Exploring higher reaches of Yoga was an obsession with BKS Iyengar

One of the striking anecdotal accounts about Yogacharya Bellur Krishnamachar Sundaraja (BKS) Iyengar relates to how he never hesitated to use his feet to prod a student into correcting his or her posture during regular Yoga classes.

Guruji who conducted classes at his Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune’s Model Colony area in Shivajinagar, would first give a demonstration of the asana he was trying to teach and explain every stretch and nuance to an assembled gathering of senior students.

As the students took to doing the asanas, he would walk up and down to check on the postures of students and if he found that someone needed to get the posture right, he would press the person slightly on the forehead with his foot to get the head tilted back in the correct angle.

As the account goes, Guruji’s ardent followers would feel immensely blessed at this spontaneous touch of the feet which was rather unusual.

Apart from his regular students and followers, journalists and others who sought a meeting with him and witnessed his demonstrations of Yogic postures were left awe-struck by his mastery over this ancient form of synergy between the body and mind.

To equate “yoga” — the ancient Indian system of mind-body synergy — with other forms of “physical exercise” would be quite pedestrian. An understatement, especially after listening to Iyengar who, even in his nineties, was exploring the higher possibilities of Yoga that were completely in the realm of the mind and consciousness.

This was what fascinated him in the last years of his life and this was what he spoke about to those who met him for interviews or discussions.

One of his favourite spots for such discussions was the small library in the basement of the institute where he would sit at a table and discuss over coffee as researchers and others browsed through books and magazines and went about their research. Adjoining the institute where classes are held on different floors, was his residence, in the same campus.

Even in his advanced age, Guruji would amaze one and all with his erect spine and inspiring physique. He was mentally sharp and alert and could engage you in discussions. Gentle in his interactions, he was demanding and authoritative when it came to the practice of Yoga.

When asked about his introduction to Yoga, Guruji would relate how he was a weak and sickly teenager at his village in Bellur, Karnataka, and how he was introduced to Yoga by his brother-in-law as a remedy to get better.

Sustained practice of Yoga began to show results and there was then no looking back. His early years were full of struggle even after he came to Pune to teach Yoga and earn a living out of it. He would also regularly travel to Bombay, now Mumbai, for this purpose.

Over the years Guruji taught Yoga and continued his own sadhana — rigorous practice — to gain greater proficiency and refinement in what he already knew. He never thought that he knew everything about Yoga; in fact he felt that there was a lot waiting to be unearthed. Over the years, Guruji developed his own techniques and innovations which stand recognised today as “Iyengar Yoga”.

Iyengar felt it necessary to record his thoughts, observations, philosophy, approach and learnings from Yoga. This resulted in a series of popular books that he authored, the most famous being, Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama and Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. He was continuing to work on a book even in 2006, at age 88 when this journalist met him for a detailed interview.

The most famous people who reached out to Guruji for instructions and training in Yoga included philosopher J Krishnamurti, social worker Jayaprakash Narayan, the Queen of Belgium and Yehudi Menuhin among many others.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India was in regular touch with him and top players including Sachin Tendulkar consulted him for relief from muscular or back-related disorders. Of and on politicians too would visit him to see a cure for their ailments.

Notwithstanding his towering stature, Guruji, his children and his institute never sought any publicity or demanded attention to their work. They went about their work silently and were, in fact, shy of glamour and media attention. Their devotion to Yoga remained supreme.

In Guruji’s demise at age 95 in Pune on 20 August, India has lost one of her great sons who will continue to inspire generations for years to come.

The writer is editor, The Golden Sparrow on Saturday, a weekly newspaper published in Pune. He can be reached at abhaypvaidya@gmail.com