Grab a mat for International Day of Yoga

Local yogis can get plenty of namaste this Wednesday, as the Indian Embassy celebrates International Day of Yoga, organized locally and in 177 nations worldwide.

It’s the ninth year of celebrating yoga, adopted as a UN resolution in 2014 and celebrated on June 21, the longest day of the year.

In Israel, the main events take place in Tel Aviv, with partnered yoga practices happening around the country, and the main yoga practices accompanied by live music at the Peres Center for Peace from 6 p.m. onward.

The headlining yoga instructors this year are Darshana Rajput, a master of yoga and currently posted at Tel Aviv’s Indian Cultural Center, an outpost of the embassy, where she teaches free classes on a regular basis.

The other lead yoga instructor teaching classes is Talia Sutra, an Israeli-born New Yorker who’s been practicing yoga and meditation since age six.

If the Jaffa-based Peres Center feels like too much of a schlep, there’s yoga at Fitter, 45 Hayarkon, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with yoga training, products and music, all for the cost of NIS 40 ticket (through the app) and NIS 50 online.

Down in Eilat, they’re offering yoga for free on June 21 at Mosh Beach, along with music and meditation, from 5 p.m. into the night.

In Jerusalem, Yoga Synagogue Ah!, led by Laura Gilinski, is pairing up with the Artists’ Workshops in Talpiot, with a gallery talk at the “An Invisible Ocean” exhibit followed by a sunset yoga class on the roof of the Artists’ Workshops. It’s all free, just bring a yoga mat to 26 Hauman Street, 3rd floor, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

And if you can’t make it to a yoga class on Wednesday, Anu Museum is marking International Yoga Day two days later on Friday, on the roof of the museum with a yoga class led by Keren Nadler from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., followed by a tour of the museum focused on outstanding women, all for a NIS 89 ticket.