Welcome to the  International Yoga Festival

Puducherry –the spiritual land where many Siddhas and Saints attained salvation. Spirituality, Culture and the Heritage make this Territory a center of living peace and harmony. The art of Yoga and Asana is developed in this land by many spiritual leaders and thus Puducherry attracts lovers of peace across the World. As part of this  importance, Department of Tourism, Government of Puducherry has been conducting the International Yoga Festival since 1993. Seeing the response and enthusiasm shown by the participants from all over the World and from India , the festival is conducted regularly as an annual event on 4^th-7^th January every year. The festival aims at the development of the conscious process at physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels and completeness in every aspects of life.

 The Yoga Festival for this year 2010 will be conducted from 4^th to 7^th January at Pondicherry . The day 1 starts with registration of delegates, inaugural function and cultural programmes(see the programme below). The festival ends with selection of the Champion of the Yogasana Competitions. The registration for participation can be done on online but the both registered and unregistered participants should be present on 4^th January 2010, 10.00m hrs at the Subhalakshmi Mahal, M.G.Road, Muthialpet, Pondicherry-3 for confirmation.  The Department of Tourism has facilitated online registration to encourage the participants to register themselves without waiting for manual registration. Those who have registered online and  others who seek manual registration should be present on 4^th January 2010, 10.00 hrs at the Subhalakshmi Mahal, M.G.Road, Muthialpet, Pondicherry-3 for collection of their ‘Welcome Kit’ to avail accommodation/food facilities during the festival.

 The event consists of practical yogasana competitions for various age groups(please see the syllabus below) of both male and female, lecture demonstrations and discussions on the various topics on Yoga. The tentative schedule of event is given below.:

Topics for the Workshop :

Venue : Subhalakshmi Mahal, M.G.Road, Muthialpet, Puducherry – 3

Schedule of Programmes:

Venue : Bharathidasan Thidal,Gingee Salai, Puducherry – 1

Yogasana Competitions:

The main attraction of the festival is the “Asana” competitions for all age groups separately for male and female. The age group from 10-15 to 51 and above will be held. The marks will be assigned by a 5 member team of Juries on the stage of performance. The top 5 of each age group of both male and female will be called for written theory exam on the evening of 6^th January 2010 which will be held at the Subhalakshmi Mahal. The top scorer of competitors of will be called for selection of the  Champion of the Meet.

The syllabus for Yogasana Competition(Practical)

Age Group- 10 to 15

1. UTTHITA HASTA PADANGUSTHASANA (21)
2. BADDHA KONASANA (101)
3. MARICHYANANA (144)
4. SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA (259)
5. BHUJAPIDASANA (348)
6. KARNAPIDASANA (246)
7. ASTAVAKRASANA (343)
8. EKA PADASARVANGASANA (250)
9. NATARAJASANA (589)

Age Group- 16 to 20

1. DURVASASANA (383)
2. KASYAPASANA (400)
3. PADANGUSTHA DHANURASANA (555)
4. VISVAMITRASANA (403)
5. PASASANA (328)
6. VIRASANA (89)
7. AKARNADHANURASANA(173)
8. SUPTAKONASANA (247)
9. EKA PADA VIPARITA DANDASANA (521)  

Age Group- 21 to 25

1. VATAYANASANA (58)
2. YOGA MUDRASANA (120)
3. EKA PADA BAKASANA (446)
4. MALASANA (321)
5. EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA (542)
6. ARTHA MATSYENDRASANA (312)
7. UTTANA PADMA MAYURASANA (267)
8. PASCHIMOTTANASANA (161)
9. PARVATASANA (107)  

Age Group- 26 to 35

1. GARUDASANA (56)
2. ARTHA BADDHA PADMOTTANASANA (52)
3. SAMAKONASANA (477)
4. LAGHU VAJRASANA (513)
5. BAKASANA (409)
6. PARIVRTTA JANU SIRSASANA (132)
7. SALAMBA SARVANGASANA (234)
8. EKA PADA SIRASASANA (371)
9. PARIPURNA NAVASANA (78)

Age Group- 36 to 50

1. VIRABHADRASANA (17)
2. KROUNCHASANA (142)
3. DHANURASANA (63)
4. VASISTHASANA (398)
5. SUPTA KONASANA (247)
6. JATHARA PARIVARTANASANA (274)
7. URTHVA DHANURASANA (486)
8. SALAMBA SARVANGASANA (234)
9. ANANTASANA (290)

Age Group- 51 above

Own choice.

Workshop:

The speakers including invitees have to report and register on 4^th January at the Subhalakshmi Mahal. The stage for the Workshop will be within the premises of the Subhalakshmi Mahal and the detailed programme can be collected along with the ‘Welcome Kit’.

Lecture Demonstration:

 The participants registered under the category for Lecture Demonstration including invitees have to report and register on 4^th January at the Subhalakshmi Mahal. The stage for the Lecture Demonstration will be at the Bharathidasan Thidal, Gingee Salai and the detailed programme can be collected along with the ‘Welcome Kit’.

Initiatives:

 For the first time, the Dept. of Tourism has attempted online registration facilities and participants can chose better option of packages that includes comfortable stay during the festival.

Packages:

Accommodation in premium class(single)                                  INR 11260

Accommodation in premium class(twin sharing)                         INR 6850

(3 star hotel accommodation)

 Accommodation in Budget class(single)                                    INR 5680

Accommodation in Budget class(twin sharing)                            INR 3880

(2 star hotel accommodation)

 Accommodation in Economy class(single)                                 INR 3880

Accommodation in Economy class(twin sharing)                         INR 2800

(Non star hotel accommodation)

 All categories of participant will be taken care of accommodation, food & transport between hotel room and function venues.

 Apart from the participant registration, any one can register as delegate and chose any of the packages above, will be provided respective hotel accommodation, simple Indian vegetarian food for three times, transport between hotel room to function venue. They can also avail additional facilities like local sight seeing tour, heritage walk, package tours to neighboring tourist places,etc.,  on demand/extra payment from Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation, No.40, Goubert Avenue, Pondicherry-1 phone: 2226744, contact:Mr.S.Vijayakumar.

For further information/assistance, please call 

Mr. S.Subramanian/ST.Chidambaram, 
Dept. Of Tourism, 
#40, Goubert Avenue,  
Pondicherry 605 001. 
Phone: +91 413 2227275/2227276 
Fax: : +91 413 2221022 
Email:yoga.pondytourism@gmail.com