On the second day of the three-day Yaksha festival, renowned Marathi classical singer Rahul Deshpande enthralled the audience with over 85 minutes of blissful melody. Beginning with Raag Marwa, pure Hindustani classical vocals, Deshpande captivated listeners with his soulful devotional renditions, followed by a Nirguni Bhajan composed by Saint Gorakhnath. Scheduled from 23rd to 25th February 2025, the Yaksha festival precedes the iconic Isha Mahashivratri celebrations and features world-renowned artists, drawing an audience from across the globe.

His final piece, the popular Marathi Bhajan Kanada Raja Pandharicha, was preceded by a bandish in Raga Malkauns, traditionally offered to Shiva. The audience rose to their feet in awe of Deshpande’s spellbinding performance. This marked his first visit to the Isha Yoga Center, which organises Yaksha—an annual festival conceived by Sadhguru to preserve and celebrate India’s classical arts.

This year’s Mahashivratri celebrations at Isha began on Day 1 of the Yaksha Festival with a soulful performance by Carnatic maestro Sikkil Gurucharan and will conclude today with a Bharatanatyam recital by Meenakshi Srinivasan.

On Mahashivratri night, February 26, Bollywood’s favourite music composer duo, Ajay-Atul, known for their work in Marathi and Hindi cinema, will perform live in front of Adiyogi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to be the Chief Guest. Alongside Sadhguru, he will inaugurate the grand Mahashivratri celebrations at 6 PM on Wednesday, which will continue until 6 AM on Thursday.

For the first time, Sadhguru will offer the Midnight Mahamantra Initiation (Aum Namah Shivaya), a powerful chant for ultimate well-being. The night will feature electrifying performances by celebrated artists, including Muktidan Gadhvi, Paradox, CassMae, Sounds of Isha, Isha Samskriti, and multi-regional artists, keeping audiences captivated throughout the 12-hour celebration.

Watch Rahul Deshpande’s performance here: