Not all of yoga means contorting your body into strange positions. Dipankar Khanna talks of yoga in its various forms

Actor Richard Gere is a fan of the Tibetan yoga of Naropa. Porn star Koo Stark in the mid '90s travelled in the footsteps of journalist and writer Dan Rather all the way to the exotic Sikkim to get initiated by the Dalai Lama in the 'Anutara' - highest yoga tantra of the 'Kalachakra' deity.

From the esoteric yoga of the Tibetan tantric sects to the simple folklore, dance and music of the 'Bhakti Yogis' and 'Yogins', the practice of yoga has benefitted and provided succour and ecstasy to millions. Hollywood to Bollywood, business people, hillibillies, celebs, wanna-be celebs, doctors, teachers, bakers and candlestick makers, have all come under the sway of yoga today!

The uniqueness of yoga exists in the fact that it has been able to proliferate in hundreds of different forms and practices to suit the needs of a variety of people. No wonder then that today, you can choose from any form of yoga: 'Agni', Zen, 'Ashtanga', 'Bhakti', 'Kundalini', 'Karma', 'Kriya', 'Laya', 'Sahaja', 'Sidha', 'Mantra', 'Tantra' or 'Yantra'.

Yoga A La Carte The new designer yoga variants may follow the essential yogic principals but they differ in form. They are geared to suit not only the moods and lifestyles of different people but also people at different points in life. That's why, many move from one form of yoga to another.

“I was doing Iyengar yoga till this February, but felt that something was missing. After I began 'Upaaya' yoga, I feel more whole, can really leverage my abilities and am so much happier,” says Malathi. Does she think she will once again shift from 'Upaaya' yoga to say... 'Kundalini' or 'Mantra'. “I don't think so - at least this is how I feel right now.... but who knows!” she says honestly.
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