Celebrities react to the trend of naked yoga, gaining a measure of recognition abroad.
Yoga, which took birth in India some 5,000 years ago, has been adopted in the West with a vengeance. A website recently reported that naked yoga is fast gaining popularity by a number of men and women who’re signing up for yoga classes in which the practitioners sweat it out au naturel.
Apparently the classes are very popular among men. Most of the classes are male-only, and are common in gay communities. There are also classes for women-only, as well as co-ed. Studios that offer naked yoga can be found in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Canada.
Why naked yoga?
Unclothed yogis say it helps to deepen their yoga practice, encourages ultimate appreciation, acceptance, and love for their bodies, and also builds intimate bonds with the people in yoga community. Mickey Mehta, fitness guru, points out, “Clothes not only cover up your business, but they’re also practical — the fabric absorbs sweat to prevent slipping, and it protects your delicate skin from mat burn. Also, I don’t think it will work in our country.”
Shilpa Shetty, who has released her own yoga DVD and has been practicing it for years, says, “I practice yoga with clothes on! Naked yoga sounds really weird! I have never heard of it. I have heard of naked sadhus at the kumbh mela — but naked yoga!! Sounds bizarre. It will never work in India.”
Payal Gidwani Tiwari, a yoga instructor says, “I have heard of naked yoga but I do not encourage it at all. These are all stupid fads and we all come from traditionally bound backgrounds with strong values, I do not think to practice yoga you need to be naked! I practice a combination of traditional and high intensity and I feel this is good as it works for all age groups and you can acquire the desired results.”
Kareena Kapoor Khan, who begins her day with hundred surya namaskars laughs, “I have never even heard of this! Neither would I be interested in practicing naked yoga. Sounds weird. I practice ashtanga yoga. Earlier I learned from Bharat Thakur and now a young girl called Twinkle trains me. It’s the best form of yoga — very strenuous and works the whole body in a flow.”
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