Re-posted from 5th January 2012
I was just skimming through the Yoga unveiled documentary and came across the Ashtanga section, nice clip of Pattabhi Jois pointing to that old picture from Krishanamacharya's Yoga Makaranda and saying " That's Me ( in Kapotasana ) and that's Krishnamacharya (standing on top of him).
Interesting hand position in his Kapo, they're almost underneath the ankles rather than on top.
'About the Film
Harnessing the colorful commentary of the most prominent yoga scholars, teachers, and medical experts, Yoga Unveiled reveals how yoga began, tells the story of yoga's passage to the West, describes its numerous branches, recounts the fascinating biographies of the foremost yoga masters, and explores yoga's astonishing medical potential.
Stunning cinematography, ornate visual displays, and stirring music create a truly enchanting viewing experience. The great devotees of yoga grace the screen with their profound wisdom and delightful manner.
Yoga Unveiled also features commentary by Krishna Das, Dr. Herbert Benson, Edwin Bryant, Subhash Kak, Vasant Lad, Dr. Timothy McCall, Larry Payne, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Father Joe Pereira, Swami Sivananda, Dr. Martina Ziska, and Dharma Mittra'.
Here's the trailer
UPDATE: My friend Gilad, long long time practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga has a different understanding. He sent me a photo he has had for over 20 years where Pattabhi Jois is indicated in Red, in headstand and Krishnamacharya in Blue. Unfortunately Gilad no longer remembers who to credit the photo to. You have to admit it does physically look like the Pattabhi Jois of the famous Yoga mala photo but on the other hand Jois mentioned that Krishnamacharya used to stand on him in Kapotasana while giving lectures, for the photo Krishnamacharya would no doubt have chosen a suitable student to stand upon. Pattabhi Jois points himself out in Kapo in Yoga Unveiled and if I'm not mistaken Breath of the Gods, it could also be of course that he has misremembered.
However, I've just checked another scene, this time from Breath of Gods, where Pattabhi Jois discusses the picture and again he says it's him in kapotasana but goes further saying that the boy in sirsasana ( in red above ) was his best from Mahadeva Bhatt.
Update 2
I've heard of late that it may well be T R S Sharma in Kapotasana with Krishnamacharya standing in top if him.
I was just skimming through the Yoga unveiled documentary and came across the Ashtanga section, nice clip of Pattabhi Jois pointing to that old picture from Krishanamacharya's Yoga Makaranda and saying " That's Me ( in Kapotasana ) and that's Krishnamacharya (standing on top of him).
Interesting hand position in his Kapo, they're almost underneath the ankles rather than on top.
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| LINK TO DVD |
Harnessing the colorful commentary of the most prominent yoga scholars, teachers, and medical experts, Yoga Unveiled reveals how yoga began, tells the story of yoga's passage to the West, describes its numerous branches, recounts the fascinating biographies of the foremost yoga masters, and explores yoga's astonishing medical potential.
Stunning cinematography, ornate visual displays, and stirring music create a truly enchanting viewing experience. The great devotees of yoga grace the screen with their profound wisdom and delightful manner.
Yoga Unveiled also features commentary by Krishna Das, Dr. Herbert Benson, Edwin Bryant, Subhash Kak, Vasant Lad, Dr. Timothy McCall, Larry Payne, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Father Joe Pereira, Swami Sivananda, Dr. Martina Ziska, and Dharma Mittra'.
Here's the trailer
UPDATE: My friend Gilad, long long time practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga has a different understanding. He sent me a photo he has had for over 20 years where Pattabhi Jois is indicated in Red, in headstand and Krishnamacharya in Blue. Unfortunately Gilad no longer remembers who to credit the photo to. You have to admit it does physically look like the Pattabhi Jois of the famous Yoga mala photo but on the other hand Jois mentioned that Krishnamacharya used to stand on him in Kapotasana while giving lectures, for the photo Krishnamacharya would no doubt have chosen a suitable student to stand upon. Pattabhi Jois points himself out in Kapo in Yoga Unveiled and if I'm not mistaken Breath of the Gods, it could also be of course that he has misremembered.
Update 2
I've heard of late that it may well be T R S Sharma in Kapotasana with Krishnamacharya standing in top if him.
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| Photo probably taken around 5 years after the Mysore school photo |
"The archival photographs of Guruji that are often seen, such as the one of him in samasthiti, were taken in Tiruchinapalli and Kanchipuram, both in Tamil Nadu. Tiruchinapalli is home to the famous Sri Ranganatha temple, and Kanchipuram, to Adi Shankaracharya Mutt, Sri Kancha Kama Koti Peetham, as well as a sprawling Siva temple. Amma’s grandfather, a great scholar of Sanskrit, Veda, and astrology, was the teacher of the Shankaracharya Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, when he was a young man. This Swamiji was to become a major figure and driving spiritual force in Hinduism. Widely regarded as an enlightened being, he was known for his extreme humility and genuine compassion for all beings. People from all over India traveled to see him, and his knowledge of a vast array of subjects was renowned. Around the time that the photographs included in the book Yoga Mala of Guruji doing asanas were taken, Guruji and Amma had gone to visit the Swamiji. On their first visit, he inquired who they were and Guruji told him that he was the son-in-law of Narayana Shastri. With this, the Shankaracharya visibly brightened and the two spoke together at length about Yoga and philosophy. Guruji and Amma then remained with the Swamiji for eight days and, during that time, the Shankaracharya asked him to give a Yoga demonstration. So impressed was he with the knowledge and abilities Guruji demonstrated that he asked him to stay on in Kanchipuram to teach Yoga, but Guruji’s obligations elsewhere forced him to decline. He and Amma however visited the Shankaracharya several more times. On their last visit, they came with the entire family. When they arrived, they were informed that the Shankaracharya was keeping silence and thus not seeing visitors. But when a secretary informed him that Guruji had come with his family from Mysore, the acharya came to the door, smiled, and raised his hand in silent greeting, before again retiring". http://ayny.org/sri-k-pattabhi-jois/
The nail in thigh, Krishnamacharya standing on him Kapo story from YJ
On one occasion while in Kapotasana with Krishnamacharya standing on him for a demonstration and lecture, the young Jois' was aware of a nail sticking in his thigh
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| Yoga Journal Mar-Apr 1986 |
