Step into a heartfelt revelation with Tamannaah Bhatia, a dazzling star in the Indian film firmament, as she develops a sacred bond with Linga Bhairavi Devi. Moving away from the limelight, she shares an enchanting chapter where she forms a profound connection with the Devi Yantra, bringing an element of sacredness into the rhythm of her daily life. This is a candid peek behind the curtains, where an actress celebrated for her on-screen transformations invites the divine feminine into her home and life.
Tamannaah Bhatia: When I was very young, I used to collect Ganesh idols because I just liked them. For as long as I can remember, my mom has been an ardent devotee of Devi, always performing rituals. But I never really went to the shrine area; I was always at work. And even when I came at home, I was like a child, mostly waiting for the prasadam, which would taste out of this world.
Later, I realized that in the movies, people idolize female actors. We are expected to play these larger-than-life epitomes of the feminine. This realization led me to question, do I even know what the epitome of the feminine is?
When I came to the Isha Yoga Center and experienced the Dhyanalinga, it made me feel settled. But when you come to Linga Bhairavi, it’s exuberant. It gives you this kind of energy, and this vibrance is very infectious. And I’ve always sought that kind of exuberance because there is warmth, love, and passion in it. When I got the chance to experience that, I had a strong feeling that I wanted to bring Linga Bhairavi Devi home. And then there is this opportunity where you can take a Linga Bhairavi Yantra and invite the goddess herself home.
What’s really beautiful is that it’s not just about bringing the goddess into your home; it’s also about making yourself and your home into a temple. The initiation is of course a mystery, but the processes are all explained to us. We are given a certain ritual and then also an experience. What I love about Sadhguru ji is that he always explains things clearly, especially for our generation who wants to benefit from our culture and gain a deeper understanding of what it has to offer.
For example, Sadhguru ji often refers to the Linga Bhairavi Yantra as a kind of technology, even a machine, which makes it easier for us to understand its purpose and significance. Learning what to do with it, why, and how was very enriching. I think it is most important to understand and follow the method to get a certain result, without trying to control it. It is beautiful that the process of understanding how you can win Linga Bhairavi Devi’s grace is accessible to everyone, not just a select few.
What I love about the Linga Bhairavi Yantra is that once you take it home, you get to share the grace of Linga Bhairavi Devi with everyone. At the same time, you are keeping a personal connect with the energy form. I think this has been the most exciting part for me – to understand these facets.
And finally, I had the opportunity of doing an Abhishekam[1] for my own Linga Bhairavi Devi. The upsurge of energy that you have after doing the Abhishekam is unparalleled. I’m excited because I think it’s time not just to take the goddess home but to also embody her qualities and to become that, because what we idolize, we want to become. I hope I can imbibe the qualities and be a reflection, if I may say so.
I never thought I will be a ritual person. But it’s not about ritual for the ritual. For people like me who probably weren’t ritualistic to begin with, it’s about understanding that the ritual is a method of doing something. It is like when we use a certain machine or anything for that matter, there’s always a process to follow. Sometimes you just follow the process because it yields you the result that you want.
Similarly, I feel these rituals are scientific methods that have been created many, many years ago, and Sadhguru ji makes them accessible to everyone in the most easily understandable and doable way. And why shouldn’t everyone have the grace of Devi?
I think the power of Devi has always been in my life, mostly unknowingly. Every time I have been at Linga Bhairavi or another Devi Sthanam[2], I have always come back with the power and courage to do things I had been scared to do. I feel like she takes away fear – fear of failure, fear of death, fear of life, fear of everything. I’ve seen that happen to me so many times that being in such an energy space all of a sudden creates the ability to overcome that fear of mine. I love that this is what it actually does: it takes away fear.
What I really found interesting was that Devi will always be in a place where she’s cared for, not otherwise. We all want to be in a place where we are cared for. So, to create that environment for Devi is so beautiful because while you are doing that, you are also creating that environment for yourself.
I think being a woman has so many facets that need to be tapped, and I always felt like the kid in the house. Now that I have a Linga Bhairavi Devi, I feel all womanly, and I’m going to take that responsibility, and it’s going to be a part of my life. I don’t know how it works, but I feel I’m connected with Devi.
I have been very lucky to experience the infinite love and grace – Devi just gives. In my life, I’ve always gotten things that I didn’t even expect I will get, and I know that happens because of Devi’s grace.
The initiation process for the Linga Bhairavi Yantra was extremely powerful. Sadhguru ji initiated all of us. Just chanting the Linga Bhairavi Stuti over and over again, you can feel the upsurge of energy. But for me, it was the Abhishekam that did something else for me. When you do the process yourself and you are on your own with the Devi Yantra, it’s just a very different experience because it’s just you and the idol. That felt really intimate, and I felt I’m ready now to take Devi home.
Sadhguru ji says that he wants to consecrate every space on this planet – I think it’s a brilliant idea. Only people who have been to consecrated spaces understand how powerful it is to stay in one.
[1] Ritual/offering.
[2] Energy center (usually a consecrated space).
