Madurai Adheenam is the oldest

Saivite 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 rangi ...

''adheenam'' (also known as a ''

matha A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

'' or ''mutt''), a form of

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 ...

monastery, in

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

. It was established more than 1,300 years ago, and is said to have been rejuvenated by

Thirugnana Sambandar Sambandar (Tamil: சம்பந்தர்), also referred to as Tirugnana Sambandar (lit. ''Holy Sage Sambandar''), Tirujnanasambanda, Campantar or Jñāṉacampantar, was a Shaiva poet-saint of Tamil Nadu who lived sometime in the 7th cen ...

. It is located near the

Meenakshi Amman Temple Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, ...

Madurai Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

, one of the most important

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

–

Shakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and r ...

shrines. It is an active centre of

Saiva Siddhanta Shaiva Siddhanta () (Tamil: சைவ சித்தாந்தம் "Caiva cittāntam") is a form of Shaivism that propounds a dualistic philosophy where the ultimate and ideal goal of a being is to become an enlightened soul through Shiv ...

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 Thanjavur District is one of the 38 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur. The district is located in the delta of the Cauvery River and is mostly agrarian. As of 2011, Thanjavur district ...

and

Tiruvarur district Thiruvarur district is one of the 38 districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India. As of 2011, the district had a population of 1,264,277 with a sex-ratio of 1,017 females for every 1,000 males. Geography The district occupies an area of 2,161 ...

, namely

Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur The Agniswarar Temple (கஞ்சனூர் அக்கினீஸ்வரர் கோயில்) :ta:கஞ்சனூர் அக்கினீஸ்வரர் கோயில் is a Hindu temple in the village of Kanjanur, 18 ...

, 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 Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, ...

. The Adheenam is involved in publishing Saivite literature, specifically '' Thevaram'' and ''

Tiruvasakam ''Thiruvasagam'' ( ta, திருவாசகம், tiruvācakam, translit-std=IAST, lit=sacred utterance) is a volume of Tamil hymns composed by the ninth century Shaivite '' bhakti'' poet Manikkavasagar. It contains 51 compositions and co ...

'' and its translations. It is also involved in literary scholarship. The Adheenam along with

Thiruppanandal Adheenam The Thiruppanandal Adheenam is a Saivite monastic institution based in the town of Thiruppanandal in Tamil Nadu, India. As of 2003, the Thiruppanandal Adheenam was one of the biggest landowning agencies in Thanjavur district. It is one of largest l ...

and

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 ...

were founded during the 16th century to spread the knowledge of Saiva Sidhantam. 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.

Lineage

In 2016, Madurai Adheenam was headed by Srila Sri Arunagirinatha Gnanasambantha Desika Paramacharya, who is the 292nd Guru Maha Sannidhanam or Pontiff of the Aadheenm. Arunagirinatha had appointed V. Thirunavukarasu as Ilavarasu or successor, with the given holy name of Srila Sri Kumara Sundara Gnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya. 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. 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. 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.

Temples

The adheenam is the hereditary trustee of four temples in

Thanjavur District Thanjavur District is one of the 38 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur. The district is located in the delta of the Cauvery River and is mostly agrarian. As of 2011, Thanjavur district ...

References

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