This 98-year-old yoga expert granny will inspire you to visit Coimbatore

There's more to Coimbatore than its beautiful textiles, food and River Noyyal. The city should be on any aspiring Yoga practitioner’s radar due to its priceless jewel, V Nanammal, who makes the ancient art form look like a cakewalk. Ask why?

Well, Nanammal is not one of the young yoga teachers that are not hard to find in Indian cities, but a 98-year-old granny, who has been recognised as the oldest yoga teacher in India. She has proved her prowess (without owning a certificate) by earning several awards and accolades at yoga fests and competitions. Myriad are the awards that she has received for her excellence in the science of yoga and several are the asanas that she performs.

Nanammal comes from a family of agriculturists, and it was her grandparents who got her started at the tender age of 10 years by setting an example themselves. Today, 36 members in her family, including her children and grandchildren, devoutly practice yoga and some even teach. On her part, Nanammal teaches 100 students daily, from all age groups, even tricky asanas like the headstand and handstand pose.

Need some inspiration to start waking up early?

Nanammal wakes up at 5 AM every day and practices yoga after drinking some water and cleaning her teeth with Neem twigs. After that is breakfast time, which is porridge featuring local ingredients. Plus, she never uses white sugar and sticks to only jaggery to sweeten her food. Her impressive lifestyle has made her immune to diseases like dementia, loss of hearing ability and poor eyesight.

Her credentials will give you a sweet surprise

Nanammal has been awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar Award from the President of India, but this is just one example of her achievements. Her students have enhanced the glory of her name by winning gold medals at yoga festivals all over the world.
If you can make it to Coimbatore

So, if you can travel all the way to Coimbatore, there is no better experience than meeting up Nanammal. And those of you, who wish to learn yoga, consider learning the art from Nanammal whilst absorbing the experience to stay in a city known for its cultural legacy.