CANACONA
Shrimad Vidyadheesh Teerth Shripad Vader Swamiji was ceremoniously installed as the 24th Mathadhipati of Shree Samsthan Gokarna Partagali Jeevottam Math in Canacona on Friday.
He took over as the new spiritual and administrative head of the Partagali Math, one of the three religious orders of the Gowd Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community, following the demise of the Shrimad Vidhyadhiraj Teerth Shripad Vader Swamiji, who attained Mahanirvana on July 19.
The ceremony, which took place after nearly five decades, included a number of rituals and the Granth Puja and the 24th Mathyadipati Shrimad Vidhyadeesh Teerth Shripad Vader Swami was installed at the auspicious time, marking the new spiritual leader in the 550-odd year history of the Partagali Math.
Shrimad Vidyadheesh Teerth Shripad Vader Swamiji, who initially sat on the chair of the Shishya, rose and went on his knees to kiss the earth, before taking his seat on the throne of Guru Mahadheepati of the Math, amidst the chants of ‘Swami Maharaj ki Jai’.
Shree Samastha Gokarna Partagal Jeevottam Math President Shrinivas Dempo and Vice President Ramchandra R Kamat came forward and sat in front of the Swamiji's seat to conduct a brief Puja and both went on to pour water and wash the feet of Swamiji, as a mark of respect to the new spiritual leader of the Math.
Mangalore City South MLA D Vedavyasa Kamath, a number of religious heads of Maths and many people from different parts of the State were present and elaborate arrangements were made for the installation ceremony.
On the occasion, Dempo read out the message sent by Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, while messages sent by leaders of various other Maths were also read out.
The Math has over 100 temples, including some of the prominent temples, in the State and elsewhere. It has two temples dedicated to the Gods Ramdev and Vir Vithal in the Math complex situated on Khushawati river (also known as River Talpona).
The Partagali Math also runs a number of social and cultural activities, which include a Sanskrit Vaidik Pathshala, museum, library, students hostel and an old-aged home.
The previous installation ceremony had been conducted when Vidhyadiraj Swami had been installed as the 23rd religious head of the Partagali Math on April 5, 1973. He was known to have worked tirelessly for the spiritual upliftment of the followers and managed the Math properties.
