Modern Yoga has its roots in the Indus valley civilization, also known as the Indus Sarasvati Civilization. Indus valley civilization dates back to 3000 BC. It is believed to have been discovered and practiced by Aryans. Aryans were people who came from north-west and settled in northern India. Lord Shiva in Indian culture and philosophy is said to be the founder of Yoga. The ‘Mahabharat’’ – an epic about Indian mythology also mentions Yoga as a religious practice.

Excavators have found yogi like figures in Indian scriptures and stone seals. It is the figure of a cross-legged man with outstretched arms as if in a position of meditation. Teachings of Yoga are found in ancient Indian Hindu writings. These scriptures include the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Gita and other Puranas.

Scholars believe that beginnings of Yoga can be traced back to the Stone Age Shamanism. For a better understanding of Yoga and its history they divide it into four periods - the Vedic Period, Pre-Classical Period, Classical Period and Post-Classical Period. Just like Gita, Vedas is an ancient Hindu scripture – a collection of hymns which praise a divine power. It is believed that Vedas contains the oldest known teachings of Yoga. This period is called the Vedic Period. In Pre-Classical Period the Upanishads depict the existence of Yoga. The Classical Period is marked by another piece of writing – the Yoga Sutra, written by Patanjali.

Today, Yoga is an amalgamation of the teachings of many popular Yoga Gurus and all its forms found and practiced today are named after each of them. Among these practitioners two names are remain overshadowed – Maharishi Mahesh and Swami Sivananda.