Isha Mahashivratri 2022

Isha Mahashivratri

Mahashivratri, or the 'The Great Night of Shiva' is one of the largest Hindu Festivals. It is celebrated once a year around February/March. Isha Mahashivratri refers to the nightlong festival organized by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore.

Unlike most festivals in India, Mahashivratri is celebrated at night, and the main focus is on meditation, fasting, and jagran.

Origin and History of Isha Mahashivratri

Shivratri occurs on the day before the new moon or the 14th day of every lunar month of the Hindu Calendar. Out of the 12 Shivratris, Mahashivratri is considered to be the most significant spiritually.

It is believed that on the night of Shivratri, there is a natural upsurge of energy in human beings, and to allow the energies to find their way, people remain awake all night.

Several Puranas mention the Mahashivratri. It is widely believed to be the day when Shiva married Parvati. According to some legends, it is the day when Shiva ended all his enemies. Other legends say that Mahashivratri is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of destruction, creation, and perseverance.

As per yogi traditions, Mahashivratri is the day when Shiva became one with Mount Kailash. For yogis, Shiva is not a God, but the first guru or the Adi Guru. They believe that the science of Yoga originated from him. Thus, Mahashivratri is an important day for spiritual seekers.

Sadhguru, a yogi and the founder of Isha Foundation, designed the Adiyogi statue at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Mahashivratri is celebrated every year in this location. Many people from all over the world attend this festival at the Isha Yoga Center.

When is the Isha Mahashivratri Festival?

Mahashivratri Festival, 2022 at Isha Yoga Center is on 1st March. It will be preceded by a three-day dance and music festival called Yaksha from 27th February to 1st March 2021. Entry is free for all. The festival is live-streamed as well for people who cannot make it to the venue.

How is Isha Mahashivratri Celebrated?

Mahashivratri at Isha Foundation is celebrated on a grand scale. Many people attend the festival from different parts of the country and the world.

You can start preparing for the Mahashivratri at Isha Yoga Center up to 40 days before the festival day by doing the Mahashivratri Sadhana. The duration for the sadhana can vary from person to person. You can choose to do it for 40 days, 21 days, 7 days, or 3 days. You can find details related to the sadhana process and the dates for each of these durations on the Isha Foundation's website.

• Isha Mahashivratri festival starts with the Pancha Bhuta Aradhana in the evening. It is the process of purifying the 5 elements within the human body. It is followed by the Bhairavi Maha Yatra, a procession of the Linga Bhairavi Murti.
• Next, you get to experience the light and sound show called 'Adiyogi Divya Darshanam'. It shows the life and offerings of Adiyogi to humanity. Post this is the Maha Annadanam.
• Around midnight on Mahashivratri, Sadhguru addresses the gathering and initiates the midnight meditation, which is followed by dance and music performances by famous artists.

Highlights of Mahashivratri, 2022 at Isha

The highlights of Mahashivratri, 2022 at Isha Yoga Center are -

• Mar 1st, 2022 : 6 pm – Nightlong
• Performing Group – Sounds of Isha and other renowned artist
• Place – Isha Yoga Center
• Address – Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641114

The Yaksha festival is also held which promotes the diversity and uniqueness of Indian performing arts. Many well-known artists perform at this festival.

• Midnight Meditation: Sadhguru initiates the Mahashivratri meditation at the stroke of midnight. It is one of the most important events of the entire festival. All the attendees, along with the Sadhguru, chant a mantra as part of the meditation.
• Maha Annadanam: Annadanam means sharing or offering of food in Sanskrit. It is an important part of Indian culture, and no festival is complete without the sharing of food. At the Maha Annadanam, food is offered to all the people who attend the Mahashivratri celebrations at the Isha Yoga Center.
• Performances: Many performances take place during the Isha Mahashivratri festival. Renowned artists from different parts of India perform here, giving attendees a chance to experience and appreciate the various Indian classical art forms.

How to reach the Isha Yoga Center?

The Isha Yoga Center is located in the foothills of Velliangiri Mountains, 30 km west of Coimbatore. You can reach Coimbatore by air, train or road. You can find a number of state-government run buses like TSRTC , APSRTC , TNSTC , or KeralaRTC to reach Coimbatore.

Many people travel via bus to the Isha Yoga Center. Buses are available daily from Coimbatore to this Center. The major roads connecting Poondi, Semmedu, or Siruvani all lead to Isha.

Popular bus routes to Isha Yoga Center are -

• Isha To Gandhipuram
• Gandhipuram To Isha
• Poondi To Gandhipuram
• Gandhipuram To Poondi

You can get to Coimbatore from various Indian cities via bus as well. Some of the popular bus routes to Coimbatore are -

• Chennai to Coimbatore
• Bangalore to Coimbatore
• Ernakulam to Coimbatore
• Salem to Coimbatore

You can find details related to all the bus routes on the redBus website or mobile application. It is the most reliable platform for booking bus tickets online. To be a part of Sadhguru’s Mahashivratri, 2022 festival, book your bus tickets quickly by visiting the redBus website or downloading the redBus mobile application.