Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Anointed As 71st Pontiff Of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam In Grand Ceremony

25-year-old Rig Vedic scholar Sri Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya was anointed as the junior pontiff of the ancient Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam on Wednesday (30 April).

The ceremony, conducted on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, marked the formal ascension of the 71st Acharya of the Peetam, PTI reported.

Born Duddu Satya Venkata Surya Subramanya Ganesha Sharma Dravid, the scholar hails from Annavaram Kshetra in Andhra Pradesh.

Prior to his initiation into sanyasa, he had served at Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam in Basara, Telangana, and mastered the Yajurveda, Samaveda, Shadangas, and Dashopanishat.

In accordance with the rigorous spiritual customs of the Kanchi Matam, the young scholar was initiated into ascetic life and bestowed the name Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya by the current senior pontiff, Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi.

The initiation ritual, ‘Sanyasa Sweekara Mahotsavam,’ was attended by seers from across India, signifying the gravity of the occasion.

“The event coincided with the 2534th Jayanti Mahotsavam of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya who established Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in 482 BCE. Since then, the Peetam has the distinction of an unbroken line of 70 acharyas,” stated a spokesperson from the Peetam.

The ceremonial proceedings began yesterday at the sacred Pancha Ganga Teertham and included special pujas at Sri Kamakshi Ambal Sannidhi, Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya Sannidhi, and Sri Sureshwaracharya Sannidhi.

The new pontiff also paid homage at the Brindavans of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati and Sri Jayendra Saraswati.

Offerings (prasadam) from temples across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states were presented to the new Acharya.

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