Distancing her upper State Street studio from the controversy surrounding Bikram Yoga founder Bikram Choudhury, owner Mari Larangeira is changing its name to Yoga 105° (3891 State St., [805] 687-6900, bikramyogasb.com ), with a May 1 relaunch of the hot-yoga melting pot that has served Santa Barbara since 1998.
The 69-year-old Choudhury faces several civil lawsuits accusing sexual assault or rape, according to Los Angeles Superior Court documents. In a statement, lawyers for Choudhury — who does not face criminal charges and has denied any wrongdoing — called the accusations “lurid.”
But even before allegations surfaced, Larangeira says she was put off by Choudhury’s ostentatious displays of the vast monetary wealth he has accrued since founding his hot yoga practice in the 1970s. “For many years, I have not resonated with his flamboyant lifestyle,” she said. “He doesn’t live simply and sustainably, which are important values to me.”