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Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham

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The Kanchi math is a Hindu monastic institution located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, one of the five pancha-bhUta-sthalas (Temples denoting the '5 Elements')[1]. It is known formally as Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, and claims to have been founded by the Adi Sankara The head of the mutt is referred to as a "Sankaracharya", a title that is also applied to the heads of the four Sankara mutts.

The Kanchi mutt has been gaining prominence since the 18th century, when it was at Kumbakonam. Some accounts claim that it was founded there as a branch of the Sringeri matha, and branched out afterwards. Today it is one of the most important religious institutions of South India.

Kanchi mutt came under a cloud in November 2004, after a former employee was murdered.

History

The mutt's official history states that it was founded by Adi Sankara of Kaladi, and that His Holiness Jayendra Saraswati Swami is the current pontiff - The 69th head in succession, tracing its history back to the fifth century BCE.[2] A related claim by a few propaganda material of this Mutt is that Adi Sankara came to Kanchipuram, and that he established the Kanchi mutt named "Dakshina Moolamnaya Sarvagnya Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam" in a position of supremacy (Sarvagnya Peetha) over the other mathas of the subcontinent, before his death there. Other sources give the place of his death as Kedarnath in the Himalayas.[3]

Other, historical accounts state that the mutt was established more recently (probably in the 18th century) in Kumbakonam, as a branch of the Sringeri Matha, and that it later declared itself independent.[4][5] The heads of a matha in Kumbhakonam acquired control of the Kamakshi temple in Kanchipuram and moved their establishment to that city, between the years 1842 and 1863. This marks the origin of the Kanchi mutt.[6]

The Kanchi Mutt claims to have been moved from Kanchipuram to Kumbakonam during the 18th century when Hyder Ali invaded the region. It is also claimed that archeological evidence in the form of stone architecture depicting the Sankaracharya and the epigraphy by the side situated in various temples in Kanchipuram indicate the 2500 year age of the Mutt.

The Mutt's published materials also claim that the present structure at Sannidhi Koil Street at Kanchipuram has been established there centuries before, which claim is however contradicted.

The Kamakoti Peetam however, traditionally refers to Sri Kamakshi referred popularly as Kamakodi. 'Kamakodi' is of Tamil origin, referring to Goddess Durga. 'Kodi' refers to Durga in the ancient Tamil Sangam literature. Kanchipuram is referred to as Kachi. The Vyakarana Mahabhashya of Patanjali uses the word 'Kanchi' and it can be thus understood that the word Kanchi also has a Sankrit base. However, KamakOti is a latter Sanksrit form taken from the original Tamil form of Kamakodi. Tamil literature also refers to Kamakodi as Kamakanni.

The Original Kamakoti Peetam, in which Sri Adi Shankara established the Sri Chakra Yantra during the latter period of 8th century and the beginning of the 9th century' is at present known as "Adi Peeteshwari Ambal' and this temple is near the present famous shrine of Kamakshi. The form of the deity here is with Ankusa, Pasa, Abhaya and a Kaphalarespectively in each of the 4 hands. This matches precisely with Girvanendra Saraswath's 'Prapancha Sara Sara Sangraha'.

It is noteworty that the Sri Chakra in the present day Kamakshi Amman temple was installed by one Nrusimha Advari during the 16th century, which is evidenced by a stone inscription in the vicinity. The Present day Kamakshi temple was originally a Budhist temple, and the present Kamakshi was perhaps Tara Devi. The process of conversion of the present temple from a Buddhist temple into the Hindu Pantheology was complete perhaps by the 12th Century AD.

Thiruthondar Puranam of Sekkilar Perumal written during the 12th Century mentions the old & original Kamakoti Peeta as Kamakottam. It also mentions about the new shrine which is the present day kamakoti Peetam. Arunagiri Nadar also refers only to the Original Adi Peeteswari with four hands as described above. He mentions that she is kumaran's mother and that she resides very near to Kumarakottam It should be noted that the Original Kamakoti temple is just adjacent to Kumarakottam.

Murder and turmoil

In 2004, an ex-employee of the Kanchi matha was murdered. During the murder investigation, the police charged Jayendra Saraswati and several of his close associates with the murder.[7] The murdered ex-employee, Sankararaman, had pointed out issues such as the tendency for both acharyas to be "closeted for long hours with certain women"[8] as well as financial mismanagement[9]. Investigators found that calls to the assailants had been made from the matha phone, and charges have been filed against Jayendra Saraswati as well as the junior acharya Vijayendra Saraswati[10].

On November 11, 2004, Jayendra Saraswati was arrested from Mehboobnagar, Andhra Pradesh. The arrest initially caused a tremendous uproar among the Hindu laity across the nation, and Bharatiya Janata Party and other Hindu groups started canvassing widely for his release. During the bail hearings, Justice R. Balasubramanian of the Madras High Court observed, without prejudicing the final verdict:

"materials relied upon by the prosecution... would prima facie constitute reasonable grounds to believe' that the petitioner is shown to be guilty of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life."[11]

However, in a subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court, bail was granted, with the court observing that:

No worthwhile prima facie evidence apart from the alleged confessions have been brought to our notice to show that the petitioner along with other accused was party to a conspiracy[11]

The Supreme Court also agreed to shift the trial to Pondicherry, after the defence argued that the media attention and other factors in Tamil Nadu made a fair trial impossible there.

In March 2006, both Jayendra as well as Vijayendra Saraswati, as well as a number of others, were charged on 14 counts, including murder and conspiracy[10].


List of Kamakoti Mutt heads

Chronological list of heads of the matha, according to the official account.

  1. Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada
  2. Sri Suresvaracharya
  3. Sri Sarvajnatman
  4. Sri Sathyabodhendra Saraswati
  5. Sri Jnanandendra Saraswati
  6. Sri Suddhanandendra Saraswati
  7. Sri Aanandaghanendra Saraswati
  8. Sri Kaivalyanandayogendra Saraswati
  9. Sri Krpa Sankarendra Saraswati
  10. Sri Sureswara
  11. Sri Sivananda Chidghanendra Saraswati
  12. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati
  13. Sri Satchidghanendra Saraswati
  14. Sri Vidyaghanendra Saraswati
  15. Sri Gangadharendra Saraswati
  16. Sri Ujjvala Sankarendra Saraswati
  17. Sri Sadasivendra Saraswati
  18. Sri Shankarananda Saraswati
  19. Sri Martanda Vidyaghanendra Saraswati
  20. Sri Muka Sankarendra Saraswati
  21. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati II
  22. Sri Bodhendra Saraswati
  23. Sri Satchisukhendra Saraswati
  24. Sri Chitsukhendra Saraswati
  25. Sri Satchidanandaghanendra Saraswati
  26. Sri Prajnaghanendra Saraswati
  27. Sri Chidvilasendra Saraswati
  28. Sri Mahadeve11dra Saraswati I
  29. Sri Purnabhodhendra Saraswati
  30. Sri Bhodhendra Saraswati II
  31. Sri Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswati
  32. Sri Chidanandaghanendra Saraswati
  33. Sri Satchidananda Saraswati
  34. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati III
  35. Sri Chitsukhendra Saraswati
  36. Sri Chitsukhanandendra Saraswati
  37. Sri Vidyaghanendra Saraswati III
  38. Sri Abhinava Sankarendra Saraswati
  39. Sri Satchidvilaasendra Saraswati
  40. Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati II
  41. Sri Gangadharendra Saraswati II
  42. Sri Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswati
  43. Sri Anandaghanendra Saraswati
  44. Sri Purnabhodhendra Saraswati II
  45. Sri Paramasivendra Saraswati I
  46. Sri Sandranandabhodhendra Saraswati
  47. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati IV
  48. Sri Advaitanandabodhendra Saraswati
  49. Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati III
  50. Sri Chandrachudendra Saraswati I
  51. Sri Kamachandrendra Saraswati
  52. Sri Vidyateerthendra Saraswati (1297–1370)
  53. Sri Sankaranandendra Saraswati (1370–1417)
  54. Sri Purnananda Sadasivendra Saraswati (1417–1498)
  55. Sri Vyasachala Mahadevendra Saraswati (1498–1507)
  56. Sri Chandrachudhendra Saraswati II (1507–1524)
  57. Sri Sarvajna Sadasiva Bhodhendra Saraswati (1524–1539)
  58. Sri Paramasivendra Saraswati II (1539–1586)
  59. Sri Atma Bodhendra Saraswati (1586–1638)
  60. Sri Bhagavannama Bodhendra Saraswati (1638–1692)
  61. Sri Advaitatma Prakasendra Saraswati (1692–1704)
  62. Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati IV (1704–1746)
  63. Sri ChandrasekharendraSaraswati V (1746–1783)
  64. Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati V (1783–1813)
  65. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VI (1813–1851)
  66. Sri Sudarsana Mahadevendra Saraswati (1851–1891)
  67. Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VII (1891 - February 7, 1907)
  68. Sri Sri Mahadevendra Saraswathi V (February 7, 1907 - February 13, 1907)
  69. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal(February 13, 1907 - January 3, 1994)
  70. Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal
  71. Sri Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal

References

  1. ^ The five pancha-bhUta-sthalas or material sites represent earth (Kanchipuram), sky (Chidambaram), air (Kalahasti), fire (Thiruvannamalai), and water (Thiruvanaikoil).
  2. ^ kamakoti.org
  3. ^ [1] [2]
  4. ^ The Curious Case of the Missing Monk, The Illustrated Weekly of India, issue dated September 13, 198
  5. ^ Real history of the Kanchi math
  6. ^ Mattison Mines, Vijayalakshmi Gourishankar, Leadership and Individuality in South Asia: The Case of the South Indian Big-Man, Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 49, No. 4 (Nov., 1990), pp. 761-786.
  7. ^ S. Viswanathan (Volume 22 - Issue 01, Jan. 01 - 14, 2005). "A major breakthrough". Frontline (magazine). Retrieved 2007-07-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference outlook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ A Ganesh Nadar in Kanchipuram (November 13, 2004). "Who was Sankararaman?". Rediff.com. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
  10. ^ a b "Sankararaman murder case: charges framed against 24 accused: Jayendra Saraswathi, Vijayendra Saraswathi are prime accused". The Hindu. 2006-03-29. Retrieved 2007-07-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ a b J. Venkatesan (2005-01-11). "Strong case made out for bail: Supreme Court". The Hindu. Retrieved 2007-07-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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