Bikram Choudhury, inventor of Bikram Yoga or Hot yoga
Bikram Choudhury invented Bikram Yoga also called Hot Yoga .
Choudhury was born on February 10, 1946 in Calcutta, India. He is an American yoga teacher, but of Indian origin, still alive. As his name indicates, he is the originator of Bikram Yoga , inspired by Hatha Yoga. He suggests that yogis perform a series of 26 asanas, twice, in a room heated to 40°C with 40% humidity. The most dynamic style of yoga! Bikram is one of the most famous Hatha yoga teachers in the history of yoga .
Bikram Choudhury began learning Hatha Yoga at the age of 3. Two years later, he studied this discipline with his master Bishnu Charan Ghosh. During his adolescence, Choudhury won the National Yoga Championship in India for 3 consecutive years. The most incredible thing is that at 11 years old, the yogi master was the youngest participant to win the first prize. This heralds a promising future for the future teacher!
Despite a practice recognized and labeled "Bikram" worldwide by hot yoga enthusiasts, this yogi master was the subject of a resounding trial in the USA for his "sexual assaults" on his female students in training. A documentary presenting this "megalomaniac, predatory" guru is currently available on Netflix.
Bikram reportedly fled the United States after the trial. Fugitive status and accusations that do not prevent him from continuing his teaching.
"If you decide to stay, I advise you to do what I do: separate the man from the teacher," a training executive responded to Sarah Baughn when the young woman first reported her teacher's assaults. Will the thousands of Bikram followers around the world now be able to ignore this?
The Birth of Bikram Yoga
After years of practicing yoga, at the age of 20, Bikram Choudhury was injured in a weightlifting accident that left him paralyzed in the legs. He was told that he would never be able to walk again. It was at this time that he designed the series of 26 asanas with the help of his guru Bishnu Charan Ghosh. Bikram Yoga was born! 6 months after practicing these postures, the yoga master could finally use his legs.
Now, he wants to show that this art allows the body to regenerate and treat chronic ailments. This is what he does through a research project sponsored by the United Nations at the University of Tokyo. Today, Bikram Yoga is practiced in a room heated to 40°C to imitate the climate in India and the asanas follow one another at a dynamic pace.
Choudhury Spreads Bikram Yoga in the United States
It was in the 70s, more precisely in 1973, that Choudhury left India where he spent his childhood, to come and live in the United States, invited by President Nixon. A year later, the yoga master created the Yoga College of India in the city of Beverly Hills (California) and in Hawaii where he welcomed famous people as well as athletes. It was at this time that he became famous.
Later, in the 90s, the yoga teacher offered 9-week certification sessions to train future Hot Yoga teachers. Now, you can find many teachers around the world certified by Choudhury himself who offer you to perform dynamic postures on a yoga mat .
As for his personal life, the yogi master married Rajashree Choudhury, founder of the USA Yoga Federation. However, in 2015, his wife filed for divorce, which was granted in May 2016.
Want to know more about Hot yoga ? Read the article Bikram Yoga, a practice at a temperature of 40°C .
