NE SPIRITUAL BUREAU
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI, JAN 12
As a powerful spiritual prelude to the grand Isha Mahashivratri celebrations, the Adiyogi Ratha Yatra will pass through Tiruchirappalli and its surrounding regions for three days from January 17 to 19, inviting devotees from all walks of life to experience the grace and presence of Adiyogi Shiva.
A press conference detailing the yatra was held at the Tiruchirappalli Press Club, where Dr. Rajprakash, Balasubramanian and Rahul, devotees of the Thenkailaya Bhakti Peravai, outlined the spiritual vision, route and wider significance of the Ratha Yatra.
- Three-day spiritual procession from January 17–19 ahead of Isha Mahashivratri celebrations
- Adiyogi Ratham to traverse ancient Thevaram-revered Shiva temples and key city landmarks
- Darshan of Adiyogi Shiva brought to devotees unable to travel to Coimbatore
- Four chariots covering 30,000 km, 1,000 villages and 250 sacred Shiva shrines
- Live Mahashivratri telecast planned at over 60 locations across Tamil Nadu
Before entering Tiruchirappalli city, the Adiyogi Ratham will travel through revered Thevaram-listed Shiva temples, including Thirupunavasal Viruthapureeswarar and Atmanathaswamy temples in Pudukkottai district.
Within Tiruchirappalli, the sacred chariot will pass through Ukkira Kaliamman Temple, Sastri Road, Chathiram Bus Stand, Thiruvanaikaval, Tollgate and Uthamar Kovil, before moving on to suburban and rural regions such as Samayapuram, Vayalur and Thiruverumbur. Following its Tiruchirappalli leg, the yatra will proceed through Ariyalur, Perambalur, Musiri, Kulithalai and Manapparai.
The Mahashivratri festival will be celebrated with grandeur at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, on February 15, with live streaming at over 60 locations across Tamil Nadu. In Tiruchirappalli, devotees can witness the live telecast at the Sri Vignesh Public School campus in Uraiyur.
Conducted annually, the Adiyogi Ratha Yatra serves as an open spiritual invitation for the public to participate in Mahashivratri. It enables devotees who are unable to travel to Coimbatore to receive darshan of Adiyogi Shiva within their own neighbourhoods, strengthening grassroots spiritual participation.
The yatra is being organised by the Thenkailaya Bhakti Peravai, with four Adiyogi chariots travelling in the four directions of Tamil Nadu. These chariots were ceremonially flagged off by the Gurumahasannidhanams of various Adheenams.
The eastern and western zone Rathas were flagged off on December 17 at the Adiyogi in Coimbatore by Thavathiru Perur Adheenam Marudhasala Adigalar and Thavathiru Siravai Adheenam Kumaragurubara Swamigal.
The southern zone Ratha Yatra was inaugurated on December 23 at Mayiladuthurai by the 27th Guru Mahasannidhanam of the Dharmapuram Adheenam, Sri La Sri Masilamani Desiga Gnanasambanda Paramacharya Swamigal.
Similarly, the northern zone Ratha Yatra was inaugurated on December 26 at Kanchipuram by the 234th pontiff of the Thondai Mandala Adheenam, Sri La Sri Thiruchitrambala Gnana Prakasa Desiga Paramacharya Swamigal.
In the eastern zone alone, the Adiyogi Ratham has already travelled through Mayiladuthurai, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Thiruthuraipoondi, Thiruvarur, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Mannargudi, Pattukottai, Peravurani and Aranthangi, passing through more than 25 Shiva temples revered in Thevaram — including Mayuranathar, Amirthaghateswarar, Dharbaranyeswarar, Thyagarajar, Kumbeswarar and the Thanjavur Big Temple.
Each Adiyogi Ratham is specially designed with a 7-foot-tall Adiyogi idol. Over a two-month journey leading up to Mahashivratri, the four chariots will traverse over 1,000 villages, pass through 250+ Thevaram-revered Shiva temples, and cover nearly 30,000 kilometres.
At every halt, the Ratham is received with traditional honours by Adheenams, spiritual leaders, Shiva devotees and the public. Devotees may offer deeparadhana, flowers, fruits and naivedyam to Adiyogi.
Alongside the Ratha Yatra, devotees also undertake the annual “Shiva Yatra”, a foot pilgrimage in which Shiva devotees from Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka pull the Adiyogi chariots. Additionally, devotees will walk to the Adiyogi in Coimbatore with a separate chariot carrying the idols of the 63 Nayanmars, deepening the collective spiritual fervour ahead of Mahashivratri.
