Get ready for Isha Mahashivratri 2023! Here’s what to look forward to on February 18

Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore is gearing up to host the biggest festival of the year – Isha Mahashivratri 2023. The nightlong festival will begin at 6 PM on March 18 and continue till 6 AM the following morning, in the presence of Sadhguru. Thousands are expected to join the LIVE event and millions will participate in guided meditations and soak themselves in unparallelled music, dance, and cultural performances that Isha Mahashivratri is synonymous for.

Isha Mahashivratri will be livestreamed online in 16 languages and telecast on all major television networks in India in English, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and various other regional languages.

Explaining the importance of Mahashivratri, Sadhguru says, “Mahashivratri – not of Religion or Beliefs, not of Race or Nation; a night in which planetary positions cause a natural energy upsurge in the human system.  A Cosmic phenomenon with a Universal impact. Experience this consciously.”

Starting with the Pancha Bhuta Aradhana at Dhyanalinga, Isha Mahashivratri will begin with Linga Bhairavi Maha Yatra and move to Sadhguru discourse, midnight meditations, and spectacular Adiyogi Divya Darshanam, a 3D projection video imaging show.

Keeping the participants awake and dancing will be renowned artists from different parts of the country like Rajasthani folk singer Mame Khan, award-winning Sitar maestro Niladri Kumar, Tollywood singer Ram Miriyala and Tamil playback singer Velmurugan. Like every year, the much-sought performances by Isha Foundation's homegrown brand- Sounds of Isha, and dance performances by Isha Samskriti promise to heighten the mystical aura of the night.

Over the past few years, the iconic Mahashivratri celebration in Isha has developed the reputation of shattering all streaming records. The event in 2022 was telecast and live-streamed in 22 languages across 192 countries amassing 140 million views. In 2021, online viewership of the Mahashivratri event on March 11-12 was 50% more than the Grammy Awards telecast, which aired on March 14.

Watch Isha Mahashivratri on:

In the run-up to Isha Mahashivratri, devotees can also benefit from various offerings like Rudraksha Diksha, In The Grace of Yoga, Yaksha Festival, Maha Annadanam, Maha Shiv Ratri Sadhana among others.

In the Grace of Yoga - Live Event With Sadhguru

“In the Grace of Yoga” is a Mahashivratri special program that provides a spiritual seeker an unparalleled opportunity to bask in the Grace of the Guru during one of the most spiritually significant days of the year. This year, Sadhguru will take the participants through powerful processes and guided meditations to purify and make use of the pancha bhutas (five elements), the building blocks of existence, for their well-being. The program is being offered online in 9 languages and anyone above 14 years of age can participate in the program.

Rudraksha Diksha - Free Offering by Isha

The word “Rudraksha” means “Tears of Shiva.” The Rudraksha provides several physical, mental, and spiritual benefits to those who wear it. Sadhguru will consecrate the Rudraksha on the powerful night of Mahashivratri, which people can receive for free after registration. The Rudraksha Diksha package includes consecrated vibhuti, sacred ash consecrated in the presence of Dhyanalinga; a photo of Adiyogi serving as a powerful reminder for humanity that “In is the only way Out”; and the Abhaya Sutra, a specially consecrated thread that is supportive of fulfilling one’s ambitions and removing fear.

Register for a free Rudraksha Diksha offering here:

11 Days of Spiritual and Cultural Exuberance

This year, Isha Mahashivratri celebrations at Isha will be preceded by Yaksha Festival from Feb 15-17 at 7 PM IST. The three-day festival of culture, music, and dance with performances by renowned artists is an endeavor to preserve and promote the uniqueness, purity, and diversity of the country’s performing arts. Following  Mahashivratri, the center will host a one-week-long mela featuring performances by the folk dancers of Tamil Nadu.

Maha Annadanam, an offering of food to all visitors, is an integral part of the celebrations. Hundreds of volunteers will be involved in cooking and distributing food to thousands of visitors on Mahashivratri night and on every day of the following seven days.

A look at the artists performing at Isha Mahashivratri 2023

Mame Khan

The popular Rajasthani folk singer, Mame Khan is also a playback singer who has rendered his voice to many popular Bollywood films including  Luck By Chance (2009), No One Killed Jessica (2011), Mirzya (2016), and Sonchiriya (2019. Khan featured along with Amit Trivedi on the second season of MTV Coke Studio where the duo performed the popular track named Chaudhary. The Padma Shree awardee is also the first Indian folk artist to walk the Cannes red carpet.

Niladri Kumar

Award-winning Sitar maestro and music composer Niladri Kumar is also the inventor of the five-string electric sitar which he calls ‘zitar’. A proponent of Indian classical music, Kumar is keen on achieving the right balance between classic and fusion music.

Ram Miriyala

The sensational singer from Tollywood Ram Miriyala is the playback singer, songwriter, record producer, and music composer. Credited with creating viral songs like Ooru Ellipotha Mama, Chetuletthi Mokkutha, Maaya, Miriyala performances are bound to take the audience by storm.

Velmurugan

A Tamil film playback singer, Velmurugan achieved household popularity for his folk songs Subramaniapuram, Aadungada in Naadodigal, and Otha Sollala in Aadukalam. Velmurugan has established a distinct style of music, bringing the folk style of music to Tamil cinema.