Indo American News

Tag: IDY

5th International Day of Yoga Events Scheduled throughout Texas

BY MANU SHAH

HOUSTON: The Consulate General of India, Houston in collaboration with Friends of Yoga, is organizing several events across Texas to celebrate the 5th International Day of Yoga.
This ancient Indian practice received unprecedented global attention four years ago when the United Nations recognized June 21st as the International Day of Yoga. An initiative of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who himself starts his morning with yoga, the first IDY in 2015 saw people turning out in huge numbers stretching and breathing mindfully at public parks, convention centers and open spaces.

Yoga’s soaring popularity can be seen from the crowds that join in the celebration every year. From serious yoga practitioners to curious beginners, each successive IDY has been drawing bigger crowds and garnering greater interest. As with every year, this year too will feature a lineup of common yoga practices, relaxation techniques and guided meditation by well-known yoga instructors. An added attraction is an Indian Vegetarian Food Festival which will be held at select places to mark the 150th year of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary,

Houston will celebrate IDY on Friday, June 21 on the lush green lawns of Midtown Park (2811, Travis St, Houston Texas 77006). The event will begin at 6:00 pm with a demonstration of some of the more difficult yoga postures (asanas) and a cultural program. After brief remarks from the Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray, the guided group yoga (Asanas or Postures), Relaxation, Pranayama and Meditation will be led by different yoga experts. The event will wrap up at 7:30 pm with a color powder dance party or Holi as it is known in India. (RSVP at yogadayoftexas2019.eventbrite.com)

Coordinator of Houston’s yoga events and a firm believer in yoga for optimum health, Sharad Amin expressed his appreciation for the cooperation from Houston’s yoga community in celebrating IDY for the past four years. Yoga is a precious gift given by Indian sages to humanity, he noted, and emphasized the importance of practicing yoga for good health every day. “Each one should teach one” the health benefits of yoga as it is key to “being and well-being,” he added.

The Hindu Temple of The Woodlands will host the event on Saturday June 22 from 7:30 -10am at the Town Green Park. (2099 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380). Opening remarks will be made by Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray followed by yoga practices from participating yoga studios, Surya Namaskars or the Sun Salutation practice by HTW Yoga Group and the 35 minute yoga protocol set by the Government of India led by renowned yoga instructors Sriram Sarvotam and his wife Ekaterina Jeleva. The morning will conclude with a guided meditation session.
The Consulate General of India, Houston has also planned a series of events in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.
IDY will be observed in front of the stately State Capitol building in Austin on Saturday June 15 at 6:00 pm (1100 Congress Ave. Austin, Texas 78701), in Dallas on 22nd June, Saturday at 8:00 am at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza (1201 Hidden Ridge Dr., Irving, Texas, 75038) and in San Antonio on 21st June, Friday at 6:00 pm at the Riverwalk Mall (San Antonio, TX – 78205).

In addition to these main events, multiple events are being organized at churches, temples, community centers, Arya Samaj Greater Houston, Brahma Kumaris, India House, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Shakas (HSS), Jamatkhanas and Patanjali Yogpeeth USA Trust between 15th and 23rd June.
Please visit the following links for more information: Website : http://yogadayoftexas.org/; Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/yogadayoftexas/; Twitter : https://twitter.com/yogadayoftexas

The events are free and open to all. Bring your yoga mats and plan to arrive 20 minutes ahead to find a comfortable spot.
The events are being organized in association with The Art of Living Foundation, Arya Samaj Greater Houston, Brahma Kumaris Texas, Ekal Vidyalaya, Hindus of Greater Houston, Hindus Swayamsevak Sangh, Hindu Temple of the Woodlands, His Highness Aga Khan Council for the Southwestern United States, IMAGH, India House, IDoYoga, Isha Foundation, JK Yog, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas, Midtown Houston, Patanjali Yogapeeth USA Trust, Pralaya Yoga, Sahaj Yoga, Sewa International, Youniversoul Fest, Vyasa USA, Yoga Studios, Yoga Friends and volunteers.

June 16, 2019
A Bright Surya Namaskar at Int’l Yoga Day in The Woodlands

Click here for Photo Collage

By Jawahar Malhotra

THE WOODLANDS: Following up on the successful debut of the mass yoga event last year, the organizers from this township 45 minutes north of Houston once again held the International Day of Yoga, two days after the Summer Solstice on Saturday, June 23, just in time for the Sun to rise and allow everyone to start with the Surya Namaskar pose.

Blessedly, the rains that dampened the event last year were replaced by clear blue skies and mild temperatures as an estimated 300 people took part in the toga exercises, down from the almost 450 who attended last year.

This was the second IDY event – the first being on Thursday in Midtown Park in Houston – arranged by the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands, in partnership with the Houston Consulate General of India, Most of the staff of the Consulate were on hand with their families to participate and enjoy the early morning rituals of yoga asanas (poses). The Woodlands community showed their interest in yoga’s promise of health and wellness and several booths from area businesses lined both sides of the venue.

Participants to the free even came with their rubber yoga rolls and spread them out in rows on the slight incline of Town Greene Park, in the shadow of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. By 8 am, the yoga mats covered the grassy lawn as the leotard and t-shirt clad yoga practitioners followed the calming, sonorous voice from the short, elevated stage at the colonnaded and bricked entrance urging them to find the quiet space in their minds and focus on their asanas.

    Participants in the International Day of Yoga held at the Woodlands on Saturday, June 23

The program opened with prayers and meditation by the Brahmakumaris, a worldwide spiritual movement, and The Art of Living Foundation of The Woodlands. Short yoga demonstrations followed – sun salutations, relaxation and pranayama – taught by several area yoga instructors, including some from HTW. Participants, ranging from small children to octogenarians, followed guided meditation and asnayas with rapt attention, and were transported into tranquility in the serene setting of Town Greene Park.

                       Staff from the Indian Consulate and their families attended the event
The festive event was a wholesome family outing with live music, chanting, yoga studio booths and sale of yoga books as well as stalls of local vendors of organic groceries, health foods and hand-made jewelry. An Indian breakfast of biryani and vegetables was provided by the Hyderabad House Biryani Place of The Woodlands. The local H-E-B, across the street from the park, generously donated water and bananas to everyone

                                       Organizers and volunteers after the event ended

The event was coordinated by Dr. Neeta Shukla and brought together by the tireless efforts of countless adult and youth volunteers of the HTW, some of whom were at the venue at 4 am to set-up and the rains did not dampen their spirit. They meticulously planned the safety, security, parking, audio, photography and overall logistics over several weeks.

June 28, 2018
Yoga for Humanity & Peace, 4th International Day of Yoga!

IDY 2018 Core Team

By Manu Shah

HOUSTON: The Consulate General of India, Houston in partnership with several supporting organizations is gearing up to celebrate the transformative power of yoga through several events scheduled across Texas. June 21, 2018 will mark the Fourth International Day of Yoga (IDY) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and celebrated simultaneously in 155 countries around the world.

Coordinator of Houston’s yoga program and a longtime yoga practitioner himself, Sharad Amin stated that the focus of the 4th IDY is to encourage yoga among mainstream Houstonians through the Midtown Park main event on June 21st as well as over 15 yoga sessions organized at different locations spread over the month of June. These events could be an introduction to yoga for some and a continuation of practice for others. Yoga, he added, has a ripple effect because “when one person benefits, the whole community benefits.”

IDY will be celebrated in Houston on Thursday, June 21 at the Midtown Park (2811, Travis St, Houston Texas 77006). The event will begin at 6:00 pm with a demonstration of some of the more difficult yoga postures (asanas). After brief remarks from the Consul General, Dr. Anupam Ray, the guided group yoga will commence at 6:25 led by Director of SVYASA Houston, Vishwarupa Nanjundappa and Yoga teacher Olivia Keller. This will be followed by a Relaxation and Pranayama session by Roger Rippy and initiator of Pralay Yoga Robert Boustany respectively. The event will conclude by 7:30 pm with a color powder dance party or Holi as it is known in India led by Lindsey Law. (RSVP at yogadayoftexas2018.eventbrite.com)

Houston Yoga Teachers

The excellent response to the previous years’ IDY has encouraged the Hindu Temple of the Woodlands to host the event again on June 23, Saturday at 7:00am. . The young volunteers of their Vision to Reality project and Community Outreach Program by the Education Youth Service (EYS), are organizing the event in Town Green Park (2099 Lake Robbins Dr., The Woodlands, Texas 77780). Retired Vascular Surgeon, renowned Yoga Therapist & Ayurveda practitioner Dr. Dilip Sarkar will be the Chief Guest.

Local Yoga Studios are also involved in the event with many offering free yoga classes. There will be booths with information about yoga, yoga books for sale, and an Indian-style breakfast and lunch by Hyderabad House. Temple President Mukesh Mittal and Chairman Jagan Allam encourage all community members to join this global yoga movement.

A Continued Medical Education, (CME) meeting at Memorial Hermann of The Woodlands has also been organized.

The Indian Consulate of Houston has planned a series of events spread over a week in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

IDY will be observed in front of the stately State Capitol building in Austin on Saturday June 16 at 5:45 pm (1100 Congress Ave. Austin, Texas 78701), in Dallas on 17th June, Sunday at 7:30 am at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza (1201 Hidden Ridge Dr., Irving, Texas, 75038) and in San Antonio on 9th June, Saturday at 8:00 am at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center (900, E. Market St., San Antonio, TX, 78205).

The events are free and open to all. Bring your yoga mats and plan to arrive 20 minutes ahead to find a comfortable spot.

Please visit these links for more information: Website: http://yogadayoftexas.org

June 14, 2018
Third International Day of Yoga, Celebrate the Spirit and Power of Yoga on June 21

By Manu Shah

HOUSTON: The Consulate General of India, Houston in partnership with several supporting organizations is gearing up to celebrate the spirit and power of yoga through several events scheduled across the state of Texas. June 21st will mark the Third International Day of Yoga (IDY) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and celebrated simultaneously in 155 countries around the world.

In a statement, the Consul General remarked that yoga is what “we (India) export – wellbeing of mind and body – we do not export hatred or say that my religion is better than yours… what we say is that yoga is good for all.” Longtime Houstonian and Swayamsevak Sharad Amin who is responsible for the overall coordination of Houston’s yoga program stated that he “wanted to involve maximum number of yoga practitioners and followers and spread the awareness that yoga is not only an exercise but brings many benefits such as stress release, increased concentration and focused thinking.”

The Indian Consulate of Houston has planned a series of events spread over a week in Houston, Woodlands (Houston), Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

IDY will be celebrated in Houston on June 21 at the Levy Park (3801 Eastside St, Houston Texas 77098). Lawn activities will begin at 6:00pm. The guided group yoga will start at 6:35 after a brief message from the Consul General and will include restorative asana practice, wisdom, breathing and meditation. It will be led by the initiator of Pralay Yoga, one of Houston’s leading yoga schools, Robert Boustany. He will be accompanied by well-known yoga teacher Lindsey Law and the Director of SVYASA Houston, Vishwarupa Nanjundappa. The event will conclude by 7:30 pm with a color powder dance party.

The Hindu Temple of the Woodlands “Education Youth and Service” (EYS) yoga group is also sponsoring the IDY in the very beautiful Town Green Park (2099 Lake Robbins Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77780). The event will be held on Saturday, June 24, and will be from 7- 9:15am. It will begin with live music and chanting by the Art of Living group, followed by Raja Yoga Meditation by Mark Ram. Besides group participation in yoga, including Surya Namaskar or the Sun Salutation asana, there will be booths with information about yoga, yoga books for sale, and a free Indian-style breakfast.

IDY will be observed in front of the stately State Capitol building in Austin on June 17 at 6:00 pm. (1100 Congress Ave.

Austin, Texas 78701), in Dallas on 25th June, Sunday at 7:30 am at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza (1201 Hidden Ridge Dr., Irving, Texas, 75038) and in San Antonio on 17th June, Saturday at 8:00 am at Tripoint Center (3222, N. St. Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX, 78212).

Discover yoga if you’re a beginner or participate in a group session if you’re a practicing yogi. Join the global yoga movement and nations around the world as they gather to ignite the connection between the body, mind and soul.
The event is free and open to all. Bring your yoga mats and do plan to arrive 20 minutes ahead to find a comfortable spot to roll out your mat.

For more information, visit http://yogadayoftexas.org/ or Sharad Amin 713-854-0633

June 9, 2017