Nearly a century ago, long before steroids were even a thought, there was an Indian man who found a way to build incredible strength and muscle using nothing but yoga and basic exercises. His name was Bishnu Charan Ghosh, and he was not only a yoga master but also a well-known bodybuilder from Kolkata. Interestingly, Ghosh was the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda, a famous spiritual leader and author of the worldwide best-seller Autobiography of a Yogi.
While Ghosh’s story has been somewhat forgotten over the years, he saw a revival in 2024 when Jeff Cavaliere, a popular fitness coach and influencer, shared several black-and-white images of Ghosh and his students on Instagram. These photos showed off their impressive physiques, achieved through yoga and strength exercises instead of the chemicals and steroids often used today.
What many people might not realize is that these images tell a larger story. Ghosh and his students, including a man named Buddha Bose, were pioneers in blending yoga with bodybuilding. They traveled to different countries like the U.S. and Japan to showcase their skills. In fact, Ghosh was even honored with a tribute postage stamp in Japan in 2017 for his contributions.
While modern yoga names like B.K.S. Iyengar and Bikram Choudhury are well-known globally, Ghosh’s legacy has been less talked about. However, his influence is undeniable. Some of the images shared by Cavaliere are from Ghosh’s 1930 book Muscle Control & Barbell Exercises, which he co-authored with Keshub Chandra Sen Gupta. These images still captivate people today.
In 2013, an American writer named Jerome Armstrong stumbled upon one of these old photos at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. It featured Buddha Bose, one of Ghosh’s top students, performing an advanced yoga posture. Intrigued by the history behind the image, Armstrong began researching Ghosh and eventually wrote a book titled Calcutta Yoga. His journey took him to Kolkata, where Ghosh’s yoga college still operates today.
One of Armstrong’s motivations for writing the book was a sense of injustice. Bikram Choudhury, who became famous for his hot yoga brand, had studied under Ghosh, yet did little to promote his teacher’s legacy. As Choudhury’s reputation crumbled due to abuse allegations, Ghosh’s work started to regain attention.
What made Ghosh so unique was his combination of bodybuilding and yoga. Inspired by global bodybuilding icons like Walter Chit Tun and Eugen Sandow, Ghosh blended resistance training for strength with yoga for internal health. This approach made him a key figure in Kolkata’s physical culture boom during the early 1900s, a time when exercise and national pride were closely linked.
Another groundbreaking aspect of Ghosh’s work was the inclusion of women in yoga. In a time when women weren’t usually encouraged to practice, Ghosh trained Reba Rakshit, a strongwoman famous for stunts like letting an elephant walk over her chest! His students also included Monotosh Roy, who became the first Asian to win the Mr. Universe title.
Despite his fame, Ghosh didn’t start writing about yoga until much later. Most of what we know about his thoughts on yoga asanas comes from the writings of his student Buddha Bose. According to Bose, Ghosh believed that the proper practice of yoga could lengthen life and naturally strengthen the body’s muscles.
Today, Ghosh’s yoga college in Kolkata is still run by his granddaughter, Muktamala Mitra. The school focuses on the therapeutic benefits of yoga, tailoring programs to meet individual needs, whether students want to improve their fitness or heal from injuries.
While scientific proof for some of these claims is still up for debate, many loyal followers swear by the effectiveness of Ghosh’s teachings. One such devotee is Tota Roychowdhury, a well-known Bengali actor. Growing up in Kolkata, he learned yoga from his mother, unknowingly following Ghosh’s method. His yoga practice kept him injury-free while he trained to be a professional footballer, and he even lifted weights at one of Ghosh’s centers.
Reflecting on Ghosh’s life, Roychowdhury is amazed by how ahead of his time Ghosh was. Nearly a century before modern fitness trends, Ghosh combined yoga and strength training to create a holistic approach to health and fitness—one that still shocks the world today.
Ghosh’s legacy lives on through his yoga college and the many students he inspired, proving that true strength doesn’t need steroids—it can come from within, through dedication, discipline, and the power of yoga.
