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Not so Zen ... Yoga guru Bikram Choudhury is being divorced by his wife of 31 years, Rajashree. Picture: Supplied
HE is the self-proclaimed Superman of fitness gurus who built a multimillion-dollar hot yoga empire.
But with a string of rape allegations against him, his franchise falling into disrepute and a humiliated wife filing for divorce, the heat is firmly on Bikram Choudhury.
The 69-year-old pioneered his own version of yoga in India in the late Sixties and has been championed by stars including Madonna, David Beckham and Andy Murray.
There are more than 700 Bikram yoga schools around the world, with fans extolling the merits of his system of 26 poses performed in rooms heated to 40C.
The Sun reports one former student as saying: Hed talk about some girls b*****s or tell stories about how all the women in LA were walking funny after intercourse with him.
Another tells of how during one class, Choudhury stood up, grabbed his crotch and screamed: I am a Bengal tiger! I am a Bengal tiger!
Others talk of how he would promise to cure cancer and regularly boast of his famous clients and friends.
Now his empire is crumbling.
Since 2013, six women have accused Choudhury of rape or sexual assault.
The claims, the first of which is due to reach court this year, are said to have led to some of his franchises dropping his name.
One of his accusers says Choudhury told her, If you dont have s*x with me, Ill die, before raping her.
The health guru let slip in 2014 the effect the accusations were having on his marriage, telling how his wife of 31 years, Rajashree, never looks at me.
Last week it was revealed the 50-year-old, with whom he built the Bikram brand, is seeking a divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
Choudhury blames the recent scandal on Western culture and boasted on US TV: Women love me. So if I really wanted to involve the women, I dont have to assault the women.
Lawyers for Choudhury refute the claims made against their client, saying: Mr Choudhury did not sexually assault any of the plaintiffs.
Their claims are false and dishonour Bikram yoga and the health and spiritual benefits it has brought to the lives of millions of practitioners throughout the world.
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Source: http://www.news.com.au/world/brekkie-wrap-heat-rising-for-bikram-yoga-founder-bikram-choudhury/news-story/f8aa6137ac79d5da4b9c85677b275123
