A Life of Light: The Biography of BKS Iyengar by Rashmi Palkhivala [Paperback]

Only a disciplined person is a free person.' - B.K.S. Iyengar
The eleventh of thirteen children, Sundara was an emaciated child whose constitution could hardly bear the beatings he suffered at the hands of his guru Krishnamacharya in whose house he grew up after his father's death. Though downright cruel, Krishnamacharya's understanding of Yoga was phenomenal and he spearheaded its transformation in India - from an antiquated system to a vibrant, indigenous one backed by Brahminical wisdom. Under his tutelage Iyengar learnt the intricacies of the various asanas and started his career with several public demonstrations of his skills and the imparting of private yoga lessons along with administering cures for diseases as far-ranging as backaches, kidney stones and psychosomatic illnesses. Over the years he would be one of the most well-recognized yoga gurus across the world and a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan among other awards.
Narrated with love and compassion, A Life of Light is the biography of one of the most remarkable lives lived in an era of transition when India was finding its feet on the world stage.