Visit to Aadichapuram kanchi mutt run school

  Aadichapuram Ayanar koil
During April 2009 we had gone on a visit to Mannargudi and spent the afternoon in Aadichapuram at the Shri sastha trust building close to the  Sankara mutt’s School , There is  a school run by the mutt functioning in a new  renovated premise. There are lots of regular activities conducted here. Next door is the Shri Sastha trust building which is also blessed by the periyavas and functions in unison with the Sankara madam

Interior of the Sri sastha trust building
A class in progress
           Dr.& Mrs.Kalyanaraman visiting the school blessing the children
  happy students

 

The compound where Shri Jayendra saraswathy’s upanayanam was conducted in his poorvashrama

The Sivan Koil in Aadichapuram , below is a view of the gopuram



View of the Krishna temple aadichapuram as seen from the Sankara School gate

Photo of all three Perivas

Mupperiyavas

Sent from my Nokia phone

Adhishtanam at Elayathangudi /Ilayathangudi

Ilayathangudi

Close to Pudukottai near Karaikudi is Elayathangudi (Vidiathangudi)

HOW TO  REACH:

The village is situated south of Pudukottai and north west of Karaikudi.Once you cross Thirumayam  from Pudukottai take the road to sivaganga and in 15 kms you will come to the road to this village towards the west

Alternatively it is 26 kms north west of Karaikudi via small roads, Since I was driving down from Karaikudi I used both roads and I felt the Thirumayam road to be of better quality(Nov 2019)

There are plenty of lakes and ponds with the Sri Kailasanathar sametha  Nithyakalyani amman  temple nearby on the west side and Sri Athmanadhaswamy temple in front of the adhishtanam  . This area houses the  vedapatashalai of the Kanchi mutt.There are total 7 temples around the adhishtanam in the village 

The Ganesh temple before reaching the Adhishtanam and patasalai take a right here to reach the adhishtanam.

picture from Kanchi mutt premises

Sri Sudarsana Mahadevendra Saraswati :  Son of Seshadri Sastri of Madhyarjuna was known as Mahalingam prior to his sanyasa. He toured extensively and attained siddhi at Ilaiyattangudi on Amavasya in the month of Phalguna of the cyclic year Virodhi (1891 AD).His pontificate was for 40 years. .

(Actually this periyava is also  related to our Mahaperiyava in his poorvashrama. ) ref:http://www.kamakoti.org/souv/4-12.html

This periyava was also known as,"Laddu periyava" as he was fond of  feeding the patashala students  with large laddus and reward the them with 1 kasu for eating one laddu .

He is reputed to have travelled from Kumbakonam to Vedaranyam for Adi amavasya alone on horseback.

He apparently came here on his tour and meditated at the present adhishtanam spot  and asked the  Kailasanathar temple authorities if they could donate the land to him. The temple authorities said they will give a better land for periyava if he so wants, shortly afterwards he attained siddhi and the place he asked for was itself given for his adhishtanam and he was interned here

(Above info was related to me by Prof. Dr.S.Kalyanaraman Neurosurgeon who also came with me during both trips to this adhishtanam It seems about 1 April 1962, Mahaperiyava called Dr.Subramania 

  his father, fondly referred to as "Pal" Doctor Subramani iyer by his holiness  and instructed him to start a trust for bhikshavandanam and pada pooja on specific days in a year in this adhishtanam premises Mahaperiyava suggested the name and also gave other  specific instructions and the same was done with his blessings at once and is still being carried out religiously even today 57 years later!! Today many more activities have been included with the  permission and blessings of their holinesses' and Mahaperiyavas instructions are being carried out with the blessings of present and past acharyas religiosly by the next generations also) 

From the Kanchi mutt calender 2018

November 2019

Last week I had the opportunity to revisit the Adhishtanam The Kumbabhishekam of nearby Shiva temple has been done and also a Statue of Mahaperiyava has been installed a the tank bund where he used to do his anushtanams

(For the reader who wanted a clearer picture )

details of Adi shankara's mutts

ancient inscription from original construction

Sri Sudharshana Mahadevendra Saraswathi

from the wall hanging in the adhishtanam

The Mahaperiyava statue installed in the tank bund 

above pics are from 4/04/24 when preparations for the Aradhana of this periva were in flow. we could get darshan below are the contact details of the adhishtanam and the event

Adhishtanams at Kalavai 66th and 67 th acharyas of the Kanchi mutt

Kalavai Adhishtanams:

This small town in Arcot near Vellore  on the Chennai Bangalore highway is the place of the Adhishtanams of two Acharyas preceding Maha periyava. After you cross Ranipet look for a small road to the left leading to Arani before Arcot. The road leads to Tindivanam. At about 20 kms  in between is Kalavai. Take the first right turn inside Kalavai after the petrol bunk there is a huge pond on the left and the Kanchi mutt is on the right

Recent homam at Kalavai 26/may/2010    click here for   The homam at Kalavai details

    For the Adhishtanam pictures please see the link below from Mahaperiyavaa.wordpress.com(Pics of Kalavai Adhishtanam)

66

Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi VII : http://www.kamakoti.org/peeth/origin.html#appendix2 He was the son of Sitarama Sastri. This Acharya's poorvasrama name was Swaminatha. He was a native of Udayambakkam. He attained mukti at Kalavai in the year 1907 on Krishna Ashtami in the month of Magha of the cyclic year Parabhava (1907 AD).

67

Sri Mahadevendra Saraswathi V: http://www.kamakoti.org/peeth/origin.html#appendix2 He was the son of Narasimha Sastri and Lakshmi and was known as Lakshmi Narasimha prior to sanyasa. He occupied the Peetha for seven days only and attained mukti at Kalavai on Shukla Prathama in the month of Phalguna of the cyclic year Parabhava (1907 AD). From Kanchi mutt calendar 2018  Today 19/oct/2018 I could have darshan with family and was blessed . A young  patasalai student took me around and explained the importance to me.It seems  after Mahaperiyava attained siddhi ,in a few weeks time, a tulasi plant sprouted here between the Adhishtanams of the senior  periyavas on a grinding stone.When it was plucked out it re appeared and Shri Mahaperiyava appeared in a bhakta’s dream and informed he has appeared in the form of the Thulasi plant and wants to rest here in company of his guru and parmaguru so it should not be tampered with! It is now seen taken care of with utmost reverence

13/08/23 Today we had the chance to revisit this adhishtanams and vedapatasalai we were blessed by the divine darshan. there is an improvement here where in the patasalai and the pradakshina path have been covered with fiberglass roof so come rain or shine if is protected. My father in law Dr.S.Kalyanaraman recollected that when Mahaperiva camped here in tbe past it was scorching sun so his father Dentist Dr.Subramaniam had covered the walk way with a coconut palm leaf roofing.

Today 24/11/24 Our family had an opputunity to get blessed with darshan of the adhishtanams

I saw a new flex board with a quaint piece of history of this place and I have reproduced it here below

Hara Hara Shankara Jaya Jaya Shankara

Pujya Sri kanchi Kamakoti Peethadhipati Srimad Jagadguru Sri Adi Sankarcharya swamine namah

Sri Gurubhyonamah

Sri Maha Tripura Sundari Sametha Sri Chandramouliswara Swamina Namah

66th Peethadhipati Pujya Si Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamine Namah

67th Pethadhipati Pujya Sri Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Mahadevendra Saraswathi Swamine Namah

In the Guru Parampara of Sri Adi Sankaracharya comes the 66th Jagadguru Puja Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamy of Kanchi Kamakoi Peethadhipati. The 66th Acharya was born in Udayambakam Vilage in Chengelpet District in Taminadu. He visited Chaturveda Narayana Mangalam Village (Kalavai) Parimala Ksthera on the orders of Gramadevata vilalge deity Sri Si Sri Ankala Parameshwari.

The reason for his visit was due to the extensive mysterious kshudra pooja worship in the village of Kalavai because of which the powers of Goddess was waning and the entire village was affected with scarcities and Small-Pox (masoochi)

disease. So Goddess Ankala Parameshwari appeared in the dream of the Acharya and told him to come down to village with Sri Maha Tripura Sundari Devi and Sri Chandramouliswara Swami.

To overcome the situation the Goddess informed Swamy to perform Chaturveda Parayanam, Purana Ithasa Pravachanam, Durga Saptashati Parayanam, Dhanvantari Maha Sudarshana Japam which will move the curse and increase the wealth and health of the village. As the time passed the village of Kalavai developed with al the wealth and prosperity. The smallpox disease in the village got reduced. The 66th Peethadhipati Swamy was visited by the people of the village regularly and the devotees used to observe Chandramouliswara Pooja and receive Tirthaprasada from Swamy.

In the year 1906 when 66th Acharya while observing Chathurmasa pooja in village PERUMUKKALin South Arcot District.,Swaminathan (Maha Periyava) and his parents went to have Acharya darshan. It was then our 66th Acharya saw Swaminathan (Maha Periyava) for the frst time and saw him as a great soul destined to adom the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam after him because 66th Acharya wasa great sage who could foresee the future. The Acharya made a detailed enquires about Swaminathan and met the boy frequently, Acharya was happy to listen to the appropriate answers that Swaminathan gave

to many of his question. From that day, the Acharya asked that Swaminathan be brought to the Mutt and in this way Swaminathan got more attached to the Mutt and was able to obtain the blessings of the 66th Acharya more.

In the First week of February 1907, a telegram arrived from Kalavai where the Acharya was camping, addressed to Subramania Sastri. The message required Subramania Sasti to take Swaminathan immediately to Kalavai. 

The oficials at the Mutt at Kanchi took Swaminathan in a horse-drawn carriage (Jutka) to Kalavai As the 66th Acharya was suffering from smallpox knowing that he might not live longer, decided to appoint Swaminathan as head of the Mutt  to succeed him. But

the Acharya attained samadhi before Swaminathan could reach Kalavai. As Our Gurupararmpara says no Peetam should be left empty without a Peethadhipati so the Acharya had named his successor a cousin of Swaminathan (son of Mahalakshmi Ammal's sister) Lakshmikanthan who was 18 years old. Lakshmikanthan was a disciple of Acharya, he served his quru with devotion although knowing about smallpox efect on him. He was appointed as the 67th Peethadhipati asSri Sri Mahadevendra Saraswathi Swami and adorned the Peetam for only eight days but he attained samadhi due to effect of

Smallpox at his Guru Charanamulu. Before he attained samadhi, the 67th Acharya had decided to name Swaminathan as his successor which was also the desire of his own guru (66th Acharya).

Procedural rituals relating to the appoint of Swaminathan as the sucessor to the 67th Acharya were completed quickly as Soon he reached Kalavai. Young Swaminathan barely thirteen years old assumed charge as the 68th Acharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam with the Deeksha Naamam

 Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi (Maha Periyava ) on 13th February 1907. 

Ater Maha Periyava siddhi, he appeared in the form of Tulsi between two his Gurus  as seen even today

Adhishtanam of the Kanchi seers Sri Bhagavan nama Bodhendra saraswathi the 59 th Acharya of the Kanchi mutt at Govindapuram

  The Govindapuram Adhishtanam

As you leave Mayavaram and proceed towards Kumbakonam near  Aaduthurai is the Kanchi madam close to the Cauvery where the Adhishtanam of Shri Bodhendra saraswathi is seen. There is a huge Hanuman idol consecrated and the Adhishtanam has been recently rebuilt. The Adhishtanam was apparently reclaimed by the untiring efforts of Sri sadguru Swamigal of Marudhanallur a great soul in the 17 century. He with the support of  the Mahratta kings  diverted the Kaveri away from this area and spend many hours crawling on the hot sand listening intently and found the Adhishtanam from the ,”RAMA NAMA’ still emanating from the same.he built a brindavanam . Incidentally this structure was found during the re excavation and consecration done a few years ago by the Kanchi mutt pontiffs

59.Sri Bhagavan nama Bodhendra Saraswathi : He was born in Mandana Mishra Agraharam at Kanchi as the son of one Kesava Panduranga. Bodhendra's former name was Purushottama. His Guru Sri Vishwadikendra Atmabodhendra Saraswathi apparently asked Panduranga,’ who is the child?’ for this Panduranga replied ,’Ours”so the Guru asked him if he would donate the child to the mutt and the parents consented. The child Purushottama grew up with parents and the mutt visiting daily and learning from his guru and was formally ordained as a sanyasi and anointed as the Kanchi mutt peetadhipathi by his guru. Bodhendra built an Adhishtanam for his guru at Vadavambalam (click here to  visit vadavambalam Shri VISWATHIKENDRA Atmabodhendra Saraswathi the 58 th Acharya of the Kanchi mutt Adhishtanam )  It was Shri Bhagavan nama Bodhendra who stressed the efficacy of devotion, nama sankeerthanam as a means to liberation in Kali yuga as it does not need anushtanam, purification,time, place or rules to follow this path. He therefore undertook the great task of Nama Siddhartha, or establishing the supreme efficacy of reciting the names of Bhagavan in many of his writings, chiefly in Namamrta Rasayana and Namamrta Rasodaya. His mission of Nama Siddhartha was pursued with equal vigor by Sridhara Venkatesa, or Ayyaval of Tiruvisainallur a contemporary  and by Shri Sadguru Swamiji of Marudhanallur in the next century. It was the Nama Siddhartha of Bodhendra that was ultimately responsible for the evolution of Bhajana Sampradaya as an institution in the religious life of the Hindu community in South India. 

Bodhendra performed Tatanka Pratistha at Jambukeswaram and while returning to Kanchi he attained videha mukti ( Jeeva Samadhi) at Govindapuram on Full Moon day in the month of Proshtapada of the cyclic year Prajotpatti (1692 AD). His pontificate was for 54 years. It is said the spiritual presence of Bodhendra still abides at his Adhishtanam at Govindapuram. It is said that in the calm silence of the night a melodious voice uttering Rama Nama is heard rising from subdued tones to a crescendo, and then fading into silence again.

A
single stemmed coconut tree with two separate branchings at the top in front of the Govindapuram Adhishtanam
from the kanchi calender 2018
59. Sri Bhagavannama Bhodhendra Saraswati
1638 - 1692 A.D.
आचाय - 59 - ीभगवामबोधेाः
ीिवािधक ··· मात ्॥ ११८ ॥
ीकाीमनुिवय ··· नीरिधः ॥ ११९ ॥
ीमडननाि ··· बोधाया ॥ १२० ॥
आचायमु ··· धााये ॥ १२१ ॥
जोि ··· बोधसाामीियवान ्॥ १२२ ॥
बोधेा ··· िवकाशः ॥
This preceptor (Śră Bhagavannāma Bodhendra)
under the directions of Śră Viśvādhika came to
south; while staying in the house of Jagannātha
Kavi, son Śră Lakṣmădhara at Jagannātha pini on
the shores of Eastern Sea. he sanctified by enjoining
expiatory acts based on bhakti to the Brahmin
woman polluted/molested by a mleccha.
May preceptor sage Bodhendra entering into Kāñci
and embellishing the preceptor-ship, erecting an
elaborate path of devotion for the emancipation
of all in the Universe by writing excellent works
highlighting the concepts (of Bhakti), he who
bestowed eloquence even to a dumb child, the
ocean with devotees as waves, shine well.
Born of Keśavapāṇduraṅga, an eminent scholar
of Kaṇvaśākhā, residing in the small village called
Maṇḍana near Kāñci, the virtuous devotee, noble
(great) in guiding people resorted to him to the
path of bhakti, adorned the seat of the great
Preceptor, Śră Śaṅkara, under the directions of Śră
Ātmabodha.
He carried out preceptor-ship ably in the Maṭha
for fifty-four years and remained in Kāmakoṭi Păṭha
highlighting Advaita through lectures/discourses,
the ocean of courage, attained his own non-dual
abode in the Śalivaha era 1614.
Śră Bhagavannāma Bodhendra reached the empire
of enlightenment near Madhyārjuna Kṣetra on the
full-moon day of the month of Bhādrapāda in the
year Prajotpatti.
That this revered preceptor also known as Yogăndra
travelled to Rāmeśvaram and on his return attained
siddhi at Govindapuram near Madhyārjuna is a
well--known fact.

Sri Kanchi mutt Acharya's Adhishtanams in Thiruvotriyur chennai

The adhishtanams in Tiruvotriyur ( 55 th and 61 st acharyas)
Last Sunday 20/06/10 I had an oppurtunity to visit the Thiruvotriyur temple in Chennai. The Thyagaraja sannidhi , Vaduvudaiamman and the thataka prathistai sannidhi were enchanting. Adi shankara is believed to have camped here and was responsible for stopping human sacrifices and codified the practices to be followed in the temple. There is a ancient stone building next to the temple on the south side where we can find his statue with two sishyas. This building is now under the custody of the Kanchi kamakoti mutt and functions as the kanchi mutt office. It also houses the adhishtanam( Jeeva Samadhi) of the 61 st pontiff, shri Mahadevendra saraswathy III. This day happened to be the aradhanai for the swamiji and I was fortunate to have witnessed the same and received prasadams.

61st Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati III: He was previously known as Narayana. He was a great yogi. It was during his pontificate that Atma Bodha wrote his commentary Susama on the Gururatna Malika. He attained mukti at Tiruvottiyur, now a part of Chennai on Sukla Navami in the month of Jyesta of the cyclic year Krothana (1746 ,AD).This is also a jeeva samadhi. His pontificate was for 42 years

A stones throw from this area is the Sankaracharya colony a colony of devotees of the mutt. Situated in the south mada street ( this is about 1/2 a km from the vadivudaiamman koil  bus stand, and tiruvottriyur railway station),  Situated in the entrance of  this colony is the adhishtanam of the

55 th pontiff Sri Chandrchuda III: He was a native of Asmachala near manimuktha river in south Arcot district. He was the son of Purari and Shrimati. his former name was arunagiri. He was a dravida brahmin and he died in the year swabhanu, mina shukla ekadasi .(In the year 1524 A.D). His pontificate was for 17 years

Today 25/7/10 being the day of Vyasa puja We had the good fortune to visit the adhishtanam in the morning. Mr Seshadri the caretaker ( he is an engineer working in a private company but does service here to personally take care of the adhistanam daily with utmost reverence) was kind enough to show us around the place. He informed us this is a jeeva samadhi.  In the year 1524 A.D.I could take a few photos of the Adhishtanam with his kind permission

( View of the Brindavanam  complex inside the colony)



( A stone tablet in Telugu and grantham language which speaks of the brindavanam)

(The Brindavanam inside the enclosure)
http://www.kamakoti.org/peeth/origin.html#appendix2

From theKanchi calender 2018

55. Sri Chandrachudendra Saraswati
1507 - 1524 A.D.
आचाय - 55 - अणिगिरचचूडेः
मधुिरत ··· चचूडेनामा ॥ १०८ ॥
इं ···ोितिष॥ १०९ ॥
अयं गतः ॥
Heaps of merits embodied as the son of Purāri and
Śrămati of the town Aśmaśālapura on the banks of
the sweet river Maṇimukta, Aruṇagiri governed the
preceptor-ship of the Păṭha surrounded by the four
oceans as preceptor candracūḍa.
Sri Kṛṣṇapremi’s edition
Thus having imparted the teachings to me, the
insignificant disciple and guiding me through various
aspects pertaining to the Păṭha, the preceptor
who remained in the Păṭha for sixteen years and
attained siddhi in a moment, he merged in the
Supreme Effulgence (of the nature) Saccitsukha
devoid of calamities, on the eleventh day of the
bright fortnight early morning of the month of
Măna of the year Svabhānu at Kañci.
Polakam Rāmaśāstri edition
Thus having imparted the teachings to me, the
insignificant among disciples and guiding me
through all aspects relating to the Păṭha, the
preceptor who stayed at the Maṭha for only six
years at siddhi in a moment, he merged in the
Eternal Bliss, the Supreme Effulgence, devoid of
calamities at the dawn of eleventh day of bright
fortnight of the Mārgaśărṣa month in the year
Āṅgărasa at Kañci.
This preceptor attained siddhi at Kañci.
Thus the text Puṇyaślokamañjarī along with
Laghuvṛtti authored by Śră Sarvajñasadhāśiva
Bodhendra, the fifty-sixth preceptor and disciple
of His holiness Jagadguru Śră Candracūḍendra
Pūjyapāda of Śră Kāñci Kāmakoṭi Păṭha.
पुयोकमिरपिरिशम ्
Appendix to Puṇyaślokamañjarī
आबोधेिविनिमतम ्
ीमदाबोधेसरती िवरिचतः थमभागः

On 16/05/24

Shri Balaperiyava was on a visit to this adhistamam in connection with the kumbabhishekam of Ganapathy temple in the colony and we had an oppurtunity to revisit this adhishtanam and obtain blessings. The main brindavanam has been covered with a roof now . 

Pic from todays visit