Myths, milestones, and claims: the internationalization of yoga

Abstract

The trajectory of yoga has been long and steady. It was only natural that it would become an official item in the global discourse on well-being and health, leading to an International Day of Yoga. Nevertheless, there are various preconceptions about the practice, as well as different political and social issues that are worth querying. What and whose is yoga? What sort of disputes does this bear in the religious arena within India? Does the novel international celebration bridge the gap between different cultural and geopolitical worlds? Is there an implied political agenda? This paper will offer both a brief account of the International Day of Yoga, and a critical view on all these issues with a view to foster a wider debate.