Historic Kashmir Yatra of Sringeri Jagadguru Sri Sannidhanam
With the blessings and directive of Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji undertook a 3-day Vijaya Yatra to Jammu and Kashmir and performed the Pratishtha Kumbhabhisheka of Sri Sharada temple at Teetwal.
Sri Sannidhanam then arrived by a copter at Tangdhar in Kupwara district and was accorded a devout welcome by the district authorities and the members of Save Sharada Committee led by Sri Ravinder Pandita. Sri Sannidhanam then arrived at Teetwal, located about 170 km from Srinagar and alongside the Line of Control, and performed Yantra Pratishtha at the Sharada temple. Later, Sri Sannidhanam performed Sri Chandramoulishwara Puja at Tangdhar.
Gallery
(Click to Enlarge)
The following morning (June 5), Sri Sannidhanam performed the Pratishtha Kumbhabhisheka of Sri Sharada at the temple. Sri Sannidhanam then graced the Sabha organised on the occasion of the Kumbhabhisheka and blessed the devotees with an Anugraha Bhashanam explaining the connection between Sringeri and Kashmir, as well as the greatness of Sri Sharada, the divinity of knowledge. Sri Sannidhanam commended the government authorities as well as the Army personnel for making various arrangements pertaining to the smooth conduct of the entire event.
On the occasion, speaking first, Sri VR Gowrishankar, the Administrator and CEO of Sringeri Mutt, explained how the entire temple project at Teetwal had been completed in about nine months under miraculous circumstances. The granite stone structures for the temple had been transported from faraway Bangalore to Teetwal in 18 trucks, and the entire stonework in the temple was completed by the artisans within four months. He also explained how the beautiful panchaloha murti of Sharadamba adorning the temple was made in record time.
Sri Gowrishankar especially thanked key government officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of the region, for the high level of support, including laying a concrete road in front of the temple, and making arrangement for a ghat to be built at the river Kishanganga flowing alongside the temple.
Speaking on the occasion, Sri N.Venkataraman, Additional Solicitor General, Government of India, who had unobtrusively provided vital liaison for the Jagadguru’s visit, recounted how the Jagadguru had barely given nine days’ notice for the Kumbhabhisheka to take place. To those expressing doubts about this seemingly impossible timeline, the Acharya had said that it was “Mother Sharada’s will. No one can change it. It will happen; just put in all efforts”. Such is the power of the Jagadgurus of Sringeri parampara, who are all tapasvis.
Sri Venkataraman shared the feeling of gratitude and a sense of personal protection shared by the families of the army officers following the Acharya’s visit and the historic Kumbhabhisheka. After watching the Chandramoulishwara puja the previous night, the spouses of some army officers had expressed this emotional feeling, saying that Lord Siva would come to protect their lives henceforth in the Valley.
In his anugraha bhashanam on the historic occasion, Sri Sannidhanam drew reference to Sri Krishna’s words of advice to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita to just remain as an instrument, as everything happens according to the divine will, “निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्”.
The Shastras state that Bhagavan has two forms: saguna svarupa and nirguna svarupa. While the latter is devoid of form and attributes, and verily the Parabrahma, when that formless sat-chit-ananda takes up a form to bless the devotees, it is referred to as saguna svarupa. In Kashmir, until sometime back, Sri Sharadamba was of the form of a murti in the Sarvajna Peetham. Later, for a few years, she adorned the region in the nirguna form. And now, once again, it is divine will that She would grace the region in saguna svarupa, manifesting in the form of the beautiful murti in the temple just consecrated.
The sanctity of Devi Sharadamba predominates both in Kashmir and Sringeri. There is a special and intimate bond that exists between the Sringeri Sharada Peetham and Kashmir Sarvajna Peetham. Kashmir is the abode of Maharishi Kashyapa’s tapas, while Sringeri is the place where sage Kashyapa’s son, Maharishi Vibhandaka, and his grandson, Maharishi Rishyashringa, had performed tapas. Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada had ascended the Sarvajna Peetham in Kashmir, and consecrated the presiding deity of Kashmir region at Sringeri as Mother Sharadamba.
Sri Sannidhanam expressed happiness at the extent of assistance and arrangements made by the Central Government, the local state government and the army authorities, far surpassing the Sringeri Math’s expectations, with no difficulties faced at any stage. He left a suggestion that the authorities should now plan to make good arrangements for the large number of devotees expected to travel to Teetwal, with guest houses and other facilities, and offered the assistance of Sringeri Math in such developmental activities.
Sri Sannidhanam had Darshan at Kheer Bhavani temple at Kupwara then returned to Srinagar by late evening and performed the Chandramoulishwara Puja.
On June 6, Sri Sannidhanam arrived at the famous Sri Shankaracharya Hill in Srinagar and offered an elaborate Puja to Sri Jyestheshwara. Later, Sri Sannidhanam addressed the gathering in an Anugraha Bhashanam conveying the need for having faith in Bhagavan and for living as noble citizens of the country. Sri Sannidhanam also praised the army personnel who are even ready to make the supreme sacrifice of laying down their own lives for the safety of others. Calling for overall inclusive development of the Kashmir valley, Sri Sannidhanam stressed the importance of youth to become nation builders and responsible citizens.
Later Sri Sannidhanam graced the Raj Bhavan to a devout welcome by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Sri Manoj Sinha. Sri Sannidhanam returned to Sringeri the same evening, thus completing a historic Kashmir Yatra.