Yoga: How did it conquer the world and what's changed?

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Millions of people around the world have rolled out their yoga mats to celebrate a tradition that was once the preserve of Hindu holy men but is now a worldwide phenomenon.

Practitioners in more than 100 countries have planned events this week to celebrate the third International Yoga Day, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi convinced the UN to declare in 2015.

Since coming to power in 2014, the Hindu nationalist leader has led efforts to promote yoga, which he practises daily, as an important part of India's history and culture.

"Many countries which do not know our language, tradition, or culture, are now connecting to India through yoga," Mr Modi told a crowd of tens of thousands in the city of Lucknow, where he performed poses.

Narendra Modi, seen here in Lucknow, is said to practise yoga daily

And while some critics say Mr Modi's yoga push is part of a wider political agenda, there is little doubt that he is correct in saying yoga is one of the country's most significant cultural exports.

Dr Mark Singleton, a senior researcher in the modern history of yoga at SOAS, says Swedish and Danish gymnastic drills were particularly influential on Indian yoga practices.

A widespread "preoccupation with natural fitness" at the turn of the 19th Century coincided with developments in photography, which allowed pictures of poses and exercises to easily spread between India and the West.

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