Life is full of uncertainties. It unravels the true meaning in forms that we least expect. While some of us create a life that we dream of, for others life unfolds itself and they go with the flow, living their destiny.

For Guneet, life had different plans against what she was aiming for. India’s oldest and the most authentic practice, now taking over the world with its massive appeal to cure spiritual, physical and mental block- YOGA is her forte and she, in her own words, is living her life for this practice.

Meet Guneet Monga Bhargava, PhD, NET qualifier, M.Sc. & PGD Gold Medalist, now a Yoga Teacher and Physiotherapist working diligently in Udaipur city to promote the oldest Indian art as more than just a 6 AM exercise routine, but a basic requirement for a healthy, happy life.

Q. It has been 7 years since you are in the field of Yoga. How did it all start?

I’m a firm believer of destiny. Back then, I never wanted to opt for Yoga but as they say, something’s are destined to happen. I was in Indore for Physiotherapy training where I met people who were practicing Yoga. Even then, I wasn’t interested in it. In Udaipur, my best friend Monika used to call me for Yoga camps. Finding it too boring, and uninterested, I used to attend for her.

For my further studies, I was selected for M.Sc. course in MLSU but somehow I didn’t go for counseling. A day before, I had read an advertisement in the newspaper regarding a Yoga course starting in MLSU for which entrance exam was to be given. With no preparation at all, I sat for the test and I passed.

There, I found my Godfather Vivek Singh Chauhan who changed my attitude towards Yoga and now this practice is attached to me and my soul.

Q. Was Yoga as career a difficult choice?

Yes, if you look around, kids want to become doctors, engineers, but never yoga teacher or can think of pursuing yoga as their career. Even during my college days, I was laughed at for my career choice. Leaving all that behind, I completed my physiotherapy training at Apollo Hospital, Ahmedabad. Although I finished my Yoga certificate course, yet I decided to open my own physiotherapy center. I was still not sure of Yoga as a career choice even then.

Q. If yoga wasn’t your choice, then how did things turn out that way?

Just one day a woman came to me and asked me to teach her Yoga as I was part of the first batch of Yoga course started at MLSU. I made space in my drawing room and started teaching Yoga. With her, came her husband followed by her couple friends. I put a small banner outside my house and in my small drawing room; I started teaching Yoga to 6-7 people.

One fine day, my mentor Bhanu Kapil introduced me to Mewar’s princess Padmaja Kumari Mewar who had just returned from abroad and had a requirement for yoga teacher at the City Palace. After 15 minutes of meeting with her at Jag Mandir, my first big client became Padmaja Kumari Mewar on 17^th November 2009 till 7^th March 2011 and practiced Yoga till she got married.

Q. Life took a new turn then?

Yes, with her, I was introduced to high profile clients. Then finally, I opened my Yoga center which was inaugurated by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar. Also, during the shooting of reality show Swayamvar of Rakhi Sawant and Rahul Mahajan, I used to take yoga classes of the participants. Thereafter, we started an NGO called Glorious Health & Welfare Society.

Q. But don’t you think people term Yoga as ‘Boring & Traditional’?

There is a lot of misconception in the minds of people who term Yoga as something boring, which apparently even I used to think before. In an attempt to remove the psyche, I started Dynamic Yoga, which isn’t only static but involves movement. Through modulations in Yoga, I try to change the notion that yoga is not only for obese or people with health diseases.

Even people who are healthy can adopt this practice and that is what I try to spread through my NGO and camps that I organize. Yoga is a wider aspect of exercise that is meant for a healthy body, spiritual comfort and mental peace besides curing lot of diseases, relieving stress which is the biggest reason for all ailments and balancing the chakras of the body.

Q. Do you see youth getting involved in this practice?

To be frank, it is difficult to include the young minds to this practice as in the recent times, they want everything fast. Fast music, fast dance, fast life but forget that life is measured in breathes and with each breathe you are losing part of your life. They prefer to go to gym as they want results fast. They lack patience that is required in Yoga.

Not just youth, but many of them wait for something to happen to them to turn to this practice. We all wait for us to fall victim to a particular disease only then to take care of our bodies which is absolutely wrong. Why wait for something bad to happen when you can simply avoid many ailments from occurring by practicing the traditional Yoga?

Q. But do you think Yoga as a whole is a solution to every problem?

Yes and No. Yes, Yoga has the power to help cure a lot of problems that we suffer from in our daily lives. I have had pregnant women come in my class who had normal delivery due to yoga practices. I provide stress relieving yoga asanas to corporate people, office goers and businessperson who have 9to5 job. There is therapeutic yoga as well dedicated to provide therapy to your overall being.

But on the other hand, simply doing one form of Yoga may not be sufficient for all. Each body is different and the problems are too. I take a background check of all coming to my center and teach them about those yoga asanas which will be beneficial to them.

Besides these, I help people create diet charts, provide meditation techniques and Panchkarma practice. As I have undertook specialized courses on Panchkarma and Food & Nutrition, all knowledge is imparted with proper facts so that each person knows what is best for him and he follows it knowing that that is for his own benefit.

Q. Is Yoga facing challenge due to Modernization?

Not to point fingers at particular practice but people choose going to gym, opt cardio, zumba and others. But tell me; is there any particular exercise which is benefiting your organs? Yoga is a practice which is improving your metabolism, it detoxifies your body and accentuates proper functioning of organs with which you achieve holistic improvement, complete well being. After all, the problem needs to be solved at its root, right?

I am trying my level best to educate people about the intricacies of yoga practices that give you far fledged benefits as compared to all other forms of exercise.

Q. Through UT, what do you want to inform people about Yoga?

We all are becoming mechanized. Lack of physical exercise is making us lethargic and inviting diseases. People are not flexible at all. The westernization is affecting our mindset that is pushing us away from our traditional practices that were evolved by one of the most enlightened minds of India.

Make yoga as a rule of our daily life. People say, I gained weight after leaving gym or exercise. But if we look at celebrities, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini even today, is involved in exercises. It’s a simple balance of input and output. We need to understand that we were born on this earth healthy and must ensure to leave it that ways. God gave us this body to worship as maintaining its well being will lead us to a happier life.

Listen to its needs, before it is too late.

Guneet Monga Bhargava recently received ‘Best Entrepreneur Award’ from the esteemed Rukmani Foundation in the youngest category.