International Yoga Day 2022: Grand Master Akshar talks about his journey from the Himalayas to Bengaluru
We spoke to Grand Master Akshar, an internationally acclaimed Yoga Master, who talked about how he trained Sunil Gavaskar, Geeta & Babita Phogat and more.
FollowHimalayan Siddha Akshar has trained some very renowned faces of India or international fame, such as the Legendary Cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, the multifaceted Australian Cricketer Matthew Hayden, Wrestling champions and sisters Geeta & Babita Phogat, also online Live Yoga classes conducted by Himalayan Siddha Akshar for Ritu Phogat- wrestler and mixed martial artist and international athlete, Padma Shri Awardee Bajrang Punia and many more. Himalayan Siddha Akshar has also introduced his own book - Yoga Namaskar, which is the first book in history to illustrate 7 Yoga Asanas altogether.
On the upcoming occasion of International Yoga Day, Asianet Newsable spoke to Grand Master Akshar, an internationally acclaimed Yoga Master, who talked about his journey and moreÂ
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Can you brief us about your journey from the Himalayas to Bengaluru?
Born in Himachal Pradesh with a military background, we travelled all over the country. After my education, I proceeded to take up spiritual practices like yoga because of living in the Himalayan region. I was also fortunate to meet with spiritual masters who guided me and mentored me in yoga and the spiritual path. There came a time when I had to choose a path for myself and having practised yoga from a young age and with the experience of its benefits, I decided to choose this path. And I was instructed by my masters to come to South India, Bengaluru specifically to spread the message of yoga.
Coming from the Himalayas, what are your thoughts on dealing with the summer heat?
There needs to be a natural balance in all things for the reason of harmonious existence. When anything goes into a state of extreme losing all sense of balance, it can harm its surroundings. In the case of the heat in summers where temperatures are touching almost 50 degrees Celsius in some places is definitely cause for alarm. To manage this scorching heat, you can follow a few tips to keep your health in check and ensure that you do not suffer from any heat-related illness. Stay hydrated, eat healthy, sleep well, and exercise regularly.
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Was making Bengaluru your HQ influenced by its weather? Any other reason?
Bangalore is fantastic in terms of its weather no doubt about it. But this is not just about Bangalore's natural environment but South India as a whole. South India is a treasure trove of culture and heritage. This is the land of many beautiful temples, architecture, and monuments that are surrounded by an extensive history. Apart from this, the South is also rich in spiritual history, especially the areas of Goa and Mangalore which are considered to be spiritual hotspots by our masters. It is also a fact that when it comes to technology advancements or even in the case of health and wellness, Bangalore is making rapid progress which can be very beneficial as the location of our headquarters.
How many practitioners are under your training centres? What is the common thing that inspired them to practice yoga? Why?
Considering our yoga classes' current online format, we now have lakhs of students practising with us from around the world. We have regular classes that happen every day which includes students, corporate professionals, and people from different walks of life and about 5000 + students are attending these sessions. All the students and practitioners are deeply influenced by the goal of achieving total health and wellness. With regular yoga practice, they can also break out of monotonous living and inquire about existential subjects like the origin of life, the purpose of life, and how to plan for the best life here.
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We have a total of 12 centers spread across the city. Apart from these, there is the Akshar Yoga Research and Development Center which is located at Padukone- Dravid Center for Sports and Excellence. This is the key facility for training our practitioners and students.
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You have trained celebs/ hi-profile people from various fields, what are the similarities and differences in their approaches?
Stars have achieved everything in life, such as fame, money, and material success but what they want most and seek is peace of mind. And when they come to yoga to begin their practice, their main objective is to quiet the mind and seek inner stillness. One important technique known as Siddha Walk is among the other techniques we are practising. Since introducing this practice within our communities, we have seen incredible feedback and development from our practitioners. Some celebrities we have trained include Sunil Gavaskar, Mathew Hayden, Geetha Phogat, Shilpa Shetty, Shamita Shetty, etc. And when celebrities practice yoga and other techniques that benefit them they will obviously spread this knowledge and information to everybody who follows them and make a powerful impact on the lives of many.Â
What are your plans for the upcoming yoga day?
There are many plans for International Yoga Day this year. We look forward to celebrating it grandly and involving as many people as possible to spread the message of yoga. We want to be able to touch a maximum number of lives through this special campaign and have planned for a goal of setting 75 world records. This is to coincide with our country’s 75th year of Independence. We hope everything goes according to plan and we can manifest this event in a large-scale fashion.
