Yoga is not just about achieving physical fitness, it is a way of life that creates a balance between the mind, body and soul and helps you achieve greater satisfaction in life. It is a way of connecting deeply with your inner self and realize the power of mental balance.
Originating in ancient India, yoga was a way of life 5,000 years ago in which saints and hermits combined physical postures (asanas), self-restraint, meditation and prayers to live a wholesome life devoid of distractions and other ills of the frivolous mind. And even though yoga has undergone transformation over the ages, the basic tenets remain unchanged. A guru-shishya tradition, the knowledge has been passed through oral recitations from the gurus to their students, intertwining physicality and Indian spirituality.
Evolving through various eras, including the ancient era, the early Vedic era, the late Vedic era, the early classical era, the Middle Ages and the modern age, the western world took notice of yoga after Swami Vivekananda spread it the world over. This was also the time when ancient Indian scriptures like the Gita were being translated into English and other European languages, making yoga philosophies more accessible to the world.
However, yoga gurus have played the most important role in keeping this 5,000-year-old practice alive. From sharing their knowledge, refining techniques, to preserving its basic traditions, inspiring yoga teachers have been instrumental in its preservation and popularity.
Today, yoga enjoys an undeniable influence on mental and spiritual well-being across the world. Its teachings about interconnectedness, harmony, inner peace, self-discovery, emotional resilience, and a deeper connection to the divine inspire millions to live a life of fulfilment and purpose.
Top 10 famous Indian yoga gurus to know about
It’s rather rare that such an ancient practice survives the test of time and, in fact, becomes a global phenomenon. That’s what’s unique about yoga. A 5,000-year-old tradition, yoga is still followed by millions, all thanks to famous yoga gurus in India who spread the light of yoga across the world and enlightened millions of lives.
Meet the Famous Yoga Gurus Who Shaped Indian Yoga:
Swami Vivekananda
Known for: Raja yoga
Contributions to yoga: One of the most prominent Indian figures globally, Swami Vivekananda was also a strong promoter of yoga, who single-handedly made yoga a popular philosophy in the Western world. He promoted Raja yoga, which focuses on self-discipline and meditation. During his speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893, Swami Vivekananda introduced the concept of yoga to the world, initiating a wave of yoga becoming a global revolution.
TKV Desikachar
Known for: Viniyoga
Contributions to yoga: Desikachar started his yoga journey at an early age under the guidance of his father. He learnt various aspects of yoga, including classical texts like Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and later developed his own unique style of yoga called Viniyoga. This style emphasised that yoga practices must be tailored to the individual needs of each practitioner, including aspects like age, gender, physical capabilities, etc. Later, Desikachar established Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM) in Chennai, where Viniyoga and the teachings are Krishnamacharya are taught.
BKS Iyengar
Known for: Iyengar Yoga
Contributions to yoga: BKS Iyengar, or Bellur Krishnamacharya Sundararaja Iyengar, is known to be the originator of the Iyengar Yoga type. He also established the Ramamani Iyengar Yoga Memorial Institute in 1975. BKS Iyengar resorted to yoga after struggling with various diseases throughout his childhood. Starting his yoga journey under the tutelage of T Krishnamacharya, Iyengar initially spread the teachings of Hatha yoga before establishing Iyengar Yoga.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Known for: Transcendental meditation
Contributions to yoga: Born in 1918, Maharishi Yogi attained global recognition when some of the most popular global celebrities like the Beatles and Beach Boys became his disciples. Maharishi Yoga developed a deeper form of meditation that he called transcendental meditation, a kind of mantra-infused meditation technique that helps people attain a higher sense of relaxation and sense of spirituality.
Swami Rama
Known for: Sakhya Yoga
Contributions to yoga: One of the most inspiring yoga teachers, Swami Rama, was among the first yoga gurus who influenced the Western world with his teachings and yoga philosophies. He established the Himalayan International Institute of Yogic Science and Philosophy, claiming that he could control his body processes through yoga and breathing and meditation techniques.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati
Known for: Combining Raja yoga, Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga and jnana yoga
Contributions to yoga: Swami Sivananda Saraswati was born in Tamil Nadu who relinquished worldly pleasures in search of self-realization. After shifting his base to Rishikesh, Swami Sivananda Saraswati started rigorously practising yoga and meditation and later established Siavananda Ashram, a cult yoga institution. In the later parts of his life, he travelled the world to spread the messages of Indian scriptures and teach yoga the world over.
Swami Kuvalayananda
Known for: Yoga Mimansa
Contributions to yoga: Swami Kuvalayananda is among the earliest contemporary yoga gurus, educators and researchers who studied different yoga practices and promoted the scientific aspects of yoga. After researching such yoga aspects for years, he published his first journal on yoga in 1920 called the Yoga Mimansa. He established Kaivalyadhama, a research center that studies the combination of ancient yogic knowledge and modern science.
Krishna Pattabhi Jois
Known for: Ashtanga yoga
Contributions to yoga: A scholar in Sanskrit and an inspiring yoga teacher in India, Krishna Pattabhi Jois was born into a Brahmin family and studied yoga, meditation and Vedas right from childhood. He was a disciple of T Krishnamacharya and developed Ashtanga yoga during his later years. His teachings were based on the ancient scripture Yoga Korunta. He also established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Center in Mysore.
Tirumalai Krishnamacharya
Known for: Hatha yoga, Vinyasa yoga
Contributions to yoga: Known as the Father of Modern Yoga, T Krishnamacharya is known to have revived Hatha yoga. A guru, healer and an ayurvedic scholar, Krishnamacharya developed a form of Vinyasa yoga by combining breathing and body movement into the traditional form of Hatha yoga. Born in Karnataka, he based his teaching style on the Patanjali Yoga Sutra. Many of his students went on to become some prominent yoga teachers.
Bishnu Charan Ghosh
Known for: Ghosh yoga
Contributions to yoga: The younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda, Bishnu Charan is the main proponent of yoga bodybuilding and the founder of Ghosh yoga. Inspired by the physical aspects of yoga and how yoga could make the human body more flexible and stronger while improving overall health, Ghosh brought traditional yoga with bodybuilding techniques to form Ghosh yoga. He established the College of Physical Education in 1932, which became the center of physical yoga practice and bodybuilding, with students coming from around the world.
Modern Yoga vs Traditional Yoga: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters
The main difference between modern and traditional yoga is their approach and emphasis. While modern yoga concentrates more on physical fitness, traditional yoga takes a more holistic approach to it, emphasising the union of the mind, body and soul.
Traditional yoga is a lot more intricate and has wide implications, unlike modern yoga, which takes physical fitness at the centre of its efforts. Traditional yoga teaches you to be mindful, self-aware and balanced, amounting to an improved physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. Traditional yoga is more like a way of life, requiring stronger commitment and dedication for extended periods of time. People who practice or follow the traditional yoga way of life usually lead a yogic lifestyle, removed from most modern distractions.
Understanding these differences between traditional and modern yoga is important for people looking to dive into this ancient practice, as it will allow them to choose the one that suits their requirements.
How YNV Teachings are Inspired by India’s Legendary Yoga Gurus
Yoga New Vision bridges the gap between the traditional and modern perspectives of Yoga. Our teachings are led by an extraordinary team of master Indian yoga leaders, scholars and monks who serve as friends and mentors to facilitate the harmonious integration of the timeless roots of yoga and its relevance in the modern world. These teachers are not your ordinary instructors; they are grounded in our core values and mission and dedicated to their own spiritual path and practice. They come with a yogic lineage, bringing along wisdom and teachings of legendary yoga gurus with them.
Just as several inspiring yoga gurus emphasised the overall development of the self through different yogic practices and forms of yoga, YNV’s teachings, too, are rooted in these traditional philosophies. The aim is to harmoniously blend traditional yogic knowledge and modern science so that learners and educators both can comprehend how the principles of yoga are applicable in daily life.
