Guru poojai - Gratitude to your guru
Guru Pooja holds immense significance in yogic traditions, embodying the sacred bond between the student (disciple) and the teacher (guru). The term “guru” in Sanskrit means “dispeller of darkness,” implying someone who leads the disciple from ignorance to wisdom.

In Tamil culture, the day when the Siddhars, mystics, and saints shed their physical bodies to attain Jeeva Samadhi and transcend to the dimension of the subtle body is celebrated as guru pooja by their devotees. This day is revered and seen as a mark of gratitude and honouring the guru for his immense grace, which is to be showered among the devotees powerfully.


Celebration of Guru Poojai by the devotees.
When a guru dissolves his physical body to merge with the divine, his devotees celebrate the immense possibility of grace transcending boundaries. Devotees gather where the guru has shed his mortal body—the Altar, commonly called Jeeva Samadhi / Brindavanam / Adhistananam.

The devotees, as a group, chant, sing/offer different varieties of fruits & food / Garlands are placed on the altar, and they express their gratitude to the guru and distribute the prasadham to the people who have gathered at the shrine. Devotees seek an abundance of wisdom from the guru during this special day.
Kodi Swamigal Guru Poojai
K
odi Swamigal’s grace is available to all sincere seekers of truth. He says that he presents himself in front of such deserving disciples. Guru Poojai is an immense opportunity to make oneself available to this eternal light.

Kodi Swamgial shed his mortal body on Oct 11th, 1994, at Puravipalayam. Gurupoojai is offered annually at Puravipalayam on October 11th, when Kodi Swamigal left his mortal coil in 1994.
According to the shastras, Gurupooja should be offered to Siddhars and saints on the star or thithi on which they left the body. At our trust, we celebrate Kodi Swamgial’s Gurupooja as per the Thithi at Thabovanam, Chennai.

Every year, on October 11th, Siddhi Day is celebrated at our Puravipalayam trust’s annadhanam centre with special abhishekam and an offering of annaprasadham to visitors.
Kodi Swamigal Guru Poojai - An opportunity to be with the divine
Why celebrate on Thithi?
Per Hindu Shastras, Our day is calculated based on Sunrise and Sunset. The English date is not considered since the calculations for the West are from midnight.
Why thithi and not stars?
The spiritual world worships Gurupoojai, which is of two types: the Nayanmars (a group of Hindu Tamil Saints)or other saints, who celebrate their gurupoojai based on their stars. Once they leave the physical body, their soul has merged with the divine and become inseparable from the divine. Hence, the star of the Tamil month in which they left the body is taken as the day to celebrate Guru pooja.

Gurupoojai for Siddhars and mystics like Kodi Swamigal, Shirdi Sai Baba, or the 18 Tamil Siddhars is based on the Thithi of the Tamil month in which they left the physical body.

The Siddhas, active and available in Sushma( Subtle body/energy), play a crucial role in the spiritual journey of every deserving soul or group of devotees. They embody the divine and continue to guide, ensuring the well-being of their followers.

Kodi Swamigal—The Eternal Mahaan is omnipresent. As per his divine instructions to our trust, we celebrate Guru Pooja on the thithi of Tamil month when he leaves the physical body.

Thabovanam Guru Poojai procession
Kodi Thatha Pancha Loga Idol
Every year gurupoojai, the Pancha loga idol of Kodi Swamigal, is decked up in a grand manner and taken for the procession around the temple made streets.
Receiving the guru's grace beyond the physical
Once a yogi is fully aware, death is seen as leaving behind a body that is no longer needed, like moving out of an old house. Similarly, birth is understood as occupying a new body, like moving into a vacant home.
Siddhas and Mystics understand that moving beyond the physical allows them to connect with their devotees subtly and powerfully.

At Thabovanam, we are rightfully guided by the divine presence of Kodi Swamigal who communicates via Sushma and divine instructions are passed on when it is deemed fit by Kodi Swamigal to the respective people whom he has chosen for the greater cause of well-being of the society.

Glimpses from Oct 11th, 1994 at Puravipalayam
A sea of devotees arrived at the small village of Puravipalayam to get one last glimpse of the Mahaan. People from all walks of life were there at the shrine.