The Mysore Years

Krishnamacharya began his many years of teaching in Mysore, South India, where he held a yoga school in the Maharaja's palace. Here he taught dynamic and challenging yoga to a group of young boys, among who were B.K.S Iyengar and K. Pattabhi Jois.

Iyengar later developed 'Iyengar Yoga' a system focused on precise alignment. His book 'Light on Yoga' has become a classic and his system is now practiced by millions over the world. Iyengar is now in his nineties and continues to practice and teach.

Pattabhi Jois developed 'Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga' a dynamic practice of sequences synchronised with the breath. Many styles of 'Power Yoga' and 'Vinyasa Yoga’ are derived from this method. The tradition is carried by Jois's grandson, Sharath Rangaswamy.

Also in Mysore, Indra Devi became the first foreign woman to study with Krishnamacharya. She later took yoga to China, Russia, the US, and South America. From these three students alone, Krishnamacharya sowed seeds of yoga in every continent, making yoga popular worldwide. Meanwhile, his teaching continued to quietly unfold in South India.