Yoga is synonymous with well-being, agility, flexibility and overall health. However, contrary to what many may believe, there isn’t one uniform set of yogasanas practised all over the world. Yoga is an ancient practice with many different schools of thought. The various forms of yoga include Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Bikram and Iyengar.

Iyengar Yoga has drawn a lot of attention in recent times due to its unique ways of performing asanas to achieve holistic fitness. This form of yoga can be learnt at institutes like Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune and other centres across the country and abroad. You can also hire certified Iyengar yoga trainers who can teach you at home.

Iyengar Yoga gets its name from Bellur Krishnamchar Sundararaja (BKS) Iyengar, a native of southern India. BKS Iyengar created this sub-discipline of yoga after years of extensive research using various Hindu religious texts and the Vedas that discuss in detail, ancient practices for eternal power and health. Iyengar Yoga has been steadily gaining in popularity over the last 60 years.

Dr Rajvi H Mehta, yoga teacher, and editor of Yoga Rahasya, journal of the Iyengar Yoga Institute says, “We emphasize on building stamina and developing flexibility, concentration, strength and balance. All these are achieved through meditation and various postures.” Iyengar Yoga helps to de-stress and facilitate a calm mind. One can overcome many ailments, such as headache, stiff neck, lower backache, insomnia and digestive disorders, thus improving health as opposed to just being fit.