The Heritage Tour conducted by the Hindu Heritage Foundation from March 4 to 8 involving students from 54 countries strengthens the bond of humanity
The 17th Heritage Tour organised by the Hindu Heritage Foundation for the students of various countries visited Haridwar and Rishikesh from March 4 to 8 to have first experience of Indian values. The tour began on the night of March 3 from Delhi. A total of 162 students from 54 countries including China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, etc enrolled for the tour. They were accompanied by the officials from Hindu Heritage Foundation, Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (Agra and Delhi) and special representatives of Ambassadors of Nepal and Bhutan.
The main objective of the tour was to make the students understand the culture and heritage of India—how to live together as a human being irrespective of the way of worship we follow, to be human first.
On March 4, the tour reached Pathanjali Yogapeeth in Haridwar and stayed there for two days. The students had wonderful interaction with Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishan. They also had a yoga session with Baba Ramdev. They also learnt Ayurvedic herbs, visited gau shalas and also visited yog ashram, where they saw how Ayurvedic treatment is given to the patients.
The students also visited Vatsalya Vatika, an orphanage home run by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Haridwar. Students came to know about the Hindu views on seva, love and humanity. They interacted with the children living there and shared their cultural activities with them. The students also participated in the Matra Pitra Pujan to know how we offer respect to our parents. At the end of the day the students presented their respective cultural activities.
After two day stay at Patanjali they moved to Rishikesh on March 6. On the way to Rishikesh, they had a brief stay on the banks of River Ganga in Haridwar and had a holy bath. They enjoyed the holy bath and felt blessed.
In Rishikesh students were welcome by Parmarth Niketan. They participated in International Yoga Festival 2017 organised by Parmarth Niketan there. They had a session on Swami Vivekananda, yoga classes at Ganga Ghat, Ganga Arti and water blessings on the bank of the Holy Ganga in Rishikesh.
The students also had an interaction among themselves on current affairs of the world and what can be the possible solution and how they can contribute in making the atmosphere healthy and peaceful. A show was also organised for them where Sufi singer Kailash Kher and drummer Shiv Mani performed at Ganga Ghat.
The Hindu Heritage Foundation is a voluntary organisation which works for the foreign students who come to India to learn Hindi, Sanskrit, Classical Music and Dance, and other courses. It helps them to understand Indian culture and heritage.
Since Hinduism believes in humanity and love, the Heritage Tour was meant to give a message of love, affection and humanity irrespective of the religion one follows.
