The Real History of Hatha Yoga from an Akhara Monk

In the mass consciousness, hatha yoga is perceived as an ancient Indian teaching that supposedly allows one to reach spiritual heights through physical exercises. This book shows that this teaching is neither ancient, nor spiritual, and not even entirely Indian. Hatha yoga is based on the exercises of Indian wrestlers and Western bodybuilding, and it was created for quite pragmatic purposes - as calisthenics for combat akharas. In the 20th century, it was reformed in the wake of the Indian national liberation movement, and in this form, hatha yoga came to the West.

This book presents an unbiased view of the history and essence of hatha yoga from a Ukrainian who in 2004 received individual sannyasa diksha from Somnath Giriji, Mahamandaleshwar of the Sri Panch Dashnam Juna akhara in his main Himalayan ashram, has been given the name Bhole Baba Giri, and thus became a full-fledged member of one of the oldest Hindu akharas. Over more than 30 years of studying Hinduism and yoga, including more than 7 years of living in India itself, I have encountered conflicting views on the reasons for the emergence of hatha yoga and its actual goals, as well as different attitudes towards it from both Westerners and Hindus themselves.