Bikram maybe dirtier than you think

Everyone has probably heard of Bikram at some point. Half of the editorial team loves it. The other half finds it a bit dirty and uncomfortable. And however you look at it, doing acrobatic stunts in 40 degrees with a bunch of people is also quite a bit uncomfortable and dirty. Nevertheless, countless loyal fans swear by the insane results they achieve with the Bikram yoga method that was conceived in the 1990s by yoga instructor Bikram Choudhury.

But besides the immense popularity of performing the fixed series of hatha yoga poses in the heat, there have been a number of scandals surrounding the founder for several years now. The self-proclaimed guru is being accused by various former followers of assault and inappropriate sexual behavior.

This has been simmering for a while, but the New York Times news this week that the story seems to be reaching its peak now that a sixth official case has been filed against Choudhury, in which he is even accused of rape during a training.

It is important to mention that these are civil cases and there is no criminal prosecution against Mr. Bikram. The yoga-magnate in question denies the allegations in every way and says that the ‘victims’ are only out to get money from him.

That he has money is certainly a fact. Where you might have an image of a yoga guru as a man wrapped in loincloths living in poverty and focusing on the spiritual side of life, Bikram has built an empire with his method. He lives in a villa in Beverly Hills, owns a fleet of Rolls-Royces and Bentleys and is known for wearing crocodile leather shoes and fedora hats outside of yoga sessions.

Meanwhile, several studios and followers are said to have severed ties with the Bikram organization.