KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli likened yoga to the African spirit of Ubuntu (human kindness), as he championed the United Nations' International Day of Yoga — now firmly rooted in Durban as its official host city. (Marlan Padayachee)
The International Day of Yoga was born from an address by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UN General Assembly in 2014.
Within three months, on 11 December that year, 193 member states and 173 co-sponsor countries voted unanimously to enshrine 21 June as a global day to honour the ancient Indian discipline of yoga.
Eleven years on, the vibrant city of Durban — framed by its Indian Ocean shoreline and legacy of civilisational convergence — hosted South Africa’s official yoga day celebration on Saturday, 21 June 2025.
A record turnout of more than 4 000 participants — 1 000 more than the 10th edition in 2024 — painted a sea of serenity of men, women and children of culturally-diverse yogis and keep-fit enthusiasts, prompting the keynote speaker and chief guest, KZN’s Premier Thami Ntuli to declare: “These huge crowds of participants augurs well for the future of yoga as India’s gift to us. Yoga has become the new spirit of ubuntu for all our communities.”
The Durban Amphitheatre, typically a weekend haunt for joggers and walkers, was transformed into a vibrant tapestry of yogis and enthusiasts paying homage to an art that had journeyed from Himalayan caves to nearly every corner of the globe.
Yoga’s roots stretch back over 5 000 years, derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, meaning “to unite”. It was a practice designed to synchronise body, mind and spirit — a concept that had begun to resonate globally across geographies, generations and social strata.
This global renaissance owed much to a constellation of modern Hindu spiritual leaders — not the ancient sages, but contemporary visionaries who globalised the discipline. Swami Vivekananda first introduced Raja Yoga to the West at the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in the US. Later, Sri T Krishnamacharya, hailed as the “Father of Modern Yoga”, choreographed yoga’s evolution into the accessible, postural discipline practised today.
In South Africa, Swami Sivananda’s Divine Life Society, founded in Durban, played a unique role — not only in propagating Hatha Yoga but in uplifting black communities during apartheid’s darkest decades. Carrying this legacy forward was Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Zulu — philanthropist, cultural activist and adopted son of the late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuZulu. Through his Sivananda World Peace Foundation, Ramlutchman championed yoga as a tool for peace-building, wellness and social cohesion.
As a protege of Swami Sahajananda, Ramlutchman emerged as a key figure in yoga’s African journey. Under his leadership, the yoga day celebration grew from a modest gathering to a 4 000-strong annual spectacle, making it one of Durban’s most anticipated cultural highlights. This year’s celebration unfolded just weeks after the city successfully hosted the Africa Travel Indaba, a four-day trade and tourism showcase that attracted over 9 000 delegates and injected more than R500 million into Durban’s economy.
Durban Tourism’s Winile Mntungwa noted that the indaba had generated R226 million in direct economic impacts. Phindile Makwakwa, COO of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, credited the province’s rich cultural mosaic for positioning it as a premier destination. Lindiwe Rakharebe, CEO of the Durban ICC, added that hotel occupancies had exceeded 80%, signalling a “promising rebound”.
Amid this climate of renewal and optimism, Ramlutchman affirmed that yoga’s stronghold in Durban was no accident. “This city, with its cross-cultural DNA and demographic diversity, is the ideal ambassador for yoga’s universal message of unity in diversity,” he remarked in an address to attendees.
Among the dignitaries present were city councillor Bheki Mngwengwe, who echoed eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba’s gratitude for the choice of the city for the annual showpiece and a constellation of political, cultural and diplomatic leaders — affirming that yoga had transcended its sacred roots to become a unifying civic tradition.
Premier Ntuli, delivering the keynote address for the second consecutive year, described yoga as a “transformative force that fosters inner peace and social harmony”. He commended Ramlutchman and the foundation for extending yoga’s reach into rural and historically underserved communities.
KZN legislative speaker Ntobeko Boyce echoed this sentiment, saying: “Yoga reminds us that healing begins within. The International Day of Yoga has become a cornerstone of our provincial calendar.”
Messages of support poured in from across the leadership spectrum. In a heartfelt note, Zulu monarch King Misuzulu kaZwelithini acknowledged the foundation’s enduring contribution to the well-being of his people. “Yoga will bring change to the lives of my people by fostering awareness, focus and wellness,” he wrote.
South Africa’s Ministry of Health also weighed in, endorsing yoga as an invaluable tool for public health. “Yoga aligns with our mission to improve public health, reduce stress and encourage healthy living,” the ministry noted in a statement. “It addresses both modern illnesses and emotional burdens.”
Veteran MP Poobalan Les Govender, IFP deputy chair of the National Council of Provinces, described yoga as “a discipline for self-discovery, growth and resilience”, with the power to build inclusive communities grounded in emotional well-being.
Professor Anil Sooklal, South Africa’s newly appointed High Commissioner to India, Bangladesh and Nepal, praised Durban’s role in advancing cultural diplomacy. “This celebration is a milestone in South Africa-India cultural and people-to-people cooperation,” he said from New Delhi.
Indeed, yoga’s South African story is one of revival, resilience and reinvention — from the spiritual foothills of Rishikesh to the coastal breezes of eThekwini. As Durban hosted thousands beneath its crisp winter sun, the 2025 International Day of Yoga stood once again as a living reminder that in unity, there is healing, and in stillness, there is strength.
Yoga – India’s timeless gift to the world — continues to inspire health, harmony and higher consciousness in a fast-paced post-modern era.
“This year also marks the global unveiling of the Sivananda International initiative — a call to humanity to embrace yoga not as a trend, but as a timeless truth. Yoga is not merely a physical workout; it is a sacred way of life. In a world often consumed by noise and chaos, yoga grants us the rarest of gifts: inner stillness, clarity and peace,” said Ramlutchman.
“With nearly 200 million practitioners worldwide — from every nation, every race and every faith — yoga has become a universal language of well-being. Over 20 million people in the United States alone have embraced this tradition, yet its soul resides in its birthplace, India — and it belongs to the world.
“As South Africans, as global citizens, let us walk together on this noble path. Let us build communities rooted in peace, humility, health and spiritual devotion. Let us foster a world where creed and colour no longer divide us, but unite us in shared breath and common purpose.
“Let this International Day of Yoga be a beacon — a glorious opening for humanity to rediscover the power of oneness. When the world moves as one, there is no conflict, no injustice and no disparity — only unity in diversity,” Ramlutchman said.
“It was a beautiful scene of a sea of people,” he reminisced, adding: “Children, youth and elders practiced side by side. Healthcare workers, township-based wellness advocates, diplomats and yoga teachers moved to the same breath — and symbolised unity in diversity, echoing the values of our Constitution and our rainbow nation.”
Marlan Padayachee is a seasoned former political, foreign and diplomatic correspondent in the transition from apartheid to democracy and is a freelance journalist, photographer and researcher.