Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar on how simple yogic shifts can transform life
A reflective conversation with Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, Yoga Master, Spiritual Guru, Author and Founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa on yoga, lineage, healing and the ever-flowing philosophy of the mountains.
When you talk to Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, who’s popularising yoga through retreats with his Akshar Yoga Kendraa, the first thing that strikes you is how lightly he holds the idea of “achievement.” When asked where his inspiration came from, especially at such a young age, he gently reminds us that the journey has only begun. “When you’re talking about achievement, we feel we just started and there is so much to do,” he says. “Himalaya is about when you achieve one mountain to another mountain. Achievements are like that.”
For him, the mountains are not merely geography – they are knowledge. “Himalaya is amazing. It’s about knowledge,” he explains. “When you are training with knowledge, it’s very easy to understand life, health, mental well-being, and the next shift. All these practices become easy when you are with the Himalayas.”
As the conversation turns to yoga’s global journey, he reflects on how it travelled the world before finding renewed respect in its own homeland. “Everything takes its own time,” he says. “We were under rule for hundreds of years. People needed to be comfortable with their basic needs. Once that is done, then you are bound to think something more. And that is what is happening with India now.”
According to him, the world cannot grow without India, and what India offers best is yoga. “Yoga is something which you can call real made in India,” he says. “People made it popular, which is very good, but the roots remain in India. Now when people are looking for advanced methods and techniques, they need to come back to India. India is ready.”
His own role in this readiness has involved innovation—always rooted in tradition but adapted to the needs of the present world. “Everything exists before our discovery. We give it as per time and circumstances,” he says. For those living fast, high-pressure lives, he created simple, accessible practices. “Healing walk… just two minutes walk and move and relax. You feel transformation immediately,” he says. He also talks about the Siddhaa Walk — the infinity, or “8” walk. “You do this for 10-15 minutes and you feel like you did a workout for half an hour.”
Retreats, too, have become a core part of his work, drawing people from all over the world. He recently did a 10-day yoga retreat in Rishikesh attended by close to 100 people from around the world. “The call is so much that every month we can do three events,” he smiles. But the reasons for choosing places like the Himalayas and Puri are deep and spiritual. “Talking about the Himalayas is different, but when you come to the Himalayas, you realise the power,” he says. “You take a dip in the Ganga and see the transformation. You go to Devprayag and after some time, your body becomes a meditative body. It happens naturally.”
Food, for him, is chemistry — and an essential part of this transformation. “Food for us is chemical. Right chemical is required in yogic and spiritual practices,” he explains. He has seen people with decades-old stomach issues heal 50–60% in just four or five days by simply changing their eating habits in the morning. “Right food goes in your body, your body will transform. Like giving water to a tree. If you know the right amount, the tree will grow naturally.”
Over the years, his retreats have evolved to honour the cultures of participants from across the world. “Earlier we gave what we had in mind,” he says. “Now we understand emotions. We know someone from Japan, how they pack their bags, how their journey happens. So we bring food from their country aligned with training. If you have the right food in front of you, you become happy. Fifty percent of the journey is taken care of.”
Bangalore became his base following an ancient Siddhaa principle. “You train in the North and you go to South,” he says. “Many divine masters trained in the Himalayas and moved to South India. That is the system.” His roots include dance, fight styles like Kalaripayattu, healing systems, Siddhaapathy, and deep meditative practices. “As per time, place and circumstances, masters transfer information and guide practitioners. From Himachal Pradesh, unknown village, to Bangalore—that’s how it happened.”
His vision for Akshar Yoga Kendraa continues to flow, just as the Himalayas teach. “Himalaya says it’s like Ganga Ma—keep flowing.” Currently, the wave of sincerity he feels from Northeast Asia inspires his next steps. Raving about their discipline and dedication, he says, “People are very sincere and disciplined. If the instruction is at four in the morning, they do it.”
Coming up next in Bangalore is an exclusive healing space for people struggling with recovery and relapse. “It’s very mindfully planned… how they will stay, what they will consume,” he explains. Wells, sacred energies, Narmada shivling, elements from Jagannath Puri and Himachal—all are brought together to create a space of holistic healing.
His reach in Southeast Asia has grown in ways he never expected. “When I went ten years back, there were 100 people. Now in 2025, it’s 10,000 people,” he says.
Before he signs off, he offers three life-changing principles. First, seriousness about health. “You need to be serious about your health. Secondly, if your mind is weak, even with all comfort, you cannot enjoy life.” And finally, the inquiry into life beyond. “Life is not eternal,” he reminds me. “You must think about next. What after death? Meditation, mindfulness, disconnecting and spending time somewhere—do what is required.”
“These few small thoughts,” he says gently, “can bring transformation.”
Watch full interview with Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar on DC Conversations