Saturday, December 28, 2013

The kanchi mutt Kumbakonam

http://maps.google.co.in/maps/place?cid=2977063581023820665&q=Kumbakonam+kanchi+mutt&gl=in
(Though I had blogged about this institution where Mahaperiyava lived for many years, I had an opportunity to visit the place on 27/12/13 and obtain photos which I have inserted now)
How to reach: The mutt is situated on the Matam street near the old bridge on the Cauvery and is very well known in KumbakonamIMG_0179
The Kanchi mutt is also referred to as Kumbakonam madam by old timers as it had shifted here from Kanchi during the Karnatic wars
Due to the repeated invasions of Kanchi , at the time when war was raging, it was feared that this Swarna Kamakshi of Kanchipuram would be taken or destroyed. An ancestor of the Musical Trinity, Syama Sastri took the idol to Tanjore through Chenji, Udayarpalayam and Tiruvarur for safe custody. The then Nayak King of Tanjore sheltered it in a special temple and Swarna Kamakshi became Bangaru Kamakshi and now remains in that shrine. The kanchi mutt also subsequently shifted first to Tanjore and later to Kumbakonam. This was where the 68 th acharya spent a considerable amount of time learning the Vedas and was from here that he started his first digvijayam.
The Kumbakonam mutt now houses a Veda patashalai and also the adhishtanams of three acharyas of the kanchi mutt namely the 62,63 and 64 th acharyas
62
Sri ChandrasekharendraSaraswati V: Kanchi was involved in the Karnatic wars and peaceful existence there had become impossible. Hence the Acharya of Kamakoti peeta decided on migrating south..Though Kanchi still figured as the nominal headquarters. The golden image of Kamakshi (Bangaru Kamakshi) had already been carried away by the sthanikas of the temple first to Udayarpalayam, and later to Tanjore where it has been permanently installed. The Acharya Chandrasekhara himself acceded to the request of Pratapa Simha, Rajah of Tanjore (1740-63) and took up his permanent headquarters at Tanjore. But Kumbakonam, on the banks of the sacred river Cauvery, was found more suitable and shortly thereafter the Acharya shifted to Kumbakonam. Chandrasekhara attained mukti at Kumbakonam on shukla Prathama in the month of Pushya of the cyclic year Subhakrt (1783 AD)IMG_0182
63
Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati V: He was a great yogi. His former name was Anna Srauti. He was a native of Kumbakonam. He attained mukti at Kumbakoriam on Sukla Dwadasi in the month of Ashada of the cyclic year Srimukha {1813 AD).
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64
Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VI: He was known as Venkatasubramanya Dikshita prior to his sanyasa and belonged to the talented family of the great Govinda Dikshita, the Brahmana minister of Tanjore, who is still lovingly remembered as "Ayyan". He was a great adept in Mantra Sastra. The Acharya caused repairs to the temple of Sri Kamakshi at Kanchi and performed kumbhabhishekham on 22nd January 1840 AD. He got the tatankas (ear-oranaments) of Devi Akilandesvari in the Tiruvanaikoil and re-consecrated them on the ear of the goddess in 1848 AD. He attained mukti at Kumbakonam on Sukla Prathama in the month of Karthika of the cyclic year Sadarana (1851 AD).
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IMG_0181
from the Kanchi mutt calender 2018

kumbakonam











9 comments:

  1. very good information provided
    may i know when was the mutt shifted back to kanchi ?

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    Replies
    1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanchi_Kamakoti_Peetham
      Link of wiki page above may give you some idea

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  2. Namaskaram how many years did mahaperiayava stay at kumbhakonam shankar mutt

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    Replies
    1. Looking through old reports, it is recorded he was received with honours in 1907, The court appointed an overseer as he was a minor till he turned 21 years old to run the affairs of the mutt. In entering the mutt he also had his education in various aspects and was in and out of kumbakonam as we know he spent considerable time in Mahendramangalam on the banks of Kaveri . So it was not that he spent time continuously in the kumbakonam mutt premises, he officially stayed till he started his vijaya yathra after his 21st year . We will have to look up old published accounts of these events to arrive at a correct answer

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    2. From a cursory reading I have gleaned he first left in 1908 to Thiruvanaikaval for kumbabhishekam, then to Iliayathangudi .The Mahamaham in kumbakonam in 1910 saw him in attendance. He was later in Mahendramangalam 1910 to 1913.In 1915 he turned 21 and took over the administration of the mutt at Kumbakonam and started his vijaya yatra to areas around kumbakonam mainly alangudi, Tiruvarur. So we can presume he was in Kumbakonam till 1915.

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  3. ஆதிசங்கர சிஷ்யர் ராணிப்பேட்டை மாவட்டத்தில் ராணிப்பேட்டை டு பொன்னை செல்லும் வழியில் லாலாபேட்டை அடுத்து கத்தாரி குப்பத்தில் ஆதிசங்கர் உடைய சிஷ்யர் 13ஆவது பீடாதிபதியாக ஸ்ரீ ஸத்சித் கணேந்திர சரஸ்வதி சாமிகள் மூல பிருந்தாவனமாக குடி கொண்டு இருக்கிறார் தொடர்பு கொள்ள வேண்டிய எண்
    7845787850

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The link to my blog on Kathari kuppam adhishtanam is available below
      https://drlsravi.blogspot.com/2016/08/sri-meenakshi-sundareshwarar-koil.html?m=1

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