Art Of Living Marks 45th Year With Grand Somnath Jyotirlinga Maha Rudra Puja

The Art of Living Foundation has kicked off its 45th year celebrations with a grand Somnath Jyotirlinga Maha Rudra Puja, attended by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The event, held to mark the foundation’s milestone, saw devotees and followers gather to participate in the sacred rituals and seek blessings from the revered spiritual leader.

Lakhs of devotees gathered in deep reverence, as the coastal town transformed into a powerful space for collective prayer, devotion, and spiritual awakening.

Rudraabhishekam is an ancient Vedic ceremony in which Lord Shiva is worshipped in the most benevolent form of Lord Rudra, and the worship is said to bestow the devotee with health, happiness, prosperity and wish fulfilment. The ritual’s sacred bathing of the holy

Lingam with milk, ghee, honey, water, among others. and continuous chanting are believed to purify mind and environment, remove obstacles and negativity.

Gurudev brought together eminent priests from all twelve Jyotirlinga temples, Amarnath and Pashupatinath Temples who blessed the elaborate ceremony, as sacred waters or Teertham carried ceremonially from each of these revered shrines were offered during the puja, symbolising the spiritual unity of India.

Adding further depth to the occasion, sanctified water from the Pancha Bhoota Sthalas of Tamil Nadu, representing the five elements of nature, was also offered during the special Rudra Abhishekam. The convergence of these sacred streams reflected the harmony between nature, devotion, and vedic wisdom.

“This Maharudra Pooja will be remembered for generations, for the divine arrangement and spiritual magnitude created here by Gurudev,” shared Pandit Ramanand Dubey from Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi, “It truly feels as though all twelve Jyotirlingas are present in one place.”

One of the most moving moments of the evening was the collective recitation of the revered Kolaru Pathigam, composed by Saint Thirugnana Sambandar, a prominent 7th-century Shaivite Nayanar. Nearly two crore devotees from over 180 countries joined in, uniting voices from temples, homes, and community centres around the world.

The global chorus of devotion created a powerful wave of prayer for peace and harmony, transcending all geographical boundaries.

The Maha Rudra Puja also marked the formal inauguration of The Art of Living’s 45th anniversary celebrations. Over the past four and a half decades, the organisation has reached millions through meditation, stress management programmes, humanitarian relief, education, environmental initiatives, and peace-building efforts.

The Rameshwaram event stood as a tribute to this sustained journey of service and inner transformation.