India Consulate hosts Table Mountain yoga event to promote wellness and balance

The Consulate General of India in Cape Town hosted a curtain raiser event for the International Day of Yoga on Table Mountain on Saturday, bringing together participants to reflect on health, balance, mindfulness and the connection between yoga and nature.

The event, held on 6 June 2026, was hosted ahead of the main International Day of Yoga celebration, which will take place on 21 June at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

Consul General of India in Cape Town, Ruby Jaspreet, welcomed guests to the event and thanked Table Mountain authorities for their cooperation in making the gathering possible, despite the cold weather.

“I am glad we had all the cooperation from the Table Mountain authorities to do this,” Jaspreet said.

She also extended a special welcome to Western Cape Health and Wellness MEC Mireille Wenger, who attended as the chief guest.

Jaspreet said the event formed part of the build-up to the main International Day of Yoga celebration on June 21.

Western Cape Health and Wellness MEC Mireille Wenger, who attended the event as chief guest, said yoga should also be understood as part of a broader conversation about prevention and wellbeing.

She said the setting was significant, as yoga had a deep connection to balance, wellness, mindfulness and harmony with nature.

“We gather to commemorate International Yoga Day and celebrate a practice that has enriched lives across cultures and across generations. There could hardly be a more fitting setting than this,” Jaspreet said.

She said Table Mountain, one of Cape Town’s most iconic natural landmarks, provided a powerful space to reflect on the essence of yoga, including unity, calm, balance and connection.

Wenger added: “I often speak about prevention. While healthcare services play a vital role when we are ill, building healthy societies requires us to invest in the ability of people to stay well in the first place. Yoga is one such practice that provides that opportunity.” 

She said yoga offered people an opportunity to pause, breathe and reflect, while supporting mental wellbeing, reducing stress, and encouraging mindfulness.

Wenger said research continued to show the benefits of consistent yoga practice, including improved balance, better cardiovascular health, and emotional wellbeing.

“One of the best things about yoga is its accessibility. It reminds us that better wellbeing is accessible.”

 She also highlighted how yoga was being used in communities, including in Khayelitsha, where community leaders had introduced yoga for children as a way to build emotional resilience.

Wenger said children in Khayelitsha were being taught breathing techniques to help them find calm in stressful environments, adding that what started as a small after-school activity had become a space where children could learn tools to cope, breathe, and reflect.

The Consulate said the Table Mountain event followed a previous yoga event in Stellenbosch, set against the natural beauty of the Helshoogte Mountain Pass.

The curtain raiser forms part of the build-up to the main International Day of Yoga celebration on June 21, which will be held at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“As we celebrate, I wish each of you health, balance and peace, both on and off the mat,” Wenger said.

lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za