Choudhury (Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class
) has been called the "Bill Gates of Yoga," but readers may detect a bit of P.T. Barnum in this "hot yoga" showman. Born in India, Choudhury has lived in Hollywood since the early 1970s, when he founded his Yoga College of India. His brash style and personal wealth have drawn fire from the media and American yogis. His somewhat militant, "no pain, no gain" rhetoric and franchised, one-size-fits-all approach may seem contrary to the principles of yoga; Bikram claims his system is the most authentic yoga taught in the U.S. The Bikram Yoga sequence consists of 26 postures, two breathing exercises and brief resting periods performed in a room heated above 100 degrees. This method, Choudhury claims, can cure everything from physical injuries and serious illnesses to troubled relationships and spiritual poverty. Some readers may be put off by frequent name-dropping of famous students (Shirley MacLaine) and those who have received miraculous cures (former President Nixon). (Apr.)
