tapia shared: “When we talk about Yoga, we talk about hatha, sun and the moon which brings balance into life. We also talk about Vinyasa flow which is the link between breath and movement which leads to the transition of the body and connection with nature. When we talk about Ayurveda, the science of life, we are also talking about yoga and not just about asanas but also a way of living.”
María Alejandra Avcharian added, “Being in alignment with the Ayurvedic perspective is a profound and deeply meaningful question. In Ayurveda, however, the answer is beautifully simple: to be in alignment means not betraying our own true nature. Each of us is born with a unique intelligence—an inner wisdom that guides how we live, heal, and connect with the world. Living in alignment with Ayurveda means honouring that innate intelligence and remaining true to ourselves.”
Dr Krushna Pankaj Naram talked about how to balance the yogic way “Our lineage of Ayurvedacharyas dates back nearly 2,500 years to the physician of the Buddha. Ancient Ayurvedic texts remind us that every era faces its own challenges. While today’s world is moving faster than ever, the timeless principles of Ayurveda guide us toward a logical and yogic balance in life. When these fundamental principles are properly understood and applied, they have the power not only to restore harmony but also to help heal even chronic illnesses.”
The morning continued with a rich diversity of teachings exploring yoga philosophy, subtle energy and inner transformation. Sianna Sherman guided Chakra Radiance: 7 Chakras ~ 7 Gifts ~ 7 Radiant Codes, inviting participants to discover the wisdom of the chakra system.
Tommy Rosena, vinyasa flow and Kundalini Yoga teacher, is a leading authority on addiction and recovery, with 30 years of experience led Kundalini Embodiment: Strength & Grace, integrating breath and movement to awaken vitality and presence.
Participants also explored the path of forgiveness and self-awareness in Going Through the Process of Forgiving with Jai Hari Singh, while Dr N Ganesh Rao offered insights into the timeless teachings of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
Acharya Ashish Gilhotra, Founder of Pressure Yoga, guided Brain Fog to Clarity: Digital Detox through Nadi Yoga, while Anand Mehrotra shared teachings in Breath as a Pathway to Liberation.
Participants also explored the power of sound and self-expression in Throat Chakra – Opening of Aroham and Avroham Channel with Gurnimit Singh, while Sandra Barnes offered Partner & Mandala Flow & Sounds, combining movement, connection and sound healing.
Following lunch, participants continued their journey through a wide range of workshops and experiential sessions. Paula Tapia guided Shamanic Flow, while Erica Kaufman offered Explore Contact Improvisation & Meditation with Sacred Sound Healing. María Alejandra Avcharian offered Ayurvedic Lifestyle: Sacred Rituals for Everyday Living. Dr Sanjay Manchanda led Neuro-Vitality: Cultivating a Resilient Brain as the Gateway to Samadhi, exploring the connection between brain health and higher states of consciousness. Ganga Nandini held a session on the Power of AUM. Participants also joined Stewart Gilchrist for Yogāsana and Śraddhā, exploring devotion and discipline within the practice of yoga.
Further sessions explored healing and longevity through teachings such as Sleep for Peak Performance with Dr Eden Goldman, USC Professor & Director, Easy Methods to Follow Every Day for Longevity with Dr AV Raju, and Rules & Regulations to Improve Health through Food with Dr Padma Nayani Gadhiraju, educating participants on healthy living.
Dr Krushna Pankaj Naram shared Ancient Secrets of Marma Shakti – exploring how vital energy points in the body can support healing and vitality.
Participants also experienced meditation and sound healing through Meditation from the Heart of Tantra: The Vijnana Bhairava Tantra with Mohan Bhandari a respected Yoga teacher for several years and Singing Bowl Sound Bath with Stine Dulong and Friends.
As evening descended, participants gathered once again along the sacred banks of the Ganga for the Ganga Yagna/Havan followed by the world-renowned Parmarth Niketan Ganga Aarti. The evening’s sacred atmosphere continued with joyful Bhajan Jamming with the Backstage Siblings, the dynamic brother-sister duo Raghav and Prachi from India, known for their heartfelt unplugged jam sessions that blend devotional music with contemporary musical expression, inviting participants to sing, clap and celebrate together in the spirit of bhakti along the banks of the sacred Maa Ganga.
Later, participants gathered for an Evening of Indian Ragas and Kirtan with Sudhanshu Sharma, bringing the day to a soulful and uplifting close beneath the Himalayan sky.
