December 17: In the run-up to the Mahashivaratri celebrations at the Isha Yoga Center Coimbatore, Then Kailaya Bhakti Peravai, together with several traditional Adheenams of Tamil Nadu, will launch the Adiyogi Rath Yatra across the state. The yatra will travel through the Paadal Petra Shiva Temples revered in the Thevaram hymns, covering nearly 30,000 kilometres across more than 1,000 villages over the next two months, leading up to Mahashivaratri.

A press conference regarding this initiative was held today at the Coimbatore Press Club, where Adiyar Valluvan of the Then Kailaya Bhakti Peravai addressed the media.

He said, “As the Mahashivaratri festival at the Isha Yoga Center Coimbatore will be celebrated in a grand manner on February 15, the Adiyogi Rath Yatra aims to invite the public to participate in the festivities, and offer darshan of Adiyogi to devotees who may not be able to travel to Coimbatore. While the Kailaya Bhakti Peravai has been conducting the yatra annually with this intent, this year it is being jointly organised by Then Kailaya Bhakti Peravai along with the traditional Adheenams of Tamil Nadu.”

“The Adiyogi Rath Yatra will be flagged off in four regions of Tamil Nadu, with each regional yatra being inaugurated by the respective Guru Mahasannidhanams of the Adheenams. Each Adiyogi ratham is a specially designed carrying a 7-foot idol of Adiyogi Shiva,” he explained.

Accordingly, the West Zone Adiyogi Rath Yatra will be inaugurated on the 17th, in front of the Adiyogi statue in Coimbatore, by Thavathiru Perur Adheenam Marudachala Adigalar and Thavathiru Siravai Adheenam Kumaragurubara Swamigal.

Along the journey, the rathams are expected to receive a warm welcome from local dignitaries, Shiva devotees, and the general public. Devotees may offer deeparadhana, flowers, fruits, and naivedyam to Adiyogi.

Alongside the Rath Yatra, a “Shiva Yatra” foot pilgrimage is also undertaken annually by Shivanga devotees. Devotees from Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka pull chariots bearing the idol of Adiyogi Shiva as part of the pilgrimage. Additionally, a chariot carrying the idols of the 63 Nayanmars will also be drawn on foot by devotees, culminating at Adiyogi in Coimbatore.

Then Kailaya Bhakti Peravai is an organisation formed by Shiva devotees known as ‘Shivangas’, for various spiritual activities, including temple cleaning service (Uzhavara Pani), Arupathu Moovar Velvi, recitation of Thevaram and Thiruvachagam, the Adiyogi Rath Yatra, and the Shiva Yatra.