.png)
A History of the Sun Salutation Sequence
I have written before about the mythical origins of the Sun Salutation: how baby Hanuman thought the sun was a ripe mango and leapt into the sky, only to be struck down by Indra, the god of thunder (not Thor). Over time, as Hanuman grew, he learned of the immense significance of the sun (Surya) and adopted it as his guide and guru—one that would expel his darkness. Thus, legend has it, the Sun Salutation grew. Each morning, Hanuman would perform a series of movements in salutation to his guru. He would perform his namaskars to his deity, Surya.
I watched a movie recently starring Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire fame. The movie is called Monkey Man. It’s an ultra-violent revenge story, and I loved it. I didn’t watch it with Laura, though, as I thought she might find it unnecessarily violent. Although she’s keen on a Korean zombie movie, I’m not sure she’d appreciate this kind of violence. Monkey Man makes John Wick look like Paddington.
During various flashbacks in the movie, the lead character, "Kid," remembers his childhood. His mother would tell him stories of the brave Hanuman and share how baby Hanuman once leapt for the sun, thinking it was a mango. It’s one of the rare visuals I’ve seen in a movie that doesn’t look cartoonish yet captures the essence of the Hanuman mango story beautifully.
Not for the faint -hearted.
By the way, anyone who views India with rose-tinted glasses—thinking it is the spiritual capital of the world—should watch this movie to see what India is really like. Often, the yoga world wants to see only what it wants to see when they visit India, Mysore, or Goa. But the real India—extreme violence towards women, child slavery and abuse, the treatment of transgenders, and a deeply patriarchal society—is often overlooked (i've written in depth about this in my book). This movie (written and directed by Dev Patel, someone of Indian descent) brilliantly captures the real India in its background. And, as is so often the case, the “bad guy” behind everything is a so-called "man of God" and a Guru. Of course, he is.
For me, Monkey Man is one of the best and most accurate depictions of real India I’ve seen on the big screen.
But I digress. Oh yes, we were talking about the Sun Salutation.
There are mythical origins, but, as always, these don’t always align with historical fact. In Indian culture, fact and fiction often blur, making it nearly impossible to discern the difference.
The Origins
The precise origins of the Sun Salutation are uncertain, but the sequence was popularized in the early 20th century by Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi. Now say that name again as quickly as you can. Bhawanrao, for short, was the ruler of the princely state of Aundh during the British Raj, from 1909 until 1947. Unlike many rulers of his time, Bhawanrao was an advocate of physical exercise and movement. He was a keen bodybuilder and idolized the European "muscle man" Eugene Sandow (whom I write about in my book as a huge inspiration for the physical yoga culture).
Legend has it that Bhawanrao "invented" the exercise sequence known as the Sun Salutation. In The Handbook of Hinduism in Europe, the authors Jacobsen and Sardella note that Bhawanrao himself published the book Surya Namaskars in 1928, a step-by-step guide to performing the sequence. This version included poses like upward dog and downward dog, though it likely differed from the modern Sun Salutation most people rush through in yoga classes today.
Although Bhawanrao is often credited with inventing the Sun Salutation, he stated that the sequence was already part of the Maharashtra (western India) tradition.
In 1938, British author Louise Morgan updated Bhawanrao’s book as The Ten Point Way to Health: Surya Namaskars. This book introduced Indian physical culture exercises to European women. Morgan described the practice as "sun obeisances" or "sun prayers," suggesting they dated back thousands of years. She wrote, “They [people of the subcontinent] bowed to the sun as you would today to one who had bestowed so many priceless gifts on humanity.”
Morgan even prescribed specific practice methods: “Wear as little clothing as possible (it was always a private and personal practice); the less, the better. Let that little be loose and airy. Stand in the sunlight if there is any, with feet and knees together, and toes touching the edge of the cloth. Join hands resting on the chest and press the palms firmly together (as in namaskar).”
This is why I’ve always said that Sun Salutation begins with mountain pose and hands in namaskar. The whole “stand to attention with hands by the side and chest lifted” is part of the strict and subservient Ashtanga tradition—not a universal rule. Standing to attention is more about glorifying the teacher’s ego than aligning with the tradition. But again, I digress.
Classrooms and the Evolution of Sun Salutations
Sun Salutation classes were reportedly held in classrooms around the 1940s. This wasn’t strictly yoga but was considered a form of physical exercise—a way to vitalize the body and honor Surya, the sun god. It’s said that next door to one such class was a yoga shala where the grandfather of physical Yoga Krishnamacharya was teaching yoga to young boys and men. His goal was to make them stronger and more physical in preparation for potential conflict with Pakistan.
Krishnamacharya saw the value of the Sun Salutation and adopted it into his repertoire. He evolved his teachings from seated poses (as preparation for meditation) into standing poses designed to make the body stronger and more durable. This is when the mountain pose evolved from hands in namaskar resting on the chest to the version we see today—students standing to attention with perfect posture, hands by their sides, and serious expressions. This approach instilled discipline, as Krishnamacharya taught young boys. Later, his students, B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois, would popularize his style of yoga in the West.
However, there’s also a legend that the Sun Salutation predates Bhawanrao. Some credit Swami Ramdas (1608 CE) as the originator. Born Narayan, he was deeply influenced by his father’s devotion to Surya. After his father’s death, Narayan spent years in meditation and physical exercises, developing a Sun Salutation sequence as a tribute to his father and to Hanuman. Later, as Ramdas, he emphasized the importance of physical strength for individual development and sought to revive Hindu culture.
WARNING!
There is a Sanskrit commentary on the 15th-century yoga treatise, the Haṭhapradīpikā where the author cautions that excessive practice of Sun Salutations can actually harm the body. For beginners, such practices are advised against, alongside other strenuous activities like associating with bad company , excessive exposure to fire, interactions with the opposite sex, long journeys, and other physical hardships.
In Conclusion
The origins? Who knows.
Indian history often blurs fact and fiction, making it nearly impossible to tell the difference. Much of Indian history was destroyed during various foreign occupations, and earlier traditions were oral rather than written. But does the history or the academic origins even matter? Not in the slightest. Yet, as an ardent student of the game, I still find it fascinating to look back at yesteryear and unravel how these magical poses and sequences came together.
In many ways, the Sun Salutation reminds me of the greatest hip-hop beat of all time, Shook Ones Part II. Not an original composition, it was crafted by the producer Havoc using snippets and samples of obscure pieces (including a Quincy Jones intro). The end result was a sublime masterpiece that still holds up today. Its origins don’t discredit its genius—if anything, they solidify the art.
Similarly, dissecting the Sun Salutation only deepens my appreciation for its magic.
If you are interested in my enlightened punditry on all things yoga, take a look at the following relevant blogs -
1 - The (mythical) Origins of Surya Namaskar - https://www.akramyoga.co.uk/single-post/2016/07/08/the-origins-of-surya-namaskar
2 - How to do - The Sun Salutation (Sūrya Namaskāra): The Anatomy Part 1 - https://www.akramyoga.co.uk/single-post/2017/04/06/sun-salutation-anatomy-part-1
3 - The Yoga Pioneers - Śrī T Krishnamacharya 1888-1989 - https://www.akramyoga.co.uk/single-post/2017/10/23/the-yoga-pioneers-%C5%9Br%C4%AB-t-krishnamacharya-1888-1989
Zahir Akram - Eternal Seeker
---------------------------------
Interested in deepening your practice or teaching skills?
Our online training courses are now available, offering comprehensive content on anatomy, biomechanics, and yoga philosophy. These courses are designed to support students and yoga teachers in their continued development.
We also offer in-house Yoga Teacher Training here at our studio in Addlestone, Surrey, UK.
For more information on our online courses, mentoring or to book in-house training, email Zahir.
Comments