Pranayama, asana, and yogic philosophy are important aspects of my Bengali Hindu heritage and identity. I have felt alienated from studios that have commodified the practice and excluded bodies that don’t look a certain way, particularly people of color. I am very grateful to JPCY for celebrating BIPOC practitioners and committing to making yoga more financially accessible.

Yoga has taught me a great deal about the obligations that we have to each other and ourselves. I am a mutual aid organizer, journalist, and researcher. My organizing focuses on grassroots wealth redistribution and caste abolition. Wellness, mental healthcare, and tending to our nervous systems is extremely important to me -- especially for my South Asian community where it is often stigmatized.

I am particularly interested in how yoga can serve the emotional and energetic body which is often neglected, especially in the face of trauma. I aspire to co-create a warm atmosphere where everyone feels included regardless of experience level. I also bring relevant aspects of yoga’s philosophy and cultural roots into the space. Asana can bring with it challenging emotions, a profound sense of peace and presence, and everything in between. I hope to convey the complexity and potential of the practice and its historical and spiritual context to others, particularly those who have been excluded from the industry. 

Ria’s Upcoming Classes