Mysore
Guruji would perform yoga demonstrations at the palace for the Maharaja of Mysore and also started teaching yoga at the Sanskrit University. In 1948 he founded the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Lakshmipuram and in 1964 he taught his first western student. American students soon followed in 1971 and the rest, as they say, is history!
Today, thousands of yoga students from all over the world flock to Mysore every year to study with Guruji’s grandson R Sharath Jois, or daughter R Saraswathi Jois, at the KPJAYI (Sri K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute) in Gokulam, or at numerous other shalas around the city.
Gokulam is an attractive, relatively wealthy, suburb of Mysore, which is becoming more and more modernised due to the increasing number of yoga students visiting each year. Local businesses are popping up all the time, offering everything from accommodation and scooter rental to taxi and tour services, from cafes and restaurants to organic shops and chocolate factories.
If you’re serious about the Ashtanga practice, we highly recommend making the trip to Mysore as often as you can. You’ll meet wonderfully inspiring, like-minded people, benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of some amazing teachers, enjoy the local sights and attractions, and of course experience the wonderful, mesmerising and utterly chaotic charm of Mother India.
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Below you’ll find all our blogs and articles related to practising – and more importantly surviving –
in the beautifully intense and crazy city of Mysore.
Our latest Mysore blogs:
9th August 2015
How Mysore made me softer
Hannah looks at the ways in which her practice has surprisingly become a little less rigid following her recent trips to Mysore to study with Sharath at the KPJAYI.
3rd May 2015
Earth Loaf Soul Food: from bean to bar
Leia meets David Belo, the man behind Mysore’s best kept raw chocolate secret – Earth Loaf – who tells the story of how it all began and what makes the magic happen!
26th April 2015
James Boag: Lord of the Kirtan!
Hannah explains why she finds James Boag’s kirtan and yogic philosophy classes so inspiring, and shares some pearls of wisdom she learnt from him in Mysore.
12th April 2015
Mysore survival kit: my top 5
With the first half of the season now over for 2015, Gokulam returns to a quieter but hotter life. Already planning your next trip to Mysore? well you’re in luck! Guy shares his top 5 items to pack in his Mysore survival kit. What would you bring?
5th April 2015
Time for a coffee break?
We’ve had an amazing few weeks since we’ve relaunched Ashtanga Brighton. The response has been fantastic! We’re loving all the comments and feedback – so keep em coming. After 6 months in Mysore Guy has finally got his hands on some great beans.
15th March 2015
Losing the Mysore magic
What happens when you make the transition of returning home from a 3-month trip to Mysore? Hannah shares her experiences of the bubble bursting, ‘normal’ life taking over and losing some of that precious Mysore magic.