Rig Vedic scholars from neighboring Andhra Pradesh Sri Satya Chandrashkarendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya were anointed as a grand religious ceremony on Wednesday, anointed as a junior priest of the ancient Kanchi Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.
According to Kanchi Matam tradition, the 25-year-old Acharya was known as Ganesha Sharma Dravid before entering Sanyasa and was identified by Matam as the successor to the current Prophet Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya. This historic event took place at the auspicious akshya thritiya in Akshya Thritiya across the country.
During the Sanyasa Sweekara Mahotsavam, the senior pontiff Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi blessed the Sanyasa name of Satya Chandrashkarendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya to Duddu Satya Venkata Surya Subramanya Ganesha Sharma Dravid, marking the latter’s ascension as “71st Shankaracharya of the Peetam” according to Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.
The ritual related to Ascension began on Tuesday at Pancha Ganga Teertham, Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Ambal Devasthanam. Sri Kamakshi Ambal Sannidhi and Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya Sannidhi’s special Pujas mark the occasion on the Sri Kamakshi Temple.
The special rituals were also held in Sri Shankaracharya and Sri Sureshwaracharya Sannidhi, followed by junior Pontiff visiting Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati and Sri Jayendra Saraswati Shankaracharya’s Brindavan.
Temple representatives provide temple representatives to Prasadams of various temples in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Maharashtra and other states.
“The event coincided with the 2534th Jayanti Mahotsavam (May 2, 2025) of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya who established Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in 482 BCE. Since then, the Peetam has the distinction of an unbroken line of 70 acharyas (spiritual leaders),” according to Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.
This rig Veda scholar from Annavaram Kshetra of Andhra Pradesh has served in Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam in Basara, Basara, Nirmal District, Telangana Nirmal District. He also completed his studies in Yajurveda, Samaveda, Shadangas and Dashopanishat.
On May 29, 1983, his predecessor and 69th Pope Jayendra Saraswathi became Acharya of Peetam at the age of 15. Jayendra Saraswathi became Acharya on March 24, 1954 by his predecessor Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi.
