Kashi Mutt

Kashi Mutt (or Kashi Math) is one of the four Mutts which Goud Saraswat Brahmins follow, the others being Gokarna Mutt (Vaishnava), Kavle Mutt (Smarta) and Chitrapur Math (Smarta). Headquartered in Brahma Ghat, Varanasi, it has followers all over the Konkan belt, prominently in Udupi, Mangalore and parts of Kerala.

History

The Kashi Mutt was founded in the year 1542 AD.Before the Kashi Mutt came up, most of the Vaishnava Goud Saraswat Brahmins were followers of Shri Uttaradi Mutt. During the 15th century, Sri Ramachandra Tirtha of Uttaradi Mutt initiated two to sanyasa - Vibhudendra Tirtha and Sri Vidhyanidhi Tirtha. The latter became head of Uttaradi Mutt and Sri Vibhudendra Tirtha founded a new Mutt at Kumbhakonam which came to be known as Purvadi Mutt (later became Raghavendra Swamy Mutt since the great saint Raghavendra of Mantralaya fame belonged to this Mutt). Because of its proximity to South Kanara and Kerala, the Gowda Saraswats were transferred to this Mutt.

Later when Surendra Tirtha became the head of the Mutt at Kumbhakonam, one of his disciples, Vijayindra Tirtha undertook a Chaturmasya(a religious event lasting four months) at Cochin in 1539–1540. Here, he selected Sri Hanumantha Bhaktha and was given deeksha as Yadavendra Tirtha. Yadavendra Tirtha went on to become head of the new Kashi Mutt at Varanasi established in 1542 AD. Shri Kumbhakonam Math gave two idols of Shri Vyasa and Shri Raghupati to Shrimat Yadavendra Tirtha along with the rights to guide the Goud Saraswats.

Branches

The Mutt has branches and establishments at Prayag, Haridwar, Bhatkal, Basrur, Hemmady, Bantwal, Panambur ( Suratkal ), Manjeshwar, Rameshwaram, Karkala, Kota, Nayampalli near Udupi, Bhagamandala (Kodagu), Bandora (Goa),Walkeshwar(Mumbai), Cochin, Pallipuram (Kerala), Manchakal, Naravi (near Belthangady), Alleppey, Konchady, Hangarakatte, Tirupathi, Bangalore ,Calicut and Nagpur.

The headquarters is located in Varanasi(Shri Kashi Math, 22/86 Brahma Ghat, Varanasi-221001).

Deities

Shri Vyasa and Shri Raghupati also popularly known as Shri Vyasaraghupati.

Guru System

The Kashi Mutt follows a "Guru" system, where in the head of the Mutt appoints a "shishya", who succeeds the Guru after his death. The Mutt has been following the Guru system since it came into being and has been running smoothly to this date.

Shrimat Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji took a new successor Shri Raghavendra Tirtha Swamiji in 1993.

Shri Kashi Mutt are followers of Madhva Siddantha but subtle differences exists which makes a section of the Kashi Mutt followers different in sampradaya to the main-line Madhva followers and Mutts.

Parampara

H.H Shri Yadavendra Teertha

H.H Shri Keshavendra Teerth

H.H Shri Upendra Teertha

H.H Shri Yadavendra Teertha (2)

H.H Shri Raghavendra Teertha

H.H Shri Devendra Teertha

H.H Shri Maadhavendra Teertha

H.H Shri Gnanindra Teertha

H.H Shri Yadavendra Teertha (3)

H.H Shri Upendra Teertha (2)

H.H Shri Rajendra Teertha

H.H Shri Sureendra Teertha

H.H Shri Vishnu Teertha

H.H Shri Vibhudendra Teertha

H.H Shri Sumateendra Teertha

H.H Shri Sudhendra Teertha

H.H Shri Bhuvanendra Teertha

H.H Shri Varadendra Teertha

H.H Shri Sukrateendra Teertha

H.H Shri Sudhindra Teertha (Present Senior Pontiff)

Shri Raghavendra Teertha (Discredited Junior Pontiff by Senior Pontiff)

H.H Shri Samyameendra Teertha (Present Junior Pontiff)

References

* “Kashi Matha Samsthanada Charithre” by Ganapathi Rao Igal, 1936 (Kannada version)
* “History of Kashi Mutt Samsthan” by Prof. V. A. Shenoy, 1974 ( [http://www.kashimath.com] )
* Local folklore

External links

* [http://www.tdtemple.org Thuravoor thirumala Sree Lakshmi Narasimha temple ]
* [http://www.kashimath.com/ Website of Sri Kashimath Samsthan by Kashimath Bangalore]
* [http://www.kashimath.org/ Kashimath Samsthan]
* [http://www.svtmangalore.org/ Venkataramana Temple, Mangalore - Photos, Videos]
* [http://www.gosripuram.org/ Cochin Tirumala Dewaswam]