Hatha yoga is a prominent yoga form in India which originated in the 15th century by a Hindu Monk Yogi Swatmarama. The term “Hatha” is a Sanskrit word and it means power or force. Therefore Hatha yoga can be defined as yoga Asana which uses force to power to extricate something or withdraw a certain object or part of body in this case. The main reason why people perform this particular yoga form is because it purifies the body to perform other higher forms of yoga and spiritual meditation. That is why Hatha yoga in India holds such great importance among yoga enthusiasts.
Hatha yoga in India is taught in many places the likes of which include, Goa, Dharamshala, Kerala, Mathura, Haridwar, Rishikesh. In fact in India you will also find yoga centers and ashrams which only specialize in the Hatha yoga form and they will teach you everything about it.
Like any other yoga form Hatha yoga also constitutes four major elements: the yoga posture that is the Asana, the purification process which is known as shatkriya, the breathing exercises called pranayam and last but not the least the gestures or the mudras. When you get enrolled in some course of Hatha yoga in India you will be taught all four of these elements. Once you master all the four elements then only you can say that you have mastered the yoga form of Hatha.
Hatha yoga in India has both national as well as international acclaim. Ever since yoga was made familiar in the western world, the western crowd has shown major interest in it. India is filling up with people who only come here for the purpose of learning yoga and becoming a master of all yoga forms.