One Amavasya night, at the Isha Yoga Center, I found out there was a special event taking place. This was the “Mahalaya” Amavasya of which I had never heard before. In general, on all full moon and new moon nights, they have some lovely celebrations. But this one was something different and interesting.

This is the Amavasya night after which the winter Navratri begins. This Navratri is celebrated across the entire country in massive pomp and fiesta. It’s a Devi festival, the colours and vibrancy can be quite a bit higher even than other Indian festivals. Earlier to this Amavasya, the Hindus observe ‘pitru paksha’, these are days when the dead ancestors are remembered and a lot of people will visit Kashi or some other holy places to conduct rituals and such. On these days, many activities like property dealings and such see a dip because people don’t prefer starting anything new.

The Mahalaya Amavasya becomes a culmination of these days, as it is also about remembering the dead ancestors. How it connects with the Navratri, or whether it connects at all, I am not sure. Navratri are the 9 days of battle between the Devi and Mahishasura (bad guy). The tenth day is the victory of Devi. I have read that story, but I don’t recall a connect with these pitru paksha days or Mahalaya amavasya.

Mahalaya Amavasya @ Isha Yoga Center

Isha Yoga Center now has a Devi temple. It has a lot of engaging rituals and festivities associated with it. Mahalaya Amavasya is one such.

Remembering Your Ancestors

As night falls, they have a nice, big and hot fire built up outside the Devi temple. And they sell some small cloth sack-balls which are filled with some organic mixture, I guess of hay/mulch or some such thing. They cost about 5 or 10 INR per sack. People can buy them for how many ever ancestors they want to offer it for. One little sack for one ancestor. And then we take these little sacks and visit the Devi temple, visualise the ancestors or whatever we know of them. It was interesting that while I bought a few sacks, without much thought of who it was for, this ritual led me to actually think about the various ancestors. People whom I hadn’t thought about in ages, maybe never. For some of them I only had vague details which olders in the family had mentioned in passing.

After this, we come back out and offer these sacks into the fire.

It is a good festival to reflect on how we are a product of so many people. So many, many people, their efforts, trials, tribulations and it all culminates into us – the existing folks with our set of karma – external conditions and inner conditions. Much to ponder. Gratitude for their efforts. And also understanding that we needn’t be them. We can choose our own paths.

The hot fire and the Devi temple ambiance made it a lovely night.

And there’s more.

Kala Bhairava Shanti: A more elaborate process for the dead

This is a more elaborate process that the ashram folks conduct. One needs to register for it. This process isn’t specific to this night, but it is said to be more powerful if done on this night. They have Kala Bhairava Shanti & Kala Bhairava Karma processes taking place on other days too at the Linga Bhairavi temple. If we are staying at the yoga center, we can volunteer for these and be a part of them for the bereaved party.

Know more about them here: https://lingabhairavi.org/offerings-and-rituals/kalabhairava-karma/

I guess this is a Mahalaya Amavasya shanti process picture. Because the typical shanti process happens only in the first half of the day. This picture and featured picture on top is from Isha Foundation. In this area photography isn’t allowed, so I don’t have any picture on my own for this event. The water body shown in this picture is now a beautiful lotus pond full of leaves, weeds, flowers and associated wildlife. These were probably the early day pictures.

ALL NIGHT!

This I have to say is the BEST part of the celebration. It goes on till 1AM! Ooh yea, nothing less will do for our beloved ancestors.

So from 7ish to 10pm or so the fire bonfire outside the Devi temple takes place. They play a small Sadhguru video, he talks about Navratri & this amavasya aspects. Then the Shanti process begins. The people who have registered for it can sit inside, but the temple is small so some may also have to sit outside by the door. Then all us non-registrants can sit around. We can look at the bon fire, think of ancestors, simply absorb the environment or get drenched in meditation. In the background, the kala bhairava ashtakam bhajan is played on loop. It is a beautiful rendition. You can hear it on Youtube,

A raw file of this bhajan with only one singer is played during this event. This singer is one of the old bhramacharies in the yoga center and I know him well (he helped me speak slowly). So this particular music background makes the event that much more familiar for me.

After that, maybe around 10ish or even later, we all start moving with the Shanti procession to the Nirkaya Sthanam areas which are not in the temple area. They are located inside the yoga center and typically the visitor won’t be allowed inside unless he/she has permission for it.

We stand / sit here for quite some time while the various process goes on. All the while the Kala Bhairava ashtakam bhajan goes on filling up the air and soaking into our very bones. Around 12.30-1AM the process completes and we slowly amble, in a line, towards the nirkaya sthanam where the final shanti process took place. Some volunteers are standing here with bowls filled with the burnt ash paste.

We smear this ash on our foreheads and head back to our stay areas like wild yogis returning from crematorium sadhana. The event may not feel that wild from what I described but as the night ages, and the ode to kala bhairava, the deity of the ghouls, keeps playing, something may stir within us. We are thinking of the dead ancestors, rituals are being conducted for them around us. There is fire, darkness and the music. The nature of things change subtly and by the time it is done and we smear the ash paste on our forehead it is possibly the wildest “aghori” type activity most of us have been a apart of. 😀

Logistics

The only real logistical matter to consider is the stay area. Generally, it is best if you book ashram rooms for a couple of nights of the Amavasya. So that way you can easily finish your ashram dinner at 7.20PM and then be part of the event until its end. Once it ends you simply head back to your room in the yoga center.

However, this event is accessible for people not staying in the yoga center. When you enter the ashram, you will have to spend some time with the security people and figure out how to get your permission. It may take some time, so plan accordingly. Once you get the permission, you will allowed to carry your bag, mobile and footwear with yourself. Otherwise, all visitors have to deposit them on the chappal stand outside, and this stand closes by 8PM.

Once you get permission for the event, you can be part of the process until it ends. After which there are some dormitory accommodations available. You can use those to snooze until the wee hours. Before leaving you could visit the Adiyogi for the sunrise spectacle or the Dhyanalinga at 6.00 AM when it has just opened and there are literally 3 people inside.

Note: if you are not staying in the ashram then you have to manage your dinner and then come for this event. Cause there won’t be any dinner or foods served as part of this event. There are a couple of restaurants near Isha ashram or you can dine at Coimbatore city.