Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois

Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois

Our Guru Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois was born on the full-moon day in July, 1915, the son of a Brahmin priest and Astrologer. From a young age he learnt Sanskrit, the Vedas and Hindu rituals before attending middle school in Hassan, near his home village of Kowshika. Here, at the age of 12, he encountered the great Yogi, Sri T. Krishnamacharya, with whom he was to study for the next 26 years.

Two years after meeting Krishnamacharya, Pattabhi Jois left home and went to Mysore to study at the Maharaja's Sanskrit College. Here he was reunited with his Guru, who, under the patronage of the Maharaja, had a Yoga Shala in the Palace grounds. In 1937, at the request of the Maharaja and with the blessing of his Guru, Jois began to teach as Head of the new Department of Yoga at Maharaja Sanskrit College, Mysore, a position he remained in until 1973. In 1948, in his own home in Laxmipuram, he established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, to research the curative effects of Yoga as taught to him by Krishnamacharya and described in the ancient texts. Initially he had only a few students. Now, almost sixty years later, Guruji, continues to teach the same system of Yoga, with his daughter, Saraswati, and grandson, Sharath Rangaswamy by his side, in the new and much larger AYRI in Gokulam, Mysore.

Through his dedication and energy Guruji has given the practice of Ashtanga Yoga in its pure form to the world. From those early days of a few students in Laxmipuram, there are now many thousands of students worldwide benefiting from this wonderful practice. This is the fruit of Guruji's labour and a testament to him as a Satguru, a true 'leader from darkness into light'.

We offer our work in the school to him with love and thanks.

top

Saraswathi Rangaswamy

Saraswathi and David

Saraswathi began to practice Yoga at the age of 10. She was the first girl ever to be permitted admission to the Sanskrit College in Mysore where she studied Sanskrit and learnt yoga from her father. For many years she assisted her father, but then in 1975 she began teaching her own classes. In 1986 she broke with tradition in Mysore by being the first woman ever to teach men and women together. When Guruji moved his Yoga Shala from Laxmipuram to Gokulam in 2002, Saraswati once again started teaching together with her father. Now every morning she is there in the Shala from 5am. After helping her father for two and a half hours she teaches her own class from 8 – 9.30 every day.

In addition to being a Yoga teacher, Saraswathi is also a devoted mother and daughter. She cared for her own mother when she was ill and looked after her younger brothers, then raised her own children, Shammi and Sharath, and is still looking after them and Guruji! This role she says, taught her about the aspects of Yoga other than asana.

Even with the huge numbers of students practising daily in the Shala, Saraswathii always remembered and found time to come and assist David in Mariciasana D! She is a wonderful, caring teacher.

top

Sharath Rangaswamy

Sharath and Paula

Sharath was born in 1971 and growing up in the family he did, it was perhaps inevitable that he became a Yogi too. He first practised from age 7 to 14, before taking time off to focus on his studies. He received a Diploma in Electronics and then at the age of 19, encouraged by Saraswathi, he began to follow his true vocation, rising daily at 03.30 to practice and then assist Guruji teaching. Except that he now rises at 02.00, this pattern has continued ever since and Sharath is now Assistant Director of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute.

Sharath is Guruji's only student who has mastered all five series of the Ashtanga yoga system, and is currently studying several asanas in the sixth and final series. He lives in Mysore, with his wife, Shruthi and daughter, Shraddha. Sharath's kindness and dedication are an example to all of what it really means to be a Yogi.

top