WE'RE MORE THAN HOT YOGA

Kolkata's Yoga and Physical Culture system is therapeutic Hatha Yoga in its purest form. It also empowers and awakens you like Kundalini Yoga, allows you to unwind and find balance like Yin Yoga while improving your determination, strength and flexibility like any Power Yoga, Flow Yoga or Pilates class.

TRADITIONALLY MODERN

East India's Yoga and Physical Culture is characterised by valuing and preserving the old with an open mind towards the new. Therefore all our classes are a blend of traditional yogic practices and modern sport science.

Buddha Bose in Ardha Kurmāsana. (The Kingdom of Health through Yoga, 1936)

WHY THE HEAT?

Bengal, where our Yoga and Physical Culture system has its origins, is what you'd call a hot and humid place. Taking classes in a Yoga room that provides these conditions allows you to practice in the most authentic and effective way. It also minimises the risk of injuries, makes you more flexible, feel at ease and enhances your detox process.

Sunset in Kolkata, Capital of Bengal and City of Joy. (Photo by Martin Jernberg)

TRAILBLAZERS OF MODERN YOGA

The foresight of East India's yogis, yoginis and physical culturists played a pivotal role in transforming Yoga into the practices we know today. Not only did they make Yoga's therapeutic benefits available to the greater public, but created a revolutionary health system for the body, mind and soul by combining ancient techniques with European gymnastics, weightlifting and Bengal physical exercise (Bayam).

MAX SICK (MAXICK)

Strongman, gymnast and inventor of muscle control

BISHNU CHARAN GHOSH

Physical culturist and founder of Ghosh's College

BUDDHA BOSE

Bishnu's student and founder of the Yoga Cure Institute

MONOTOSH ROY

Bodybuilder from Kolkata and first Asian to win Mister Universe title

BIKRAM CHOUDHURY

Father of Hot Yoga and Kolkata's most infamous Yoga prodigy

LABANYA PALIT

Bishnu's student and one of Bengal's many female Yoga teachers

YOGANANDA

Bishnu's older brother and among the first to introduce Yoga to the West

GOURI S. MUKERJI

Physician who contributed greatly to the scientific study of Yoga Āsana

Their visionary ventures into the scientific study of Yoga  continue to inspire the research of Yoga Āsana, Prānāyāma and Meditation in modern medicine, neurological and sports sciences. At Kolkata Yoga we continue their legacy of making Yoga and therapeutic physical exercise available to as many people as possible.

View of modern day Kolkata. (Photo by Piero Regnante)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our gratitude and thanks go to Muktamala Mitra, who is continuing her father and grandfather's legacy at Ghosh's College of Physical Education and to whom we owe everything we know about therapeutic Yogic-Bayam. To Bikram Choudhury for his teachings and his beginner Hatha Yoga class that, for like so many others, has been our start, reason and motivation to passionately practice, study and teach Yoga. To Claudia Guggenbühl, Jerome Armstrong, Ida Pajunen and Scott Lamps for their dedication, time and effort in studying, teaching and preserving the Yoga and Physical Culture traditions from Bengal. Without their contributions, our Kolkata Yoga Shala would not exist.