10th International Yoga Day Celebrated at Hindu Heritage Centre Rotorua

The 10th International Day of Yoga was celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Hindu Heritage Centre in Rotorua on Saturday, 22 June 2024. This event, organised in collaboration with the Indian High Commission to New Zealand, embraced this year’s theme, “Yoga for Self and Society,” highlighting yoga’s dual role in promoting both individual and societal well-being.

Participants from diverse cultural backgrounds, including Maori, Italian, German, American, Spanish, South African, Indian, and Fijian communities, came together, showcasing yoga as a unifying force. This celebration was part of the Health for Humanity Yogathon, which runs from June 12 to June 26 across several New Zealand cities, encouraging everyone to learn, participate, and incorporate yoga into their daily lives.

The event featured a variety of yoga practices, meditation sessions, mantra chanting, bhakti music, and talks by experts from across New Zealand. Organised annually since 2011, the Health for Humanity Yogathon promotes yoga on a mass scale, reaching out to yoga schools, retreats, gyms, and community organisations to acknowledge their contributions to teaching and promoting yoga.

This year’s International Day of Yoga at the Hindu Heritage Centre was led by Ma Ananda Kalaadevi, a renowned Yogacharya from Rotorua. Participants engaged in a series of yoga postures that highlighted yoga’s holistic benefits for physical strength, mental calmness, and spiritual well-being. Ma Kalaadevi’s profound knowledge and serene presence inspired attendees, making the session both impactful and memorable.

The session concluded with a Surya Namaskar sequence conducted by Monika Bansal, the Rotorua coordinator of the Health for Humanity Yogathon. This one-day event aimed to inspire the community to learn and practice yoga at home, in schools, and in workplaces.

Expressing her delight at the community’s enthusiastic participation, Ma Ananda Kalaadevi remarked, “This International Day of Yoga programme created a wonderful opportunity for people to explore the connections between body, mind, and soul. The turnout and engagement we saw, especially at the Hindu Heritage Centre, were truly heartening.”

Dr. Guna Magesan, the President of the Hindu Council of New Zealand, thanked everyone for their enthusiastic participation and announced the upcoming New Zealand Hindu Elders Conference, scheduled for Saturday, 28 September 2024.

Participants are encouraged to continue their yoga practice beyond the event and share their experiences and Sun Salutation counts on social media using the hashtag #YogathonNZ. More information and updates about the Rotorua Yogathon events can be found on the Facebook page YogathonNZ.

The Hindu Council of New Zealand extends its heartfelt thanks to all who participated and supported the event, making it a resounding success. We look forward to continuing this journey of health and humanity in the years to come.