Future Of Yoga As Business
It was Swami Vivekananda who introduced yoga to the Western world. Though initially yoga was considered mainly as a spiritual practice with rilegio - philosophical underpinnings, by the 1980’s, it became popular as the system of physical exercise across the Western world. But only one component of yoga - Hatha Yoga or the physical practice of the postures (asanas) - was understood. Today, this one component of yoga alone is booming and is part of an annual $7 Billion + global wellness industry.
Shruti ChaturLal Sharma, granddaughter of Tabla Stalwart Oscar Nominee & BAFTA Awardee Pandit ChaturLal and Creator Euphonic Yoga shared her views on the Yoga scenario with BW Businessworld.
What is the Indian scenario for yoga today?
The World, since 2014 when our honourable Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi reintroduced yoga, has gradually realised the value of yoga and the role it can play in keeping the global population healthier in a cost-effective way. Its great to see people getting more inclined towards the benefits and have started inculcating it their daily lives.
What is your opinion on the wellness industry?
Now it is being aggressively taken up by various health institutes, sports institutes, recreational institutes and even rehabilitation institutes all over India. The Indian wellness market is worth Rs. 499 Billion, of which 40 percent is wellness services. With the advent of Ayush Ministry yoga studios, equipments and other related start-ups have found a new place in the economy which is really convincing.
How do the masses view yoga?
Although in the western world, yoga is viewed as more of a weight loss program, in India masses are getting acquainted with other aspects of yoga plus people have started exploring different classical ways to make yoga more interesting & effective. It has widened the scope of yoga immensely which is surely for good.
What is the reach of dance and yoga forms today?
Indian classical music and dance are in the similar condition as yoga was a few years back; restricted to a few elite or ardent music lovers. It is imperative to make it available and understandable to masses.
Yoga is becoming incredibly popular because of its ability to impact people directly. With increasing study in this field, it is being adopted not only by housewives but also by various industries like sport, fashion, MNC’s in a big way. The American College of Sports Medicine supports the integration of yoga into the exercise regimes of healthy individuals.
In the past 4 years, the market of yoga has increased almost thrice to its original size. It has made hundreds of young people employable and even entrepreneurs to start with their own thriving yoga studios.
What is Euphonic Yoga?
Euphonic yoga is a very recent concept wherein yoga has been merged in Indian classical music & dance. It was designed by two young minds Shruti ChaturLal Sharma & Suman Kanawat Singh. After three years of meticulous research, it was first practiced with local residential welfare associations, Individual at home sessions and various health studios at nominal charges. These helped them to gauge various health benefits and was experienced by many. After this, it was officially launched on a larger scale by none other than Sarod Legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Sahab and Mrs. Sukanya Ravi Shankar, wife of Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar on 19th April, 2016.
It is a concept designed specially to help people cope up with stress. It is also a merger effort to bring the Indian culture closer to the people in the most perceivable form while with an aim to make our audience more aware about the 7 chakra’s and their mammoth impact on the human body. The journey of seven musical notes transcends in the World of 7 mystical chakras… while classical dance narrates the mood, expression and the significance of both performing arts.
Euphonic Yoga has also a unique element of Learning & Development techniques such as Communication Skills, Voice Modulation practices in a healthier way, Team Building activities, 'gratitude' the key to success, listening skills, emotional intelligence, think out of the box to name few.
Where all have you done workshops?
Euphonic yoga workshops have been organised in various schools, colleges and even MNC’s like Google & Marks & Spencers with International collaborations. After an initial struggle, its clientele has increased from 4 percent to 20 percent, from RWA’s at its initial stages to inmates of Tihar Jail, from International Yoga Day, Brussels & Taiwan to TEDx and recently a project with Government of Telangana.
The workshops and lecture demonstration events have proved to showcase improvement in mind and body coordination increasing efficiency and productivity; improving alertness, interpersonal and listening skills, a great stress buster reducing stress, anxiety and instilling positivity; Improving concentration, decision-making skills, and multi-tasking; Stimulates memory; inset strong positive energy enabling more of team spirit; restore heart rhythm and balancing the body while controlling diabetes, arthritis, spondylitis, obesity, laziness while reducing many other major diseases.
What is the future of Euphonic Yoga?
Euphonic Yoga is an effort ahead. It not only aims to make people employable in yoga but with a mergence of Indian Classical Music and Indian Classical dance which in other words can be said as our Indian culture as a whole. Euphonic Yoga is a concept which deals with Yoga in its entirety, from spirituality to physical being, from the body to spirit; from hastha mudras to energy chakras; from the symphony of Indian classical music to the enchanting bhav's of Indian Classical Dance.
