NationMaster - Encyclopedia: B.K.S. Iyengar

B.K.S. Iyengar, (aka Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar) born Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar, December 14, 1918, in India, is founder of Iyengar Yoga and one of the most respected yoga teachers in the world. Millions of students and followers around the world practice Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar and has written a number of definitive yoga texts. Photo of B.K.S. Iyengar The text below is generated by a template, which has been proposed for deletion. ... Photo of B.K.S. Iyengar The text below is generated by a template, which has been proposed for deletion. ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Iyengar Yoga was created by B.K.S. Iyengar, the younger brother-in-law of the grandfather of modern yoga Shri Krishnamacharya. ... // Yoga practice and intention Modern yoga practice often includes traditional elements inherited from Hinduism, such as moral and ethical principles, postures designed to keep the body fit, spiritual philosophy, instruction by a guru, chanting of mantras (sacred syllables), quietening the breath, and stilling the mind through meditation. ...

1 Early years
2 International recognition
3 External links
4 Further reading

Early years

B.K.S. Iyengar was born into a poor Iyengar family. He had a difficult childhood. Iyengar's home village of Bellur, Karnataka, India, was experiencing an influenza epidemic at the time of his birth, leaving him sickly and weak. Iyengar's father died when he was 9 years old, and he continued to suffer from a variety of maladies in childhood, including malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and general malnutrition. Iyengar (or Aiyangar) is the name of a community of Tamil Brahmins of South India whose members profess the Visishtadvaita philosophy codified by Ramanuja. ... Negatively stained flu virions. ... Red blood cell infected with Malaria, derived from mala aria (Italian: bad air) and formerly called ague or marsh fever in English, is an infectious disease which causes about 350-500 million infections with humans and approximately 1. ... Tuberculosis (commonly shortened to TB) is an infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can also affect the central nervous system (meningitis), lymphatic system, circulatory system (Miliary tuberculosis), genitourinary system, bones and joints. ... This about the disease typhoid fever. ... Malnutrition is a general term for the medical condition in a person caused by an unbalanced dietâ€”either too little or too much food, or a diet missing one or more important nutrients. ...

At the age of 15 Iyengar went to live with the famous yogi, Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya in Mysore. There, Iyengar began to learn asana practice, which steadily improved his health. Soon his childhood weaknesses were overcome. Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989) was instrumental in the resurgence of interest in hatha yoga. ... A yoga instructor performing an asana Asana is a Sanskrit word that literally means a seat but in the practise of yoga refers to a pose or posture. ...

With the encouragement of Krishnamacharya, Iyengar moved to Pune to teach yoga in 1937. There his practice developed as he spent many hours each day learning and experimenting in various techniques. As his methods improved, the number of students at his classes increased and his fame spread. In Pune, his brothers introduced him to Ramamani, and they were wed in an arranged marriage in 1943. Pune (à¤ªà¥à¤£à¥‡ in Marathi), formerly known as Punavadi and Poona (à¤ªà¥‚à¤¨à¤¾ by British), is located in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ...

International recognition

In 1952, Iyengar met and befriended the famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin. Menuhin arranged for Iyengar to teach abroad in London, Switzerland, Paris and elsewhere. This was the first time that many Westerners had been exposed to yoga, and the practice slowly became well known. In 1966, Iyengar published Light on Yoga, an international best-seller. More than anything else, this book made yoga an international phenomenon. Iyengar Yoga soon became the most practiced form of yoga in Europe and America. 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Fritz Kreisler (sitting) with Yehudi Menuhin The Right Honourable Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE (April 22, 1916. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-BÃ©del Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ...

In 1975, Iyengar opened the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, in memory of his recently departed wife. He officially retired from teaching in 1984, but continues to be very active in the world of Iyengar Yoga, teaching special classes and writing books. Iyengar's daughter Geeta and son Prashant have become internationally acclaimed teachers in their own right. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

The official Iyengar website
The official biography from the Iyengar Institute
The Iyengar Yoga Institute in London
The Iyengar Yoga Institute of South Africa

Contents

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International recognition

External links

Further reading

Early years