NE NEWS SERVICE
TRICHY, JAN 23
As the grand festival of Mahashivratri approaches, the Adiyogi Ratham, organised by Thenkailaya Bhakthi Peravai, has commenced traversing Trichy and its surrounding areas on Wednesday and will conclude on Friday. Simultaneously, hundreds of devotees from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka are undertaking a sacred pilgrimage on foot to Coimbatore’s Velliangiri, accompanied by six Adiyogi chariots.
The 31st Mahashivratri celebrations at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore will take place on 26 February with great splendour. To invite the public and provide an opportunity for those unable to travel to Coimbatore to experience the presence of Adiyogi, this annual chariot yatra is conducted, bringing the divine presence to people’s hometowns.
- The 31st Mahashivratri celebrations at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore will take place on 26 February with great splendour
- Hundreds of devotees from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka are undertaking a sacred pilgrimage on foot to Coimbatore’s Velliangiri, accompanied by six Adiyogi chariots.
- Another chariot carrying the divine form of Adiyogi along with statues of the 63 revered Nayanmars is en route to Coimbatore from Chennai
The 2025 Adiyogi Ratham was ceremoniously flagged off in front of the Adiyogi at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore. The chariots heading east and south were inaugurated on 11 December by Dharmapuram Adheenam Sri L. Sri Masilamani Desika Jnanachampanda Paramacharya Swamigal, while those travelling north and west were launched on 22 December by Thavathiru Perur Adheenam Maruthachala Adigalar and Thavathiru Siravai Adheenam Kurumara Gurupar Swamigal. These yatras are being conducted with four specially designed vehicles carrying six-foot-tall statues of Adiyogi.
In Trichy district, the Adiyogi Chariot on 22 January, it had visited key locations, including Malaikovil, LIC Office, Erumbeeswarar Temple, Indira Nagar, Thiruvaarampur, and the BHEL region. On 23 January, it continued procession through the suburban areas of Trichy, covering sites such as Samayapuram Temple, Thiruvanaikaval, Melur, Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Vayalur, and Somarasampettai, and will end on January 24.
Subsequently, the Adiyogi Ratham will travel through Ariyalur, Perambalur, Musiri, and Kulithalai. Earlier, between 16 and 21 January, it had already visited Mannargudi, Peravurani, Aranthangi, and Pudukkottai.
At every location, the chariot is welcomed with deep reverence by prominent leaders, ardent devotees of Lord Shiva, and the general public. Devotees seeking to pay homage to Adiyogi can offer lamps, flowers, fruits, and other sacred offerings.
Alongside this, the traditional Shiva Yatra is undertaken by devotees each year. This year, devotees from Mysuru, Chennai, Nagercoil, Coimbatore, Pollachi, and Pattukottai are making the pilgrimage on foot, pulling wooden chariots carrying the divine form of Adiyogi Shiva.
Additionally, another chariot carrying the divine form of Adiyogi along with statues of the 63 revered Nayanmars is en route to Coimbatore from Chennai. Likewise, five other chariots carry the statues of four saint-poets—Appar, Sundarar, Manickavasagar, and Thirugnanasambandar.
The grand Mahashivratri celebrations at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore will be broadcast live across 50 locations in Tamil Nadu. In Trichy district, live streaming will be available at Royal Mandapam near Vayalur Murugan Temple, BHEL’s Kailash Nagar V.M. Mahal, and Lakshmi Mahal on Thathaiyengar Pettai Road in Musiri.
Large gatherings of devotees are expected at these venues, where they will receive free Rudraksha beads, Sadhguru’s Ananda Alai booklet, and partake in Maha Annadanam (a sacred community feast). Transport arrangements have also been made for devotees from other districts wishing to travel to Coimbatore for the celebrations.
The Adiyogi Ratham will traverse over 1,000 villages, covering approximately 30,000 km over two months leading up to Mahashivratri. After completing its sacred journey, the chariots will arrive at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore on 26 February, coinciding with the grand Mahashivratri celebrations.
