Tiruvannamalai Adheenam or Kunnakudi Tiruvannamalai Mutt Adikam (also called Kunnakudi Tiruvannamalai Mutt Adikam or Kunnakudi Adheenam) is a Saivite monastic institution based in the town of

Kunnakudi Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan (2 March 1935 – 8 September 2008) was an Indian classical music violinist and music composer. Early life Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was born on 2 March 1935 and was trained by his father, Ramaswamy Sastry. He was the brother ...

in South India established during the 16th century. The Mutt is involved in inculcating Saiva Siddhanta philosophy, a branch of the

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

sect of

Saivism Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

. The temple maintains and administers the Shanmughanathar Temple. The mutt emerged with popular socialistic views during the tenure of the 45th pontiff Deivasigamni Arunachala Desiga Adigal. The mutt is involved in social empowerment of the villages and is involved in social service for the villages in and around Kunnakudi. The mutt closely works with NGOs in the region for rural development.

History

N-TN-C188 Rock cut Temple Kunnakudi Sivagangai

The adheenam was founded during the 16th century, along with the

Dharmapuram Adheenam Dharumapuram Aadheenam is a Saivite monastic institution based in the town of Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. As of 2019, there were a total of 27 Shiva temples under the control of the adheenam. History & activities The adheenam was founded dur ...

Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam is a Saivite Matha, mutt based in the town of Thiruvaduthurai in Kuthalam taluk of Mayiladuthurai district, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu, India. The adheenam maintains the Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai, May ...

and the Thiruppanandal Adheenam, to spread the ideology of Saiva Sidhantam. Srimat Deivasigamani Desiga Paramacharya Swamigal founded a ''Saiva siddantha'' math at Tiruvannamalai, in North Arcot district. Later on, the disciples of the math, now called Kunnakudi Thiruvannamalai Mutt Adikam, settled down at Piranmalai. About 200 years ago, due to religious and administrative convenience and at the request of Sethupathi Raja of Ramnad, they shifted the activity to Kunnakudi in Tirupathur Taluk of the Ramanathapuram district. The math is The founder of the adheenam had a very cordial relation with Vellala Maharaja and was the disciple of Arulnandi Sivacharya Swamigal, who established the Saiva siddantha philosophy in Tamil Nadu Swami Pandaram was descendant of Rameswaram temple. Based on the palm leaf manuscript mentions Maruthu Pandiyar had great respect for the priest and that the administration of the Shanmughanathar Temple was handed over to the mutt. Kundrakudi Adigal served as pontiff until his death in 1995.

Social aspects

Under the aegis of Srilasri Deivasigamani Arunachala Desiga Paramacharya Swamigal, the mutt was involved in social activities beyond the traditional religious services offered. The mutt followed social movement under his tutelage, advocated socialism and supported co-operative movement. The mutt started working against poverty by empowering the villages in and around Kunnakudi. The mutt is involved in social empowerment of the villages and is involved in social service for the villages in and around Kunnakudi. The mutt closely works with NGOs in the region for rural development. During the 1960s, the mutt started inter-caste dining, which was not followed till that time. The pontiff also started writing and publishing views to fight social evils like caste system, crime against women, child marriage and dowry system. The mutt conducts debating and Tamil language related events to help in the development of the language and the society.

References

{{reflist, 20em Hindu monasteries in India Shaivism Aadheenams