Bend it like Stanislav! LU’s Russian yoga student wins hearts

LUCKNOW: Russians have long been loyal to the cause of yoga. It was Russian actor Constantin Stanislavski who made extensive use of Hatha Yoga in his system for training actors in the 1910s, and then came Eugenie Peterson aka Indra Devi, a Russian yoga teacher known for bringing yoga to Hollywood.
Even today, yoga remains popular in Russia with students taking pains to travel around 5,000 km to India to learn yoga.Meet 23-year-old Stanislav Pavlovich Karausov who came from Yekaterinburg, Russia, to pursue BA in yoga at Lucknow University. He is the only foreign student at the department's yoga course.
Stan, as he is known to his friends and teacher, knows very little English and is learning Hindi with the help of his friends in extra time. A man of fewer words, Stan talks through his asanas which he has mastered in a surprisingly short time.
His passion, flexibility and punctuality for learning yoga have not only won the hearts of his Indian friends but also yoga assitant professor Amarjeet Yadav and other faculty members who admire his flexibility, punctuality and efforts to learn asanas despite the language barrier.
Talking to TOI, ahead of the International Day of Yoga celebrations, Stan said, “I like to do different physical recreational exercises. I firmly believe that yoga as a form of recreational therapy can promote relaxation, improve flexibility, boost your ability to focus and expand lung capacity.”
He said, “I want to make a career in yoga once I complete my course. I chose to pursue yoga at LU at the suggestion of one of my relatives here in India.”
“For me, yoga is all about taking care of your body, mind and breathing. The yoga practices, which are millennia old, include yogic postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation. With their help, the body, mind and breath come into harmony with one another,” he added.
Stanislav’s dad Pavel Olegovich Karausov, who heads a travel agency, and his mother Nadezhda Vasilievna Karausova, head of a kindergarten school, have always supported his passion for yoga.
Coordinator of LU’s faculty of yoga and alternative medicine Amarjeet Yadav said, “Stanislav is a quick learner. He learned asanas in no time. Also, he is very punctual and sincere about his yoga classes. He makes sure not to miss a single class and is always on time.”
“He is the most loved student of our batch due to his friendly and humble nature. He has mixed well with Indian students, understands and has picked many Hindi words. Stanislav eagerly takes part in Indian festival celebrations like Holi and other cultural activities,” Amarjeet said.