metro india news  I hyderabad

Rig Vedic scholar Sri Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya was anointed as the junior pontiff of the ancient Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam at a grand religious ceremony here on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old acharya, known as Ganesha Sharma Dravid before his initiation into sanyasa as per the tradition at the Kanchi matam, was identified by the matam as successor to the present Seer Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya. The historic event took place on the auspicious Akshya Thritiya attended by the seers from across the country.

During the Sanyasa Sweekara Mahotsavam, the senior pontiff Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi blessed the Sanyasa name of Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya to Duddu Satya Venkata Surya Subramanya Ganesha Sharma Dravid, marking the latter’s ascension as "71st Shankaracharya of the Peetam" according to Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

The rituals connected with the ascension commenced on Tuesday at the Pancha Ganga Teertham, Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Ambal Devasthanam. Special pujas at Sri Kamakshi Ambal Sannidhi and Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya Sannidhi at Sri Kamakshi temple, marked the occasion.

Special pujas were held at Sri Shankaracharya and Sri Sureshwaracharya Sannidhi, too, followed by the junior pontiff’s visit to Brindavan of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati and Sri Jayendra Saraswati Shankaracharya. Prasadams from various temples across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states were offered to the 71st acharya by the temple representatives.

"The event coincided with the 2534th Jayanti Mahotsavam (May 2, 2025) 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 (spiritual leaders)," according to Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

This Rig Vedic scholar from Annavaram Kshetra in Andhra Pradesh, had served at Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam, Basara, Nirmal district, Nizamabad, Telangana. He completed his studies in Yajurveda, Samaveda, Shadangas, and Dashopanishat, also.

The senior pontiff was made acharya of the Peetam at a young age of 15 by his predecessor and 69th pontiff Jayendra Saraswathi on May 29, 1983. Jayendra Saraswathi was made the acharya by his predecessor Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi on March 24, 1954.

The selection process for the successor to the head (Shankaracharya) of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham is rooted in tradition and guided by the incumbent pontiff. The incumbent Shankaracharya holds the primary authority to nominate their successor. These include the candidate’s family background, spiritual inclination, intellectual ability, and proficiency in Vedic studies, particularly in the Rig Veda, which is a key requirement for leadership of the Peetam.

The decision is sometimes made in consultation with senior scholars or devotees of the Peetham, though the pontiff’s choice is paramount. The chosen successor is often appointed as a junior pontiff, serving alongside the senior Shankaracharya to ensure a smooth transition.The anointment, known as sannyasa deeksha, is a formal ritual where the successor is initiated into monastic life and given a new spiritual name, marking their ascension.