PRANAYAMA – BREATH & THE BODY 

Registration at 9:00 am | Program 9:15 am – 10:15 am 

Asia Society members / Friends of IBB / Students: HK$100 | Non-members: HK$120 

Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher George Dovas, will lead this session which is suitable for beginners and all levels of yoga enthusiasts. HOW we breathe is as important as the fact THAT we breathe! Pranayama, an integral part of yoga, is the practice of breath regulation. In Sanskrit, 'prana' means life energy/vital life force and yama" means control. The practice of pranayama involves breathing exercises and patterns that calm and steady the mind and body. Join George Dovas and explore the most vital aspects of breath, in an hour of 'pranayama', as we prepare ourselves for the day of activity to follow at India by the Bay. 

George Dovas encountered Iyengar Yoga in Sydney, Australia in 1999. Since then, he has continued to faithfully practice the teachings of Yogacharya BKS Iyengar. In 2001, George moved to Hong Kong where he is now a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher at The Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong. Annually, he spends a minimum of one month studying at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India with the Iyengar family. George is the Chair for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Hong Kong (IYAHK) and is also an assessor of teachers, seeking Iyengar Yoga certification in South East Asia and China.

IYENGAR YOGA SESSION 

Registration at 10:15 am | Program 10:30 am – 11:30 am 

Asia Society members / Friends of IBB: HK$100 | Non-members: HK$120 

Iyengar Yoga, named after and developed by BKS Iyengar, is a form of yoga that emphasises precision and alignment in the performance of yoga postures/asanas. Join Devika Virmani, a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher as she leads this session which is suitable for beginners and all levels of practitioners. Recognising that everybody is unique, Devika will guide this session focussing on what is suitable for the individual participant. An hour of yoga that focuses on alignment and postures, with tips on how to be present outward but focus inwards at the same time, the session will leave you more energised and at the same time much calmer. 

Devika Virmani - After having given up a 10-year career in banking, Devika Virmani, a long time student of Yoga, is now a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher who teaches in Hong Kong. Yoga provided her with strength – physical, emotional and spiritual - and helped her chart a new direction in her life. Devika is the Vice-Chair 

for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Hong Kong (IYAHK). 

YOGA FOR THE FAMILY & TEENAGERS (with a focus on teenager's well-being)

Registration at 11:30 am | Program 11:45 am to 12:30 pm

Asia Society members/ Friends of IBB/Students: HK$100 | Non-members: HK$120

Bilingual Session : English & Cantonese

Icy Lee will lead this bilingual session for the family. Icy has been teaching Yoga for nearly two decades and the founder of Yogaśālā Hong Kong. She trains teachers & serves as an assessor on the Iyengar Yoga Assessment Committee of Southeast Asia.

Yoga is a healing, strengthening, calming, and empowering practice that offers something for everybody, regardless of age, gender, and fitness level. Icy will guide adults and children through this 45-min session which will enable us to better connect with each other and with oneself through a routine designed for the whole family.

LUNCH BREAK 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Lunch Boxes available onsite: HKD 80 EACH.

A specially curated wellness menu by VEDA – Veda is a celebration of the Earth and all that comes with it. Crafted by their chefs the menu offers food that is minimally processed, rich in flavour and simplistic by nature.

CONNECT THROUGH STORYTELLING WITH HK STORIES

Registration at 1:45 pm | Program 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Asia Society members / Friends of IBB / Students: HK$100 | Non-members: HK$120

Join Rachel Smith from Hong Kong Stories as she leads this storytelling session for India by the Bay and addresses the challenges of a post-Covid World through individual personal experiences. Hong Kong Stories is a group dedicated to the art of storytelling in Hong Kong. They focus on telling true, first person stories live on stage, without notes and in front of an audience.

Hong Kong Stories is dedicated to the art of true, first person storytelling in Hong Kong. They are volunteer led and run by members of their community. You can access their past stories on their podcast and find details on workshops and how to attend them on the HK stories website. Rachel Smith, an artist, teacher and storyteller, is the producer of the group and the host of the podcast. Find all the information needed to tell great stories at www.hongkongstories.com

WELLNESS REDEFINED - A PANEL DISCUSSION

Registration at 3:00 pm | Program 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm

Asia Society members / Friends of IBB / Students: HK$100 | Non-members: HK$120

This special session emphasises the need for a holistic engagement with health, focussing on balancing the mind, body and soul. Join an interactive panel discussion where the question of 'what is wellness' is discussed with a focus on ayurveda, yoga, meditation and other ancient Indian practices that continue to inform the well-being of mind, body and soul even today. What better way to engage with a post-pandemic world than to focus on one's health and well-being?

Ramkumar Kutty, Founder-Director of Punarnava Ayurveda, will introduce the basic principles of Ayurveda and demonstrate how they can be applied to daily life.

Falguni Mather will focus on the importance of mental health and how it is part of the very foundation of personal health and wellness, something that is oftentimes overlooked.

George Dovas will tap into his vast experience of practising and teaching yoga and demonstrate the benefits of a wellness routine that includes focussing on physical posture and alignment through yoga.

Michala Sabnani (moderator), is a TV producer, journalist and seasoned media executive with experience working across news outlets from CNN to SCMP. She is the host of Equanimity, a podcast series featuring South Asian narratives that force us to challenge stereotypes and broaden perspectives. 

MUSIC WITH CHINMAYI & JOELL

Registration at 4:15 pm | Program 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Asia Society members / Friends of IBB / Students: HK$100 | Non-members: HK$120

"The joy I have found in frugality

That cannot be found in plenty

My Mind has taken to living free!" -Kabir

Immerse yourself in the experience of listening to the 'Timeless classics of Kabir and Meera along with the gems of Chhayawad poetry' in a unique musical initiative by the founder, Chinmayi Tripathi, who aims to create a bridge between classic, timeless poetry and contemporary music.

Chinmayi Tripathi is a singer songwriter and composer, and is partnered by Joell Mukherjii- the multi talented, multi instrumentalist composer- producer. Their band, Music and Poetry Collective, is an attempt at reclaiming classical compositions through contemporary music.

With the objective of popularising great poetry through music, Chinmayi and Joell have produced a series of songs and videos based on the classical icons of Hindi poetry as well as contemporary poets and timeless classics by Meera and Kabir. In their inimitable style they make the music accessible to everyone through an interactive experience that draws the listener in. 

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