Haridwar: Yoga guru Ramdev on Monday took part in a session at Madame Tussauds in London where his photographs and measurements were taken by a 20-member team that will prepare his wax statue to be put up in the world-famous institution. He later tweeted a series of photos of the session including one of himself striking a yoga pose of vrikshasan (standing on one leg) which is how he will be depicted in the museum. "First time the statue of a yogi will be installed at @Madame Tussauds museum in London. This will further add to the glory of the science of yoga and will motivate people across the globe to adopt a yogic lifestyle," the yoga guru's tweet read.

Ramdev's associates in Haridwar said that he was initially quite hesitant to get his statue installed at the museum but later agreed to it "in the hope that the statue may arouse curiosity about yoga among international tourists."

The yoga guru’s spokesperson SK Tijarawala told TOI that "the impression (measurement) session at Madame Tussauds went on for around three hours on Monday.” “A dedicated team of 20 experts took impressions, measurements and matching of eyes, ears, skull & posture by colour and size and recorded details for making the wax statue.” He added that Ramdev is “the first yogi to get such an honour from the museum.” "It is indeed the power of yoga that midst the statues of global celebrities, the statue of a fakir (Baba Ramdev) is being installed by the side of a wazir (PM Modi)," Tijarawala said.

Ramdev is believed to have given to the museum a pair of the saffron robes he usually wears along with a pair of his wooden slippers.

His statue will be put up first at the London museum and thereafter taken to the Delhi museum of Madame Tussauds.

