London  - Little Cumbrae, a tiny island off Scotland's west coast with jagged cliffs, a lighthouse and flocks of birds, is expected to become an international yoga centre.

The Indian yoga guru Swami Ramdev has given Little Crumbrae a traditional Hindu blessing, according to the BBC. This came in a ceremony that took place after two of Ramdev's followers, Sam and Sunita Poddar of Glasgow, bought the uninhabited island last summer for more than 2 million euros (3 million dollars).

The 280-hectare island is now called Peace Island and within the next few months it is expected to become a destination for pilgrims and a meditation and Ayurveda centre for yoga practitioners from all over the world. Ayurveda is a system of traditional medicine developed in India.

"We want to celebrate the glory of the island and we want people to come and learn to live with nature," said Sunita Poddar.

Ramdev is not uncontroversial. Critics accuse him of promising cures for fatal diseases such as AIDS and cancer. (dpa)