Body Mind and Tradition: Linking Yogasanas with Sankaradeva's Mati Akhara

The tradition of Yoga has been an integral part of Indian culture for centuries, evolving through varied practices across India's regional and cultural contexts. Yogic practices like Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation have become popular among people mainly for their role in promoting physical and mental well-being. Among these Yogic practices, asana is the most popular limb of Yoga. Maharshi Patanjali, the father of Yoga, defined asana as a steady and comfortable posture. The practice of Yogasana is important for flexibility, strength, and fitness. This inherent connection among flexibility, strength, and discipline also finds reflection in India's art forms like Sattriya, the classical dance form of Assam introduced by the great Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankaradeva. This dance form involves Mati Akhara-physical exercises and postures to create various dance poses. As mentioned in the Hatha Yogic text Gheranda Samhita, asanas strengthen our bodies and make them flexible. Mati Akhara, in particular, exemplifies various bodily movements like horizontal, vertical, and circular, with various forms of bending, thereby making the body more flexible. The present study highlighted significant parallels between these movements and the postures described in Yogasanas, revealing a close connection between Sankaradeva's Mati Akhara and the tradition of Yoga, a highly under-researched area.

Mati Akhara, Sankaradeva, Sattriya dance, Yogasanas, Yoga, Assam.