Most of us grow up listening to tales of mystic Himalayan yogis, saints and seers—those mesmerising men who have mastered the control of mind over matter with utmost ease. True or not, those fables are a matter of debate, and sometimes faith. That said, any Indian who has been exposed to some quantum of esoteric Indian scriptures or mythology innately nurtures a sense of that enchantment in his being.
As with everything esoteric, seeing is believing. Everything else sooner or later turns out to be an eye candy for mysticism. Issues of divinity and faith aside, in today’s testing times of fragile authenticity, the only empirical or visual evidences of anything close to magical or transformational from our ancient times, are yoga and ayurveda. You see it, feel it and live it.
Against a backdrop of exploding population, resource constraints and India’s extreme sights, sounds and smells, yoga still stands graciously as a beacon of ‘Indianness’. Indian yoga is more omnipresent than any Indian spice or cinema, both being popular as well. However, there’s one thing that makes yoga stick out as an iconic Indian representation. While millions world over love Indian food and films, our spicy food is not always meant for the faint-hearted, neither is the song, rain and dance saga a muse for every cinema connoisseur.
But yoga continues to retain its charm, grace and dignity of surviving standalone and sacrosanct. So, when so many Turkish people greet me with a namaste with hands folded perfectly in the Anjali mundra, I am overwhelmed with charm, love and a sense of cultural pride, not to be mistaken as patriotic jingoism. Its an incredible marvel that countless yoga teachers from hundreds of different nationalities embrace an ancient Indian wellness system to attain mindfulness.
Try pronouncing Urdhvamukha shvanasana, Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana, Eka Pada Koundinyasana in a single go. If you stuttered for a moment or stopped to catch a breath, then picture the determination and love for yoga in the hearts of millions of foreigners. At the International Yoga Day, I was joined by thousands of Turkish men, women and children in celebrating our ancient legacy of the union of body, mind and spirit.
As I said Tesekkurler or Thank you in Turkish to every Turkish person who joined me that day, I was asked innocently by a Turkish boy, “Nerede Aamir Khan?” (Where is Aamir Khan?) That’s Round 2, asana ambassadors. Keep moving.
Sourav Roy
Email: contact.sourav.roy@gmail.com