India has contributed greatly to the popularity of Yoga across the world. Now this yoga is making waves all over the world. Even in Saudi Arabia, Yoga has been successful in bringing positive changes in the lives of people, especially women. Nou Marwai, Saudi Arabia's first certified yoga instructor and the first Arab citizen to be awarded Padma Shri, has said that the people of the country had adopted yoga without any hesitation seven years ago and now this ancient Indian form is very popular in this country. And it is dominated by women. He said that the people of Saudi Arabia never opposed yoga.
Marwai was instrumental in introducing yoga to Saudi Arabia in 2017 and was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2018. She founded the Saudi Yoga Committee in 2021 and is the founder and chairperson of the Arab Yoga Foundation. Marwai said that 56 girls and 10 boys participated in the second Saudi Open Yogasana Championship organized by Al Wahla Club and Saudi Yoga Committee in Mecca.
When Marwai was 17 years old, she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease 'Lupus Erythematosus'. Recalling her interest in yoga, she said, the doctors told my parents that I would not survive long. I was told not to go to school and that's when I learned yoga at home in Riyadh. My health started improving amazingly. Ultimately I decided to go to India to learn more about yoga.
Marwai said, “I went to India in 2008 to study yoga and Ayurveda and it was a big change in my life.” On the question of the difficulties faced in introducing yoga in Saudi Arabia, Marwai said, ” I think the Saudi people need to know that when they do yoga, they are not doing anything that goes against their religion.” There is no harm in studying and learning philosophy. Of course, Vedic philosophy and yoga come from the same background as the Vedas. The Vedas are indeed very ancient and have been in existence for humanity for thousands of years.
