Madurai Adheenam is the oldest Saivite adheenam[1] (also known as a matha or mutt), a form of Hindu monastery, in South India. It was established more than 1,300 years ago, and is said to have been rejuvenated by Thirugnana Sambandar.[2][3] It is located near the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, one of the most important Shiva–Shakti shrines. It is an active centre of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy.

The Mutt is headed by Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal who took over as the 293rd pontiff of the Madurai Adheenam, at a grand coronation ceremony that took place on 23 August 2021. The Mutt also administers four temples in Thanjavur district and Tiruvarur district, namely Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur, Sakshinatheswarar Temple, Thiruppurambiyam, Kaichinam Kaichineswarar Temple and Pannakaparanar temple.

Religious activities

The Mutt is located in South Avani Moola street, close to Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai. The Adheenam is involved in publishing Saivite literature, specifically Thevaram and Tiruvasakam and its translations. It is also involved in literary scholarship.[4] The Adheenam along with Thiruppanandal Adheenam and Dharmapuram Adheenam were founded during the 16th century to spread the knowledge of Saiva Sidhantam.[5] The Mutt offers Annadhanam (free meals) to devotees in its premises and also the four temples administered by them. The Mutt organizes special worship practices like Nithya and Maheswar Pooja.[6]

Lineage

In 2016, Madurai Adheenam was headed by Srila Sri Arunagirinatha Gnanasambantha Desika Paramacharya,[7] who is the 292nd Guru Maha Sannidhanam or Pontiff of the Aadheenm.[8] Arunagirinatha had appointed V. Thirunavukarasu as Ilavarasu or successor, with the given holy name of Srila Sri Kumara Sundara Gnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya.[7] In 2019, the Adheenam became the subject of a legal dispute when Arunagirinatha removed Kumara Sundara and appointed Srila Sri Harihara Gnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya as the new Ilavarasu, with the Saivaneri Meetpu Peravai filing a petition at the Madras High Court that alleged that Kumara Sundara has not been legally removed at the time of the new appointment.[9]

The 27th head of Dharumai Adheenam, declared that junior pontiff Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal, who was appointed by Arunagirinatha on June 6, 2019, as his successor, would become the 293rd pontiff. Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal took over as the 293rd pontiff of the Madurai Adheenam, at a grand coronation ceremony that took place on 23 August 2021.[10] Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambandha Desika Swamigal was born in a village called Udankudi in Tirunelveli. He became a saint when he was 21-years old. For about 39 years, he has held different positions in famous Shaivite mutts such as Kundrakudi Adheenam, Thiruvavadudurai Adheenam and Dharmapuram Adheenam.[11]

Temples

The adheenam is the hereditary trustee of four temples in Thanjavur District.

Name of the temple Location Presiding deity Photo Temple details
Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur Kanjanur 11°3′57″N 79°29′45″E / 11.06583°N 79.49583°E / 11.06583; 79.49583 Agniswarar The temple is one of the nine Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu and is a part of the popular Navagraha pilgrimage in the state - it houses the image of Sukra (Venus).[12][13]
Sakshinatheswarar Temple, Thiruppurambiyam Thiruppurambiyam 10°29′N 78°41′E / 10.483°N 78.683°E / 10.483; 78.683 Sakshinatheswarar Thiruppurambiyam was the fierce battlefield in the 9th century deciding the bright future of Cholas. Chola king Aditya I built a temple in sweet remembrance of the turn of the tide in his favour and named it Aditeswaram.[14] An inscription on the west wall of the central shrine from the period of Gandaraditya Chola indicates a gift of 2 ma of land to the temple by Savandi Kumaran, Madevan of Idayarkudi, a local chieftian of Innambarnadu.[15]
Kaichinam Kaichineswarar Temple 10°37′27″N 79°40′03″E / 10.62417°N 79.66750°E / 10.62417; 79.66750 Kachaneswarar It is a Hindu temple located at Kachanam in Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The historical name of the place is Kaichinam. The temple is dedicated to Shiva, as the moolavar presiding deity, in his manifestation as Kaichineswarar.[16]
Pannakaparanar temple Thirmugathalai 10°33′23″N 79°40′46″E / 10.55639°N 79.67944°E / 10.55639; 79.67944 Pannakaparanar

References

  1. ↑ Also transliterated ādīnam, adinam, aadheenam, aadheenm, etc.
  2. ↑ சைவ ஆதீனங்கள் (History of Śaiva Ādīnams), by முனைவர் தவத்திரு ஊரான் அடிகள் (Professor Ūrān Adigal), வர்த்தமானன் பதிப்பக வெளியீடு (Vardamāna Publishers), 2002, pp. 545–550
  3. ↑ How to Become a Hindu: A Guide for Seekers and Born Hindus, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 2002, p. 387
  4. ↑ M.M.M., Mahroof (1993). "Arabic-Tamil In South India And Sri Lanka: Language As Mimicry". Islamic Studies. 32 (2): 182. JSTOR 20840120.
  5. ↑ Peterson, Indira V. (1982). "Singing of a Place: Pilgrimage as Metaphor and Motif in the Tēvāram Songs of the Tamil Śaivite Saints". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 102 (1): 82. doi:10.2307/601112. JSTOR 601112.
  6. ↑ "Sri-la-Sri Harihara anointed Madurai Adheenam pontiff". Times of India. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  7. 1 2 "Successor to Madurai Adheenam announced". The Hindu. 22 April 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Nithyananda seeks protection to enter adheenam". The Hindu. 28 September 2017. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  9. ↑ Chandar, B. Tilak (29 August 2019). "Appointment of successor in Madurai Adheenam challenged". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "மதுரை புதிய ஆதீனம் இன்று பதவியேற்றார்". Malaimalar. 23 August 2021. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  11. ↑ "புகழஞ்சலி: சமய நல்லிணக்கத்தைக் காத்த ஆதீனம் அருணகிரிநாதர்!". Puthiya Thalaimurai. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  12. ↑ Suriya (2015). Jothirlingam: The Indian Temple Guide. Partridge Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 9781482847864.
  13. ↑ "Navagraha temples". Thanjavur District Administration. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  14. ↑ Ka. Vi., Kannan (2019). River cauvery the most battl(r)ed. Notion Press. p. 43. ISBN 9781684666041.
  15. ↑ B. S., Chandrababu; S., Ganeshram; C., Bhavani (2011). History of People and Their Environs: Essays in Honour of Prof. B.S. Chandrababu. Bharathi Puthakalayam. p. 35. ISBN 9789380325910.
  16. ↑ "Sri Kaichineswarar temple". Dinamalar.
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