The 5th Wuxi International Yoga Festival takes place in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, on June 14. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 5th Wuxi International Yoga Festival kicked off in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, on June 14, with thousands of yoga enthusiasts from both at home and abroad in attendance.

The event, running for 4 days, was jointly hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Wuxi Branch, the sports bureau of Wuxi, and Wuxi Binhu District People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Huang Qin, Mayor of Wuxi Municipal Government, and Anil Kumar Rai, consul general of India in Shanghai, were invited to attend the opening ceremony, which was held at Nianhuawan, a national 5A-level scenic spot.

More than two thousand people gather at Nianhuawan, a national 5A-level scenic spot, on June 14. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

During the opening ceremony, more than 2,000 people amassed at Nianhuawan to practice yoga under the guidance of Indian gurus from KYM, one of the best-known yoga institutes in India. The spectacular scene is customary for this yoga event.

In addition, a series of activities, namely the excellent yoga courses, a yoga-themed market, a photo competition and a forum, were also included in the event to promote the theme of this year's session: Yoga Makes Life Better.