Ramachandrapura Mutt

The Sankaracharya of the Shaiva Ramachandrapura Math (monastery) is a Hindu monastery located in Hosanagara taluk of Shimoga, Karnataka. The Matha is followed mainly by the Havyaka Brahmins in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala .[1][2] It was established by Adi Shankaracharya originally near Gokarna, a holy town on the west coast of India. The matha was initially known as Raghuthama Matha. The Swami (or guru) of the matha is a celibate(brahmacharya), but this is not a strict requirement though and a Havyaka by birth. He adds the title Bharati to his name.[2] The present guru is jagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji. He was initiated sanyasa by his guru Jagadguru Shankaracharya shri Ragavendra Bharati swamiji the 35th Pontiff of Shri Ramachandrapura Mutt.

Adi Shankaracharya appointed his disciple Shri Vidyananda as the first guru of the matha. The matha has an unbroken lineage of mathadishas (head of the matha) since then. Shri Raghavaeshwara Bharathi is the 36th guru.

Raghaveshwara Bharathi, current Guru of the mutt.

Lower caste Hindus,known as Bandis who were domestic servants,could obtain permission to wear the sacred thread from him. For this they would award him with an annual offering. They then burnt their dead instead of burying them and Śrāddha ceremonies were held.[3]

Social disputes among the Havyakas were settled at meetings of the adult members of the community held either under the guidance and control of this Guru or under a headman appointed by the Guru. This headman held power as the delegate of the spiritual guide.[2] But some of the Havyakas of Kumta, Honnavar and Ankola gave up their allegiance to the Ramachandrapura monastery and placed themselves under the Saklapuri math at Mundalli near Bhatkal and called themselves Saklapuris.[2]

See also

References
  1. Singh, K S (2003). People of India, Volume 26, Part 3. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 1163. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  2. Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: North Canara Volume 15, part 1. Bombay (now Mumbai), India: Government Central Press. 1883. p. 121. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  3. Enthoven, Reginald E. (1990) [1922]. The Tribes and Castes of Bombay, Volume 1. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. p. 58. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
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