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A viral Yoga Day video from Jaldapara National Park shows forest rangers practising yoga on elephants, drawing attention for its unique setting amid lush forests
Image: X/@ParveenKaswan
A unique video from Jaldapara National Park has gone viral after showing forest rangers practising yoga while sitting on elephants deep inside the forest. Shared on International Yoga Day 2026, the clip has attracted attention for its unusual setting and peaceful visuals.
The video was posted on X by Indian Forest Service officer Parveen Kaswan. It shows forest personnel performing yoga poses while seated calmly on elephants surrounded by the lush greenery of the national park.
The clip also includes aerial views of the dense forest, giving viewers a look at the natural landscape of Jaldapara. The combination of elephants, yoga and the forest has made the video widely shared across social media platforms.
The visuals highlight the close connection between forest staff, wildlife and nature during their daily work. The peaceful surroundings and calm atmosphere add to the uniqueness of the moment.
In his post, Parveen Kaswan mentioned that the theme for International Yoga Day 2026 was “Yoga for Healthy Ageing.” He said the theme encourages people to include yoga in their daily lives to support physical and mental well-being at every stage of life.
The video has become one of the widely shared Yoga Day clips online, bringing together the ideas of health, mindfulness and nature in a single moment. The scenes from Jaldapara National Park show yoga being practised in a setting surrounded by wildlife and forests, making the celebration different from traditional Yoga Day events.
The video drew mixed reactions from social media users. One user joked, “I know about hatha yoga but this is haathi yoga..”
Another praised the message behind the clip, writing, “A beautiful reminder that yoga isn’t just an exercise, it’s a way of life rooted in harmony with nature, community, and tradition.”
However, one user disagreed, commenting, “No this isn’t harmony. Elephants do not like to carry people. They are not built physically for that. You must break their spirit for them to be trained to do that. Until India stops this practice it is NOT IN HARMONY WITH NATURE. SORRY.”
Another user appreciated the visuals, saying, “Most beautiful Yoga day celebration! Gannuus also doing Yoga.”
Meanwhile, another viewer criticised the use of elephants in the video, writing, “Elephants are not needed for yoga at all. Forest staff dragged trained elephants just to stand there as backdrop photo op. Pure PR nonsense. If Europe, everyone would go crazy, big backlash, call it animal abuse. But in India? ‘Wow, beautiful tradition, harmony with nature.'”
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