Bharat Swastik Yatra pays homage to the inspiration behind its sacred journey
KALADY, KERALA | 11th OCTOBER 2026 | The Bharat Swastik Yatra reached one of the most significant spiritual landmarks of its journey today, as Pujya Morari Bapu arrived in Kalady, Kerala — revered as the birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya — and held Ram Katha here on October 11.
The visit to Kalady held a special place in the Yatra’s journey. This is the land associated with Adi Shankaracharya’s early life, from where he would go on to travel across Bharat, engage with diverse philosophical traditions and establish Advaita Vedanta as one of the principal streams of Indian philosophical thought.
For the Bharat Swastik Yatra, the presence of Bapu at Kalady carried a deeper resonance. The Yatra is travelling across Bharat with the idea of connecting its different regions through a shared spiritual and civilisational heritage. Adi Shankaracharya’s own journey across the country centuries ago provides a powerful historical parallel to this vision.
Kalady, situated on the banks of the Periyar River, preserves traditions associated with Shankara’s childhood, his mother Aryamba and his early spiritual life. It is also closely associated with traditions surrounding his renunciation and the beginning of the journey that would eventually take him across the length and breadth of Bharat.
Addressing devotees in Kalady, Pujya Morari Bapu brought the message of the Ramcharitmanas to a place that has remained an important centre of Vedantic learning and spiritual inquiry. The Katha added a contemporary expression to Kalady’s enduring tradition of seeking knowledge and understanding of the deeper dimensions of Sanatan Dharma.
During the katha Bapu said, “Kalady is the land of the Mool Purush, Adi Shankaracharya, and today, my thoughts returned again and again to the meaning of Mool — the root. Where are flowers and thorns found? On the branches. Where do the branches grow? From the stem. The stem draws its strength from the roots, the roots rest in the earth, the earth rests upon Sheshnag, and Sheshnag rests upon Mahadev. Thus, at the very root of all existence is Mahadev. We must never forget our Mool, our source.
He also remembered Mata Aryamba, whose womb gave birth to Adi Shankaracharya, the great soul who illuminated the path of spiritual wisdom. It is a blessing to be in this sacred land and to be reminded of the roots that sustain us all.
It was equally auspicious that the priest of Dwarkadhish arrived here today. As we prepare for the next phase of the Bharat Swastik Yatra from Dwarka on October 14, I invite everyone from Kalady, Sringeri and all the sacred places associated with this journey, including Kanyakumari, to join us in Dwarka for the Katha.”
The connection between Kalady and the Swastik Yatra also acquires significance through the pan-Indian spiritual geography associated with Adi Shankaracharya. Tradition associates Shankara with four principal monastic seats in the four directions of Bharat — Sringeri in the South, Dwarka in the West, Puri in the East and Jyotirmath in the North. His travels and teachings established a spiritual geography that connected distant parts of the country through a common philosophical and cultural framework.
The Swastik, too, brings together the idea of the four directions. Its four arms extend outward while remaining connected at the centre, making it an enduring symbol of auspiciousness and well-being and, in the context of the Yatra, a powerful representation of Bharat’s interconnected spiritual traditions.
Around 900 devotees are accompanying Pujya Morari Bapu on the first phase of the Bharat Swastik Yatra aboard two special trains — Kailash Bharat Gaurav and Chitrakoot Bharat Gaurav, comprising 22 and 16 coaches respectively.
The Bharat Swastik Yatra is being organised by Santkripa Sanatan Sansthan and brings together devotees and people from different walks of life during its journey across Bharat.
Madan Paliwal, Chairman, Miraj Group and Managing Trustee, Santkripa Sanatan Sansthan, said, “Reaching Kalady, the Janmabhoomi of Adi Shankaracharya, is a deeply meaningful moment for the Yatra. His journey across Bharat and his enduring contribution to Sanatan Dharma make this an especially significant stop for us. Bapu’s Katha here brings that timeless spiritual legacy into a living dialogue with the present.”
The Yatra’s movement from Kanyakumari towards Kedarnath therefore takes on added significance at Kalady. From the southern tip of Bharat, the journey has now reached the Janmabhoomi associated with one of the country’s most influential acharyas, before continuing further north towards the Himalayas.
The Ram Katha at Kalady is part of the first phase of the Bharat Swastik Yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on October 10 and will culminate at Kedarnath on October 23. The Yatra will continue through several important spiritual and cultural centres along the way.
For Pujya Morari Bapu, the Yatra is an opportunity to take the values of Satya, Prem and Karuna — Truth, Love and Compassion to different parts of the country through the medium of Ram Katha, while also engaging with the diverse spiritual traditions that have shaped Bharat over centuries.
The day in Kalady thus marked an important point in the Yatra — at the birthplace associated with Adi Shankaracharya, the journey encountered a living tradition of knowledge, philosophy and spiritual inquiry that continues to influence Sanatan Dharma across Bharat.
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