Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar talks about his Guinness World Records, the yoga industry and celebrity mascot

In an exclusive interview with Asianet Newsable, Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre founder Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar spoke about his event Mandala Yoga Festival and attempted Guinness World Records for 3 different Yoga Asanas. 

The Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre in Bangalore buzzed with enthusiastic Yoga lovers who have gathered to celebrate the Mandala Yoga Festival and try Guinness World Records for three distinct Yoga Asanas.

Akshar Yoga Institutes had planned the event to draw over 1000 people, including 250 police officers from the Karnataka State Police, 150 disadvantaged children, and 100 differently abled youngsters. The participants, who have come from 20 different countries and the 28 states and 8 union territories of India, are excited about the achievement they are about to try.

The event was being organised by Akshar Yoga Institutions, led by Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, the institution's founder and chairman and a globally recognised Spiritual Yoga Master. In an exclusive interview, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar talked about his journey as a Yoga guru and his Guinness World Records.

Can you please elaborate on the Guinness World Records (GWR) experience? Like time, preparation, learning etc
The Guinness World Record was an outstanding experience. We are very proud of all the participants who made it in Guinness Book of World Record as the largest gathering to perform and hold 3 asanas- Halasana (90 seconds), Ustrasana (60 seconds) and Vasishtasana (45 seconds). 

Organised by Akshar Yoga Research & Development Centre, more than 1000 participants came together in Bengaluru to celebrate the Yoga Festival. These participants consisted of 250-300 personnels from Karnataka State Police Department, 150 children belonging to under-privileged section, orphanage and some of them were especially abled children. 

The truly diverse group saw participants from 28 Indian states, 8 Union territories and from over 20 countries including Germany, USA, Dubai and France. 30 Akshar Yoga Master Teachers worked for a month and a half in advance to train the participants. These sessions were held offline as well as online. And the efforts bore fruit as we created these triple World Record.

However, this isn’t the first time we have made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. For instance, we created a record in August 2022, with 285 yoga practitioners constituting the largest group to perform Dhanurasana or Bow Pose for 2 minutes.

Why did you choose those particular asanas for GWR?
Yoga not just makes us feel fit and healthy, but also gives us a sense of positivity and happiness. While regular asanas, pranayama and breathing are a part of everyday Yoga practices, we wanted to focus on spinal flexibility and strength for this GWR. The three asanas- Halasana, Ustrasana and Vasishtasana work towards the health of the spine and core which are important components for your overall well-being. The 1000 participants not just learnt these asanas for the record but can now practise them perfectly for their entire life. And I hope that they will inspire more Yoga enthusiasts. 

How many more GWR can we see from your end in the coming months? 
After this triple GWR recognition, the practitioners and participants are all very enthusiastic. Through these records we are not just creating history, but also spreading awareness about yoga as a form of lifestyle. We will continue our endeavour to promote yoga in future too, and in the course of this roadmap, we will surely be doing such events as well to raise awareness globally. 

Can you elaborate on how GWR will help the yoga industry? 
While Yoga has already achieved worldwide fame, there is immense scope for it to reach to further parts of the globe and to more people. We want to carry forward this positive thought that yoga helps in material as well as spiritual aspect of life, especially beneficial to city- dwellers. Yoga’s holistic approach to health and well being has been the core reason why it has impacted so many people. It leads to well rounded development, impacting mental, physical and spiritual health. Creating a Guinness World Record has furthered strengthened Yoga on the global map, with so many people participating from every part of the world. We are positive that this record will help in making more people aware about the virtues of yoga, which is the key to overall wellbeing. And this festival was a celebration of Yoga and how it enriches our life and can make it beautiful. Yoga is indeed the journey for a lifetime.

You have trained celebrities; who do you think could be a good celebrity mascot to take the yoga message to the millennials and why?
I have constantly endeavoured to share my experiences and learning with others. I have had the opportunity to share my insights with legendary cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Matthew Hayden, along with powerhouse wrestlers - the Phogat sisters. Yoga helps us about physical fitness as well as gaining spiritual and mental calmness. But I feel, when these athletes perform Yoga, I feel they are like normal people diving deep into the ocean of spiritual happiness. Thus, every person practising yoga can become a mascot for yoga. They can encourage many more through the use of social media and spread the message of Yoga. So every Yoga learner is our mascot who spreads the same message.