In the pulsating heart of India`s metros, where deadlines blur into demanding schedules and the city`s rhythm often feels relentlessly fast, a quiet revolution is taking place.
Urban professionals and busy individuals are turning to yoga, not just for physical prowess, but as an indispensable tool for navigating the hustle and anxieties of modern life.
This International Day of Yoga, we delve into the lives of urban yogis who are finding stillness amidst the city`s chaos.
`Yoga gave me the ability to respond instead of react`
For Maitri Boda, a fitness enthusiast and co-founder of Squat Up in Mumbai, the impact of yoga extends far beyond the physical. “The biggest shift has honestly been internal. Yoga gave me the ability to respond instead of react,” she shares. In a city like Mumbai and a profession that demands constant movement and decision-making, Boda emphasises the invaluable role of this internal calm. “That pause, that internal calm, is everything. It has helped me become more emotionally resilient.” This resilience, she notes, translates directly into her professional life: “Even on chaotic days, I don`t carry stress into my interactions. That balance has translated into clearer thinking, better leadership, and a more grounded approach to problem-solving which I feel is just as important as physical strength.”
Fitting yoga into a demanding schedule, Boda`s advice is pragmatic: “The trick is to stop treating yoga like a luxury or an `extra` and to start treating it like a necessity.” She advocates for consistency over intensity, emphasising that “it’s not always about doing a perfect, 60-minute flow. Some days, it’s 15 minutes of stretching in the studio before clients come in. Other days, it’s breathwork or just a quiet moment in a child`s pose before I sleep.” Her key takeaway? “What helped was dropping the all-or-nothing mindset and embracing consistency over intensity. I remind myself that even a little yoga is better than none and that mindset keeps me connected to the practice, no matter how packed the day is.”
`What began as a physical discipline has become a way of living`
Prakriti Poddar, global head of mental health and wellbeing at Roundglass Living, offers a profound perspective, stating, “Yoga is the practice of becoming whole.” With over four decades of personal practice, Poddar describes yoga as her anchor. She explains, “It is the practice I return to, again and again, to centre myself. What began as a physical discipline has become a way of living: a quiet reminder, in each breath and movement, of what truly matters.”
Poddar emphasises that yoga transcends performance. “At its heart, yoga is not about performance. It is about learning to face yourself, as you are. The more I practice, the more I see how much I have to learn. Yoga humbles me. But it also gives me the tools to keep working with discipline and self-compassion.” This practice has seamlessly integrated into every aspect of her life: “Over time, yoga has become part of everything: how I sit, speak, make decisions, and relate to others.” She highlights the foundational ethical principles of yoga,” Yama (discipline) and niyama (observance), have shaped the way I understand truth, restraint, kindness, and gratitude.”
The yoga practitioner also sheds light on yoga`s holistic view of the body. “Yoga has also expanded my understanding of the body not as something to control or sculpt but as a mirror of the mind. Each posture teaches me something about where I hold tension, how I respond to discomfort, and whether I am forcing or allowing.”
As a mental health professional, Poddar observes a convergence between ancient wisdom and modern science. “As someone who works in mental health and wellbeing, I often find that science is now catching up with what the yogis knew intuitively. Studies show that yoga and mindfulness support emotion regulation, reduce stress, and strengthen the parts of the brain linked to introspection and self-awareness. What was once observed through deep practice is now visible in scans and data.”
Yet, the most significant lessons, she notes, are immeasurable. “They come quietly, when you hold a pose longer than you thought you could or realise that the strength you seek has been within you all along. These skills are cultivated through showing up for ourselves, day after day, especially when it is hard.”
Poddar elaborates on the eight limbs of yoga, as outlined by Patanjali and revived by B.K.S. Iyengar, “The eight limbs of yoga… remind us that yoga is not only about movement. It is an ethical and spiritual path. Each limb builds upon the next, moving from outward behaviour to inward awareness. The physical postures (asana) are only one part.” This comprehensive approach has empowered her to navigate uncertainty with steadiness.
For this International Day of Yoga, she extends an invitation: “I invite you to let yoga become your school, your mirror, your practice. Let it guide you, not toward perfection but toward wholeness.”
`Yoga isn’t the pause after the chaos – it’s what steadies me through it`
Mallika Timblo, founder of Terrapy, echoes this sentiment, admitting, “To be honest, I used to think of yoga as a luxury, something I’d get to after the work was done, the lists were ticked off, and the day was somehow quiet. But if life in Mumbai teaches you anything, it’s this: time never frees itself, you have to claim it.” For Timblo, yoga is no longer a post-chaos activity but rather an active steadying force, “So now, yoga isn’t the pause after the chaos – it’s what steadies me through it.”
The most profound change for Timblo has been mental clarity. “Beyond flexibility or fitness, it’s been mental clarity. I’m less reactive. More aware,” she states. While it hasn`t silenced the internal noise, “It’s helped me choose which noise matters. It’s taught me that stillness isn’t laziness, it’s resistance. Especially for women, who are expected to always keep going.”
Her approach to making time for yoga is equally flexible. “I don’t chase perfection. Or wait for the perfect 60-minute slot,” she explains. “Some days, it’s seven minutes of Cat-Cow, Downward Dog and Warrior asanas. Other days, five minutes of pranayama before a meeting or between calls. Or attempts at Yoga Nidra at 10 PM, with the day still buzzing in my head. I fit it in the cracks, imperfectly, but consistently.” For Timblo, “This is the real practice. And on most days, it’s more than enough.”