Patna: Prominent spiritual guide and Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev arrived in Patna on Friday on a three-day visit to Bihar, marking his first major public programme in the state capital.He was received at Patna airport by a large group of volunteers chanting sacred hymns. Sadhguru later met chief minister Samrat Choudhary at Lok Sewak Awas. Samrat welcomed him as a state guest.After the meeting, Sadhguru visited Urja Stadium, where he interacted with senior state govt bureaucrats and their family members.The main event of the visit, “An Evening with Sadhguru”, will be held at Bapu Sabhagar near Gandhi Maidan on Saturday from 6.30pm. The programme has generated considerable interest among residents and Sadhguru’s followers. He is scheduled to conclude his Bihar visit on Sunday after attending socio-spiritual programmes and community interactions.The visit comes months after the Bihar govt partnered with Isha Outreach, the social and environmental arm of the Isha Foundation, to develop crematorium facilities at five locations — Patna, Begusarai (Simariya), Bhagalpur, Gaya and Saharsa. Work on a sixth site in Chhapra is under way. Most of the proposed facilities are located on or near the Ganga and its river systems.An Isha Foundation spokesperson said Isha Outreach has recently taken over the operation and maintenance of Baans Ghat Crematorium in Patna. Spread across 4.5 acres, it is described as one of Asia’s largest crematoriums and among the most modern in eastern India. It can accommodate up to 18 cremations simultaneously and around 50 in a day.Highlighting the foundation’s philosophy, Sadhguru has said, “As we have responsibilities for the living, we have responsibilities towards the dead.”The spokesperson said Isha Foundation has been managing crematoriums in partnership with the Tamil Nadu govt since 2010 and currently operates 33 such facilities in the state. Over the past 15 years, they have facilitated more than 1.25 lakh cremations. Since Dec 2025, the facilities have also been providing free cremation services to below-poverty-line families requiring assistance with last rites.
