Chennai: Did yoga originate from Tiruvarur in the State? As the world observed the International Day of Yoga on June 21, B. Panchapakesan, a scholar, who has extensively researched on Tiruvarur temple and its history, claims that yoga originated in Tiruvarur many yugas ago.
While it is accepted that yoga originated in India, very little is known about the place where it originated. Mr Panchapakesan, claims that yoga originated in Tiruvarur many yugas ago. According to him, along with Lord Thiagaraja, an incarnation of Lord Shiva, 18 musical instruments and yoga science came to Tiruvarur, a tiny and holy town in Tamil Nadu.
He says the origins of yoga has been shrouded in mystery and mythology. "Lord Shiva is widely considered as the Father of ancient yoga. The origin of yoga is speculated to date back to pre-Vedic Indian tradition. The word 'Yoga' is a Sanskrit word and appears in Vedic sculptures," he said.
There are many distinctive connections between yoga and Tiruvarur as per ancient texts. Tiruvarur had 17 different names earlier and the first one being Mooladharam, Mr. Panchapakesan asserts. "Mooladharam is the origin of Kundalini as per Yoga science. Mooladhara Ganapathi, the presiding deity of Mooladharam is in Tiruvarur temple. Lord Thiagaraja is Ajabha Yogi. In his 104th Leela, Lord Himself had mentioned his connections with yoga," he adds.
In verse 56 of Muchukuntha Sahasra Namam, the yogic centres in the human body have been described in detail and the same is represented in the construction of temple car, which is the biggest in India. "All the above point out to the fact that yoga did indeed originate in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu" he says.
