Contradicted the projection of Yoga as a greatest contribution of ancient Vedic religion to humankind by "vested interests", Veerabhadra Chennamalla Swami of Nidumamidi math said that the Yoga was a contribution of ancient Dravidian traditions and existed much before Aryan invasion of India.

He was delivering his presidential address at a public meeting at Veerashaiva Kalyana Mantapa here on Sunday.

"Many inscriptions depicting people being seated in the Siddhasana posture on them, were found in Mohenjo-daro archaeology site in Indus valley civilization, which existed before Aryan invasion of India. Yoga was a contribution not of Rishi tradition of Vedic culture, but of Muni tradition of non-Vedic Dravidian culture," he said. He, however, accepted that the practice of Yoga was more popularised by Vedic traditions in the later period.

Condemning the "efforts of confining Yoga to a particular religion and nation," the seer said that it was one of the greatest practices that humankind evolved for addressing both physical and mental issues and leading peaceful life.

Though the Swamy upheld benefits of Yoga in keeping the physical and mental health well, he opposed the efforts of market forces to promote Yoga at international level for their commercial benefits. "As everything, Yoga too is being commercialised and promoted at international-level by market forces, such as Baba Ramdev, to reap maximum profits from the sale of Yoga-based products," he said. The seer emphasised the need of "liberating Yoga from the clutches of Hindutva forces."

Renowned scholar Dr. M.M. Kalburgi, veteran journalist M.K. Bhaskar Rao, Prof. Kalyanrao G Patil of Gulbarga University and others were present.