Ni Komang Erviani, THE JAKARTA POST, DENPASAR | Fri, 02/27/2009 2:49 PM | Bali
The Bali India Foundation will hold an international yoga festival from March 3-10 that will feature some 100 yoga practitioners from Indonesia and overseas, including from India, Germany, Sweden and the United States.
The festival will be spread out over the island, with events taking place in the capital Denpasar, Bangli, Klungkung and Ubud, as well as sessions held at the foundation office.
"Bali is believed to be the best place in the world to practice yoga," Bali India Foundation chairman Somvir said Thursday.
"This event will also promote Bali as a destination of spiritual tourism."
The festival will not only involve yoga practitioners and enthusiasts but also artists and intellectuals who will discuss various issues related to yoga.
Various seminars will be held on yoga-related themes such as the arts, beauty, ecology, health, lifestyle, peace, pluralism and philosophy.
The festival also aims to answer a controversy following a fatwa or edict issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) banning the practicing of yoga that contains Hindu chants.
MUI head of research Salman Harun has already confirmed his attendance to discuss the edict declaring yoga haram (forbidden).
"We will hold a special seminar to discuss yoga from an Islamic perspective," Somvir said.
The festival will kick off at the Bali People's Struggle Monument on March 3 with a yoga parade.
Tourism industry analyst Nyoman Sirtha said the yoga festival would strengthen the image of Bali as a spiritual tourism destination.
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