Yogaswami's World Tour Nearing Completion

On May 29, 1997, there was a grand celebration held at the Kauai Adheenam of Hawaii, USA to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Sri Lanka's Sage Yogaswami. Disciple of Yogaswami,  Gurudeva Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (founder of Kauai Adheenam), performed the culminating puja of the event to a small bronze statue of Yogaswami. It was a powerful puja to be witnessed.  After the ceremony, Gurudeva inaugurated and blessed a world tour for the Yogaswami Murthi (icon). Gurudeva sent the great sage on a mission tracing the diaspora of Sri Lankan Tamils throughout the world. 

Gurudeva instructed that no plans or schedules should be devised for the spiritual odyssey; everything should unfold according to the "in the moment" inspiration and devotion of devotees along the way, until Yogaswami finally returned to rest in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. 

So far, the tour has traversed half the globe. Moving from Hawaii, through Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver in Canada; then on to Maryland, New York and Los Angeles in the USA before crossing the Atlantic for Europe. Wonderful pujas and cultural events have greeted the sage at every port of call. For the past twelve years, Yogaswami was in Europe.

In December of 2013, Yogaswami left Europe for Sri Lanka. Perhaps, it's his wish to be in Jaffna for his 50th Maha Samadhi Guru Puja on April 10th of this year. We are eagerly waiting for his arrival here in Jaffna. Pilgrimage was an important component of Yogaswami's life. After his initiation from his Guru Chellappawami in Nallur, Yogaswami went on a Patha Yathrai (foot Pilgrimage) to all  the local holy places in Sri Lanka. On his Golden Jubilee Year, Yogaswami may continue his Yatra all through Sri Lanka. 

As Gurudeva had instructed, no plans or schedules have made for his travel within Sri Lanka. One thing we are sure: it is a great blessing to have Yogaswami ending his world tour in Sri Lanka on his Golden Jubilee Year.

Aum Shanthi,

Rishi Thondunathan

Gurudeva performing arati to Yogaswami

The send off parade of Yogaswami murthi at Kauai Aadheenam

Yogaswami traveled from Hawai to Toronto, then Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, then flew to Germany and now is on his way to Sri Lanka.

Yogaswami went for a short side trip to see Swami Satchidananda at the Lotus Temple in Virginia.

}
];

transitionSpeed:150});