GSB community in Kochi elated

KOCHI: It is indeed a proud moment for the Gowda Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community in Kochi as the Sree Sahasra Shankabhisheka celebrations began at Sri Vyas Mandir, Haridwar, on Wednesday.

The celebrations, which will go on till May 22, are being held to mark several milestones in the history of the Sri Kashi Math Samsthan and the birthday celebrations of Srimad Sudhindra Thirtha Swami, the present madathipathi of the Samsthan, who will turn 80 soon.

Friends and neighbours of the pontiff at his birthplace in Kochi are a happy lot. He grew up in Kochi as Sadashiv Shenoy, the fourth son of Ramdas Shenoy and Draupadi Shenoy of the Kappassery family on TD Road.

He lost his mother when he was four years’ old. Since his father was a religious person, little Sadashiv naturally took interest in performing pujas, singing bhajans and rendering stotras.

He studied at St Albert’s School till Class X and did his intermediate at the Maharaja’s College.

It has been recorded that the young Sadashiv heard a call from his inner self, which told him that he was destined to become a sanyasi. In 1944, he was initiated into sanyasa by Srimad Sukriteendra Thirtha and he took the name Sri Sudhindra Thirtha.

He was installed as the madathipathi of the Samsthan in 1949, becoming the 20th pontiff of the Samsthan.

A scholar in Sanskrit, Swami is also proficient in seven languages. His 56-year tenure saw many welfare activities being undertaken by the Kashi Math for the first time.

The Sree Sukriteendra Oriental Research Institute at Kochi and the College of Homeopathy at Chottanikkara too were built under his guidance.

He also initiated the construction of the ‘Kuladevatha’ complex at Ambalamedu in Kochi in 1994 to enable members of the GSB community in the South Indian states to worship their family deities.

The highlight of the ongoing celebrations at Haridwar will be the abhisheka of Lord Veda Vyas by Swami Sudhindra Thirtha using over 2500 conches.

Representing his family at the function is his elder brother Dattatreya Shenoy who has already left for Haridwar to take part in the celebrations.