Surrounded by arecanut palm trees (betel nut) shooting high into the air and situated within the caress of the sacred Velliangiri mountains this spiritual seekers’s paradise has an energetic aura like none other. Rahul Basu shares his experience of a short stay at Isha Yoga centre in Tamil Nadu
Date of visit: 5th August 2021 – 7th August 2021
Location: Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills, Coimbatore, India
Growing up in India, God, religion and spirituality never had a very significant place in my life. One may find this a bit odd considering we live in a country where since ancient times people created their own gods and even today worship them, write stories and poems singing their praise, constructed some of the most beautiful temples of the world in their name, celebrate yearly festivals in their honour among many other noteworthy acts, which define this very multi-ethnic and secular DNA of India.
10 years in a Jesuit school in Pune, I did not get the opportunity to learn Sankskrit or to familiarize myself with Hindu mythology, learn the benefits of yoga and meditation practices or so many other facets of our nation’s centuries old wisdom that even today are deeply entrenched in our culture.
Finding Sadhguru via social media just happened to me in 2020 and as a consequence opened the door to an unexplored side of India and its rich cultural heritage and spiritual underpinnings, which very few people in this world can articulate as well him. From a very young age I developed a keen interest in human psychology and the social constructs that define human behaviour. So, listening to Sadhguru talk about the importance of managing one’s emotions, paying attention to our energy system, living as conscious human beings and the true meaning and influence of our karmic processes has helped me manage my present life more effortlessly and I am very grateful to him for this.
Visiting his ashram in Coimbatore was therefore something me and an ex-colleague of mine were very enthusiastic about ticking off our bucket list for places to visit in 2021. We contacted the ashram and booked rooms at the Alayam cottages that Isha Foundation provides visitors or guests at present. Due to covid19 restrictions some parts of the ashram were not open to visitors or prohibited. These include going to the dining hall for meals or the Peppervine Eatery & Isha Shoppe, interacting with the volunteers at the yoga center and entering the Theerthakunds (Suryakund & Chandrakund) energy pools. Nevertheless, many of the main attractions and consecrated spaces at the ashram are still accessible and can be visited during certain times of the day.
Reaching the ashram from Coimbatore airport is quite easy if you book a taxi and give them the address. It is approx. 1.5hrs drive from Coimbatore airport and located some 30kms from the city centre. There are many entrances to the ashram. One is the front gate which faces the front side of the Adiyogi statue and another is a rear entry, which is at the backside called Sarpa Vasal (Snake gate). You can get off at this gate and complete your registration etc. The cottages are a 500mt walk from this main gate and as you enter the premises you will see a line of arenanut palm trees on your left and a number of stalls selling Isha branded clothes, handicrafts, snacks, beverages and Sadhguru merchandise on your right.
There is a large courtyard that you come to which is directly in front of Suryakund, which is like a large covered hall open on the front side with steps leading up to an elevated level. Here we saw some yoga practitioners, but were not allowed to go near them due to covid19 safety protocols. The Alayam cottages are adjacent to the Spanda Hall which is a meditation hall and program facility. The rooms are very clean, simple décor but well-furnished for a short to medium stay. You are expected to carry your own toiletries like towels, soaps etc. but will be provided with all other essentials. For 2 nights, we paid under 3000 INR for a single room with 2 beds with an attached bathroom. Food is strictly vegetarian, but very delicious and freshly cooked daily.
The cuisine is more south Indian style, but there is a lot of variation in the type of meals you are served daily and they are very generous with the portions. We were asked to come to a common area of the Alayam residential facility and collect our food served by Isha volunteers. Every meal began with some kind of ashy tasting drink, which according to the volunteers contain a number of salts, minerals and organic material which boosts your immunity. The meals are a nice blend of nuts, fruits, lentils vegetables and different kind of rice preparations.
On day 1 we took a long walk of around 1.5kms from our cottage to the 112 ft long Adiyogi bust which is one of the main attractions at the Yoga center. It is open from 9:30am to 6 pm. This massive Shiva bust holds the Guinness World Record for the largest bust sculpture in the world and was designed by Sadhguru himself. It symbolizes the 112 chakras in the human body is also a venue for special occasions at the yoga center like Guru Purnima and Mahashivratri which transforms this space into a fabulous MELA of lights, sound, classical music and prolific dance. Such events attract thousands of visitors each year to the ashram and is often hosted by Sadhguru himself. The walk from the yoga center to this monument is very pleasant.
One can hear Sadhguru’s voice chanting the Shiva Shambho mantra as one walks towards the magnificent structure. The shuttle service to Adiyogi and back to the ashram entrance in on specially designed carriages which are drawn by cows who inhabit the region. It can seat up to 6-7 people. Visitors are allowed to walk around the monument, take photographs and enjoy the lovely open space around. The weather in the early days of August was a mix of sunny weather during the day and light monsoon showers. It was often breezy and quality of the air around you is re-energizing.
One day 2 at the ashram we slept late into the morning and finally began with a wholesome breakfast which is served as Brunch from 10am – 11 am. If you are a light sleeper, you will notice that the volunteers wake up as early as 5:30 am for pooja and their sadhana/yogic practices. We caught a glimpse of them eating their meals around the periphery of a large hall at the center of the ashram, which is not accessible to visitors. The volunteers, dressed in simple white cotton kurtas, took turns at serving each other as they sat in a disciplined way and enjoyed their meals.
There is a nicely laid out path that leads you from the main courtyard into the yoga center’s main cluster of temples and inner gardens. At its most central point you can see a large almost elliptical shaped lily pond of sorts over the center of which goes a bridge, built very much like a Japanese garden. At the end of the bridge is an open space at the center of which sits a large Nandi bull statue. This statue is of significance as Nandi is Shiva’s closest accomplice and the considered the essence of receptivity. There is an interesting interview between Sadhguru and Shekhar Kapur from March, 2018 that touches upon the significance and symbolism of Nandi, Shiva’s vehicle on YouTube.
Linga Bhairavi is one of the many consecrated spaces at the yoga center. We visited the temple which houses this powerful and fierce feminine form. As described by Sadhguru, Linga Bhairavi is a big-fire woman, not a small-fire woman. She is not a doll, she is not a man, she is feminine to the core. We could see many locals, men, women and children coming to offer their prayers and seek the blessings of this divine feminine entity.
The decorations and stone work that make up the front façade of the temple is very impressive with beautiful ‘naga’ shape stones, diyas (lamps) and geometric patterns adorning the walls. We were not allowed to enter the temple, and so sat down and paid our respects at the front entrance. We could see Isha volunteers performing a puja inside the temple as the Linga Bhairavi chant in Sadhguru’s powerful voice resonated in the air around us.
We returned to our residential quarters for an afternoon nap and were excited to visit the Dhyanalinga which would be open for just 1 hour that evening, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. The Dhyanalinga is a beautiful dome shaped structure, which is basically the roof of the temple. Dome is made purely of bricks, clay and lime and is built to last 5,000 years. The entrance and inner courtyard is made of solid stone and supported by a number of beautifully carved stone pillars which are hidden from plain sight. One has to enter the temple from a separate gate with steps leading to the temple entrance to see this.
It is a truly unique meditative space that does not ascribe to any particular faith or belief system, or require any rituals, prayers, or worship. There are symbols of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism, and other religions inscribed on a colossal pillar (the Sarva Dharma Sthamba) located at the front entrance bearing a message of universal welcome. Once inside, there is an almost immediate silence that sets in.
The large and imposing linga sits at the center of the temple circumference and the walls around the temple have little square pockets of space to sit inside and enjoy a quiet and peaceful meditation. A few minutes inside this temple with your eyes closed is a journey that can help you create some distance between the reality you live in and the blend together with the beauty and enormity of this very universe, of which we are just a small speck of creation. It was a very spiritually uplifting and at the same time a mind-settling day that had finally come to an end.
On our final day (Day 3) we decided to rise early and once again visit Adiyogi amidst the morning breeze and cooler temperatures before it got too sunny. In front of the statute is a long walkway across an open lawn that leads to the ashram’s main entrance which is mostly used by visitors during important events and celebrations at the yoga center.
It was check out time by afternoon that day and as we reflected on our short, pleasant and very relaxing first visit to the Isha Yoga center my friend and I both decided that we would be back again soon, for a longer visit, possibly even take part in one of the introductory programs for inner transformation where one can get initiated into simple yet powerful daily practices that have been proved to bring about a dimensional shift in the way one looks at his/her personal life, career, and basically the world that we want to live happily within and thereby make it more pleasant for those we share it with.
Visitor’s guide:
http://cdn.isha.ws/public/overseas-visitors-guide/OCO-Visitor-Guide.pdf
Photos:
frequentwanderer 