Tenkailaya Bhaktipheravai conducts Adiyogi Ratha Yatra on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
Devotees start their fast by registering 42 days in advance.
Bhakti is where a man surrenders without putting himself and his needs first. Bhakti is the fire that melts all men, regardless of religion or culture. Our culture’s devotion to Shiva is common even in the humblest people of India’s villages. But in this environment where we regret that Bhakti is one of the many sanctities that are washed away and disappear with the passage of time, it can be clearly seen from this crowd of devotees that Bhakti is still burning and burning.
Thenkailaya Bhaktipheravai conducts Adiyogi Ratha Yatra every year on the occasion of Mahashivarathri. In this, hundreds of devotees cross their age, gender, occupation and economic status and go on a pilgrimage to Velliangiri hill called Thenkailayam for 42 days to seek the grace of Lord Shiva. Although this yatra is held every Shivratri of every month, this Shivanga Yatra is held in conjunction with the Adiyogi Ratha Yatra, which is held once a year during Mahashivaratri. To participate in this, devotees register 42 days in advance and start their fast. They are very intense in devotion with two meals a day, yoga practice called Shiva Namaskar, and begging from 21 people.
The Alwars and Nayanmars we read about in mythological stories are known for their devotion. Andal, Pusalar and many other devotees who are serious enough to make the gods themselves come down before them, we treat them as gods and worship them. We of this generation may have read or heard about such serious people. But these Shivanga Sadhakas are also such ardent devotees of society like us in our times.
Due to the intensity of devotion, even from distant places like Chennai, Nagercoil, Coimbatore, pilgrims are making a pilgrimage to participate in the Mahashivarathi at Isha. Moreover, they drove the chariots of Adiyogi and Nayanmar for 500 km. They are pulling over an impossible distance of 700 kilometers. However, they are workaholics like everyone else, but motivated by the intensity of their devotion, they do such hard work with love, which is very surprising.
From a 6th grade boy to a 64-year-old man, many people participate in this yatra and complete this long-distance trek in over 20 days.
Not stopping at the completion, they climb the Velliangiri hill known as Tenkailayam which has 7 mountain ranges and descend the hill to find Esan sitting there as Swayambu. After that, they participate in the Mahashivaratri event that takes place in the presence of Sadhguru that night.
They continue like this for 6 years and 7 years. When we see how our elders living with us, the people of that age in the community live and spend their lives with so many troubles, we can realize how wonderful the range of devotion is in the intensity of devotion of these Sadhaks who effortlessly do great things beyond their power.