Mahashivarathri 2010

began with the melodious sounds of the living legend Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia’s flute, leading everyone into stillness. He was accompanied by Grammy-award-winning percussionist Vikku Vinayakram who charmed the audience with both his amazing, fluttering hands on the ghatam, and his electric presence. After the chanting of Nirvana Shatakam by Isha’s Brahmacharies, the crowd was graced by Sadhguru’s opening discourse in which he explained the significance of Mahashivaratri, following by a powerful meditation process.

Thus prepared, everybody settled in for an uplifting night. Asima took the stage, a group headed by Devissaro, an unassuming presence with a wider scope of skill than is usually witnessed within one performing artist. His varied talents mesmerized the crowd to such an extent that only reluctantly, did they release him to make way for the ever popular percussion virtuoso Anandan Sivamani. Accompanied this year by a collection of other artists performing on the electric guitar, the violin, and the saxophone, the audience danced to the various beats.

then came together in a spontaneous jam session which expressed their unbridled joy in their art. Such joy was contagious, pulling the crowd to their feet, and making them move to the beat of those drums.

By the middle of the night, the audience anxiously awaited Sadhguru’s return and his answers to their questions. With their thirst quenched, they were then ready to receive Annadhanam, an offering of food for this entire multitudinous crowd.

As the night sped along, the stage was conquered by electronic music with an Indian soul from MIDIval Punditz. Undoubtedly unique and unusual, the music was an explosive experience and carried the audience through the last hours of the night.

Just before dawn, the exuberant night concluded with Sounds of Isha, Sadhguru’s closing words, and the reverberation of “Shambho”rising from hundreds of thousands of throats.