PUDUCHERRY: Battling depression and a sleeping disorder, Kalaiselvi, 28, had tried just about every kind of conventional treatment with little benefit. Till she found yoga. Within 12 days of starting her "integrated healthcare treatment" at Cyter (Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research),she started sleeping without pills.

Kalaiselvi's case shows just how far yoga has come in its journey as the ultimate mind-and-body solution. Although it received acclaim when the West adopted its "exotic" appeal, yogahasundergone a transformation."Increasingly people approach us to battle lifestyle diseases like sinus, lower back pain and diabetes," said John Peters, a yoga teacher and jury member at the ongoing International Yoga Festival in Puducherry.

Yoga, for its newest converts, is as much a therapeutic solution as a fitness option. Part of that appeal has to do with the proliferation of Cyters that combine modern medicine with traditional solutions like yoga and ayurveda. "We have been successfully treating several patients particularly those with diabetes, hypertension, depression and sleeping disorders," said Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Cyter deputy director at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College cum Research Institute in Puducherry. "The integration of modern science with yoga and musictherapycan provide answers for chronic illnesses related to ageing, environment and improper lifestyle."

Yoga experts are trying to standarise this ancient form as a therapeutic module. "Yoga practitioners in Kerala have succeeded in treating ailments by integrating yoga with ayurveda," he said. "In Rishikesh, rejuvenation camps integrate yoga, ayurveda and naturopathy."

Yoga is not just about the physical regime; it's the overall package that helps detox the system. Satyabhama Rajagopalan from Chennai's Asana Andiappan Yoga ResearchCentre,said,"An American whocametolearn yoga initially struggled with the south Indian vegetarian food. After six months of yoga and no-meat meals,shefoundthather brittle nailswerein better shape. Shewastaken abackbecauseshewasn'tlooking for a solution to that." This therapeutic aspect has started gaining popularity in Europe.

As yoga has spread to other parts of the world, it has led to fusion forms. For instance, Vipassana meditation is the result of integration of yoga with the Buddhist tradition, said Bhavanani. Although yoga has many avatarsfrom hatha yoga to Bikram 'hot yoga' to ashtanga yogait's basic tenet remains unchanged. "Yoga is about the union of mind and body," said Rajagopalan. "The avatars are different formats researched and perfected by different gurus." Going international

Yoga has more takers in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore than in its birthplace India, says Kancheepuram-born yoga instructor D SUDHAKAR who runs two yoga schools in Hong Kong and Japan. Sudhakar, who started learning yoga from Swami Chandramanda in Kerala at the age of 11, moved to Hong Kong four years ago. He established Vanakkam yoga school in 2011 and opened a branch in Japan.

"The yoga culture, both teaching and practicing, has changed due to influences from various countries. Our focus must be to revive the authentic yoga culture and preserve and popularise the ancient techniques. It is unfortunate that we Indians are yet to realize the significance of our tradition," Sudhakar, 32, said. His school offers several shortterm programmes. "Of late there is a surge in number of students enrolling for yoga therapy."

Life's a bed of nails

John peters is a local celebrity. And he has yoga to thank. The son of a security guard, Peters, 30, had to battle more than just his economic background. Severely disabled from his waist down, Peters' challenge was not to let his crutches come in the way of life. "Because of my disability I have always craved a challenge that would allow me to fight my condition and come up trumps," he said.

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Paired with ayurveda, allopathy, yoga gets a twist