Sringeri Swamiji addressing an audience at Jalakanteshwara Temple, 1965

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Institute Events , Visiting VIPs

This photograph was taken at the Jalakanteshwara Temple, IIT Madras. It was taken during the visit of Sringeri Sharada Peethadhipati Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Swamiji. The Swamiji was the 35th Jagadguru Sankaracharya of the Sringeri Sarada Pitha. The Pitha was established in the 8th century CE by the saint Adi Sankara. It is situated in Sringeri, Chikkamagaluru District in Karnataka. Swamiji visited IIT Madras in 1965, most likely as a part of his all-India tour which began in June 1964.

According to an article, the Swamiji was inclined towards learning yoga apart from the scriptures such as Bhagavad Gita Bhashyam, Brahma Sutra Bhashyam and Bhashyam of Isa, Kena, Katha and Taittireya Upanishads. At the Sringeri Matha, Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Swamiji improved the affairs of the institution. He started a girls’ school at Sringeri, provided irrigation facilities and cultivable land and also established more mathas around the country in the course of his tenure as Jagadguru. His tenure as Jagadguru ran from 1954 until 1989.

Seen in the photograph, Mr. Y. S. Ramaswamy (Superintending Engineer, seated to Swamiji’s left hand side).

Collection:

Gourishankar Collection

Album Name:

Visit of Sringeri Swamiji, 1965

Photograph ID:

001/0258/IMG_0317

Album ID:

0258

Date:

7 November 1965

Photographer:

C. Gourishankar (1936-2002). A geologist by qualification, Gourishankar started his career as a photographer after working for many years with the Geological Survey of India. In everything that he did, Gourishankar strove to achieve flawlessness and impeccable quality. Thus his photography too was characterised by this drive for perfection. Every photograph that Gourishankar took was meticulously planned and shot and printed with diligence and patience. Gourishankar carried out most of the official photography at IIT Madras in the 1960s.

Event:

Visit of Sringeri Swamiji

Place:

Jalakanteshwara Temple