The 30th year of Isha Foundation's Mahashivratri celebrations witnessed Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in attendance along with founder Sadhguru on Friday at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore. Dhankhar was accompanied by his wife and second lady of India, Dr Sudhesh Dhankhar. This year the theme of the event was Kashi.
“You are not only inspiring young people to practice but also inspiring them to take Yoga to all corners of the world,” Dhankhar said at the event. He further said, "In a divided and inpatient world, Sadhguru ji emanates compassion and inclusiveness. His focus on issues that are genuine to humanity and the planet has earned him accolades all over."
The event was attended by Tamil Nadu Governor Thiru RN Ravi, Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Thiru L Murugan.
After being received by Sadhguru, Dhankhar was then accompanied to the Mahashivaratri venue- at the iconic Adiyogi. He offered Kailash Teertham to the Yogeshwar Linga, and inaugurated the night long celebrations by lighting the Mahayoga Yagna to symbolize the spread of Yoga around the world. The celebrations began with the Linga Bhairavi Utsav Murti procession and Maha Aarti. Later on, Sadhguru welcomed the dignitaries to the event.
Welcoming Dhankhar and other dignitaries, Sadhguru said, "In 1994, we were just a little over 70 people, and there was only one lady, whom we called Chennai Patti, who knew only two songs. She sang the same two songs throughout the night. But we were so crazy, blown away by Shiva. We danced, we meditated, and we celebrated the entire night with just two songs. Her throat was hoarse, but she went on singing with devotion that fired everybody up the entire night. And here we are after 30 years with the largest event on the planet. Last year, over one hundred and forty million people participated in the Mahasivarathri event across the world. This year, people are estimating it could be over 200 million".
Talking about the great night of Shiva, Sadhguru said, "There is a natural upsurge of energy on the night of Mahashivratri, which human beings alone are privileged to make use of because we have a vertical spine. Being at Isha, which is located at 11 degrees latitude, creates maximum centrifugal energy or upward movement, the natural physical force."
Kashi theme for celebrations
The ancient city of Varanasi and its majestic ghats were depicted in the decorations at the iconic Adiyogi, the main venue for Isha’s Mahashivratri festival. Sadhguru revealed the Kashi theme for this year’s celebrations in his tweet on Friday.
"A Tower of Light and Adiyogi's limitless Grace. Our fortune to be celebrating Mahashivratri in the ambience of "Kashi" at Adiyogi!" Sadhguru said revealing the theme.
Correlating the theme of Kashi with the ambience of the Isha Yoga Center, Dhankhar remarked. "The ambiance at Isha Yoga Center is so impactful, with consecrated spaces like Dhyanlinga, Devi Linga Bhairavi, sacred Kunds, and the Adiyogi. The composition reminds me of Kashi and it's wonderful to see Kashi coming at Adiyogi. I felt I was in the ancient city itself."
Performances
The performances began with Adiyogi songs by Sounds of Isha, Isha’s homegrown band. Later dance performances by Isha Samskriti enthralled the audience and set the stage for a multitude of diverse performances.
An eclectic lineup of artists from diverse backgrounds will grace the stage at Isha's Maha Shivratri celebrations. Notable performers include Padma Shri Shankar Mahadevan, renowned for his soul-stirring compositions. Vocalist Rathijit Bhattacharjee will join Isha's homegrown band, Sounds of Isha, while adding to the musical tapestry are Dharavi rappers Paradox Tanishq Singh and MC Heam, along with Punjabi folk sensation Gurudas Maan, and the versatile Mahalingam Marimuthu representing Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu folk traditions. Mooralala Marwada, hailing from the Kutch region of Gujarat, will bring the essence of folk and Sufi music, complemented by the rhythmic beats of Lebanese drummers, Sodaf Beirut.
In a mesmerising duet, renowned Carnatic vocalist Sandeep Narayan collaborated with singer Prithvi Gardhav, rendering an unforgettable musical experience for the audience. Thousands of devotees thronged the Isha Yoga Center for the mega event.
In addition, 1,900 international devotees from 72 nations, and over 4,000 volunteers are participating in the mega event. The grand spectacle is being broadcast in 22 languages across the globe and is being live streamed by over 200 television channels and digital platforms. For the first time, the event is also being screened on select movie screens.
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