Yoga in India
Yoga is the spiritual and cultural heritage of India. In Sanskrit, yoga means ‘to unite’ and describes a way to live a healthy life. It is believed that yoga originated in India about 5,000 years ago. The oldest known yogic teachings are known as Vedic yoga and can be found in the four Vedas – Rig Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda and Atharva-Veda.
The great Sage Patanjali around the second century wrote “Yoga Sutra” that standardized Classical Yoga, which marked the classical period of yoga. Further, Modern yoga is believed to have begun with the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893 where the young Swami Vivekananda made a lasting impression on the world by espousing Yoga and Vedanta philosophy.
In continuation with this legacy, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi while addressing the 69th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014, urged the world community to adopt an international Day of Yoga. GoI successfully organised the First International Day of Yoga (IDY) on 21st June, 2015 at Rajpath, New Delhi along with a two days International Conference on "Yoga for Holistic Health" wherein about 1300 delegates from India and abroad participated. Millions of people in India and across the globe participated in the First International Day of Yoga celebration on 21st June. Outside India, IDY was celebrated in all the UNGA member countries except war torn Yemen, by the missions under Ministry of External Affairs in association with Ministry of AYUSH and various Yoga institutions and organisations.
Yoga tourism in India:
Various States in India have well established ancient yogic practices and holistic wellness centres which promote yoga among the people. These States offer a diverse basket of healthcare services and rejuvenation amenities like yoga, meditation, ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, unani, etc to tourists at reasonable prices. Various Indian States have taken novel initiatives through their tourism policy which is supplemented by activities of various yoga schools of different philosophies. The details of the State recognised Yoga Institutes and related Departments (Depart of AYUSH) in various States are given below. Further, additional details are available on National Health Portal of India,https://www.nhp.gov.in/ and related websites of the various State governments.
Some of the States with proven capabilities of Yoga tourism are mentioned below for the illustrative purpose.
1. Uttarakhand
Rishikesh is one of holiest spiritual destinations located on banks of the sacred Ganga in Uttarakhand, India. Known as Yoga Capital of the World, it attracts lots of pilgrims every year from India and all over the world. Rishikesh is known for Yoga and meditation therapies where many ashrams in Rishikesh offers courses on meditation, yoga, and philosophy.
Rishikesh has some of the most popular and renowned Yoga Ashrams and centres, mainly Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Shivananda Ashram, Patanjai Yogpeeth, Yoga Study Centre (for Hatha Yoga), Yoga Niketan, Sri Ved Niketan, Dayananda Vedanta Ashram, Brahma Niwas, and the famous Transcendental Meditation Centre of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
2. Kerala
Kerala is renowned for health tourism facilities and owes a lot to yoga and Ayurveda treatment facilities. The State promotes apart from the scenic beauty of nature, Yoga and Ayurveda therapies for its popularity as a wellness tourism State. The huge number of Yoga retreat centres in Kerala affirm its priority to Kerala’s tourism.
3. Maharashtra
The State’s tourism policy has Yoga and meditation as an integral component which aims at attracting international tour operators and tourists. Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur are home to some of the best state of the art hospitals in South Asia. These institutes also have rich experience in research and development and have a unique culture of practicing wellness, yoga, Ayurveda etc. in the State. The State provides complete packages of such above mentioned practices to these tourists as well as domestic travelers.
4. Assam
Assam Government through Assam Bikash Yojana, a Self- employment Generation Scheme in Tourism Sector, has facilitated and sponsored the development of Yoga training centres at various tourist places in the State. Further, Assam government has decided to set up yoga development centres in more than 300 development blocks across the State. The centres will have the objective to inculcate scientific temperament by imparting yoga knowledge to the youth.
5. Karnataka
Karnataka, home to the world renowned yoga master B K S Iyengar and the Iyengar yoga, continues to marvel and attract people to yoga training which is also complemented by world-class hospitals that provide qualitative and cost-effective treatment in cities like Bangalore and Mysore. Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Allopathy and other recognised forms of treatment are promoted under health tourism.
6. Puducherry
Puducherry is the spiritual land where many Siddhas and Saints attained salvation. In this beautiful and peaceful spiritual land, many research works were done on yoga where two Yoga Institutions of world fame are functioning. The Government of Puducherry has been conducting Yoga Festivals regularly which comprises Yogasana practicals, Presentation of papers, discourses & workshops, Yoga Therapy, Yogic food, Yogic music & dance etc. which is a major attraction for tourists.
7. Odisha
Odisha Government has proposed a 100 crore project for developing the Buddhist Circuit of Odisha under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Central Government to promote wellness and religious tourism which are major attractions for tourists to the state. It encompasses mainly yoga, performing arts, temple food and cuisine, and festivals.
8. Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh has been on the forefront for Yoga and Ayurveda and ancient treatment systems which are available there. For promotion of health tourism the UP Government has proposed various initiatives like opening of yoga wellness centers in all UP districts. While in 40 districts, the centers will come up in Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy government hospitals existing there, in remaining 35 districts the State Government will partner the Central Government for opening a centre in each of them.
Further, the Government will establish specialized centers of Ayurveda and Unani methods of treatment in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Saharanpur and Banda along with starting post graduate courses in State Ayurveda College and Hospital in Varanasi and Unani College, Allahabad.
9. Gujarat
The state Department of AYUSH has decided to push yoga not only as a mind and body fitness module, but also as a cure for various diseases. With this objective, the department has decided to conduct disease-oriented yoga sessions. These sessions would be held at ayurvedic hospitals in Ahmedabad, Patan, Rajkot and Limdi (Dahod). The Department of AYUSH would rope in specialised yoga instructors as well as take help from various NGOs in spreading awareness on these disease-oriented camps.
12. Goa
Goa has promoted itself as a Centre for wellness and yoga tourism at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) event held in Dubai to attract travelers from the Middle East during the monsoon season. Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) feels that during the monsoons, when the Sea & Sand tourism is low, they will promote Ayurveda, Yoga and wellness tourism during this season of the year. This will allow people to visit Goa with a different purpose and will boost tourism in the State.
11. Jammu and Kashmir
With an aim to give fillip to the tourism sector in Jammu, an International Yoga Centre (IYC) will come up at Mantalai in Udhampur district as part of the ‘integrated development of tourist facilities’ project at Mantalai—Sudhmahadev-Patnitop circuit. Under the Prime Minister’s Development Programme Rs. 82.17 crore has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for the IYC at Mantalai as a part of integrated development of tourist facilities at Mantalai- Sudhmahadev-Patnitop circuit. The project includes construction of yoga centre with associated infrastructure, wellness, spa, ayurveda complex, separate areas for traditional Indian spa therapies with library and archiving centre.
Visa Facility
Realising the spread and importance of yoga world over, the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a decision to include short term yoga programmes in e-tourist visa scheme. Further, e-Visa is classified into e-Tourist Visa, e-Business Visa, and e-Medical Visa with the aim to promote investment friendly environment and to popularise Indian System of Medicine for international tourists.
List of State recognized Yoga Institute and related Departments in various States
Delhi
Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga
68, Ashoka Road, Near Gole Dak Khana
New Delhi - 110001
Contact: 011-23730417/23730418/23721472
Website: www.yogamdniy.nic.in
Uttrakhand
Parmarth Niketan Ashram
P.O. Swargashra
Rishikesh (Himalayas); Uttarakhand- 249304
Contact: 0135-2434301/2434302
Website: http://www.parmarth.com/index.php
Phool Chatti Ashram
Neelkanth Temple Road
Paliyal Gaon
Uttarakhand- 249302
Contact: 0135 – 6981303/2122196
Website: http://www.phoolchattiyoga.com/
Yoga Niketan Ashram
Muni-Ki-Reti
P.O. Shivanand Nagar
Rishikesh, Utaranchal- 249192
Contact: 0135-2430227/2435072
Website:http://www.yoganiketanashram.org/
Maharashtra
The Yoga Institute
Shri Yogendra Marg
Prabhat Colony, Santacruz East
Mumbai – 400055
Contact: 022-26122185/26110506
Website: http://theyogainstitute.org/
Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute
1107 B/1, Hare Krishna Mandir Rd, Model Colony, Shivaji Nagar
Pune, Maharashtra - 411016
Contact: 020-25656134
Website: http://www.bksiyengar.com/
Shri Ambika Yoga Kutir
B. K. Mill Compound, Meenatai Thackeray Chowk
L.B.S. Road, Thane (West),
Maharashtra, India 400606
Contact: 022-21720876
022-21724951 Website: http://www.ambikayogkutir.org/
Karnataka
Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana or VYASA
# 19, ‘Eknath Bhavan’, Gavipuram Circle,
Kempe Gowda Nagar, Bengaluru – 560 019,
Tel: 080-2661 2669 | Telefax: 080-2660 8645
E-mail: info[at]svyasa[dot]edu[dot]in http://www.svyasa.edu.in
Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute
8th Cross Road, Vani Vilas Mohalla, Mysore
Karnataka- 570002
Contact: 09880185500
Website: http://kpjayi.org/
Tamil Nadu
Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram
New No.31 (Old #13) Fourth Cross Street
Rama Krishna Nagar, Mandaveli. Chennai - 600028
Contact: 044-24937998/24933092
Website: http://www.kym.org/
Integral Yoga Institute
139/86, West Sambandam Road
R S Puram, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-641002
Contact: 0422-2556770
Website:http://www.integralyogaindia.org/
Isha Yoga Center
Govindasamy Naidu Layout, Singanallur
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-641005
Contact: 0422-2515345
Website: http://isha.sadhguru.org/isha-global-centers/isha-yoga-center/
Kerala
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram
Neyyar Dam P.O.
Thiruvananthapuram District (Trivandrum)
Kerala-695572
Contact: 0471-2273093 /2272703
Website: https://www.sivananda.org/neyyardam/
Amritapuri Ashram
Mata Amritanandamayi Math
Amritapuri.p.o, Kollam, Kerala-690525
Contact: 0476-2897578/2896399
Website: http://www.amritapuri.org/ashram
Bihar
Bihar School of Yoga
Ganga Darshan Fort, Munger, Bihar- 811201
Contact: 06344-222430/228603
Website: http://www.biharyoga.net/bihar-school-of-yoga/about-bsy/
Rajasthan
Brahma Kumari Center
Shantivan Complex
Post box No-1,Abu Road, Rajasthan- 307510
Contact: 09414151111
Website: http://www.brahmakumaris.com/
Assam
Tourist Information Office
Lokapriya G.N.B. international Airport
Borjhar, Guwahati, Assam
Phone: +91-98640-71100
Pudduchery
Department of Tourism
Ph: +91 413 2358570, 73, 76
Fax: +91 413 2358572
Email: pondytourism[at]gmail[dot]com, tourism[dot]pon[at]nic[dot]in
Odisha
Department of Health & Family Welfare
Government of Odisha, Bhubaneswar
FAX :(0674) 2390674
Website: http://www.ayushodisha.nic.in
Indian Institute of Yogic Science & Research
Bhuvneshwar, Odisha
Phone : 0674-2742891,2742657
Mob: +919438181217, 919040372947
E mail :info[at]iiysar[dot]ac[dot]in
Website: www.iiysar.ac.in
Gujarat
Indian Systems of Medicine & Homeopathy (AYUSH)
Office Address :
2nd Floor, Block No. 1,
Dr. Jivraj Mehta Bhavan, Sector – 10,
Gandhinagar. (Gujarat)
Phone No. : 079-23253785
Email : ismh[at]gujarat[dot]gov[dot]in
Jammu & Kashmir
Directorate General of Indian System of Medicine,
Shalteng, Srinagar-J&K Ph No: 0194-2496198
Indira Chowk Jammu-J&K Ph No: 0191-2543988
Website:http://www.jkdism.in/contact.php