Dharmapuram Adheenam Explained

Dharumapuram Aadheenam
Founder:Guru Gnanasambhandhar
Type:Religious
Location:Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Leader Title:First Adheenam
Leader Name:Guru Gnanasambhandhar
Leader Title2:Present Adheenam
Leader Name2:Sri Masillamani Desiga Gnanasambanda Swamigal
Affiliations:Hinduism, Shaivism
Website:http://www.dharmapuramadheenam.org/

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.[1]

History and activities

The adheenam was founded during the 16th century, along with the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam and the Thiruppanandal Adheenam, to spread the ideology of Saiva Sidhantam.[2] Dharmapuram mutt was founded by Thiru GnanaSambandar.

The adheenam is involved in publishing Saivite literature, specifically the Thevaram and Tiruvasakam and its translations. It is also involved in literary scholarship.[3] Vaitheeswaran Koil, near Sirkazhi, is one of the temples the adheenam maintains.[4]

Arunachala Kavirayar a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music in the 18th Century CE studied both Tamil and Sanskrit in this adheenam. The head of Mutt was so pleased with Kavirayar and even considered making Arunchala as his successor. At 18, Kavirayar left the Mutt and Later composed the Famous Opera on the Epic Ramayana called as Rama Natakam.[5]

The 26th Guru Maha Sannidhanam died on 4 December 2019, and was succeeded by Sri Masillamani Desiga Gnanasambanda Swamigal as the 27th Guru Maha Sannidhanam of the adheenam.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: 4 December 2019 . Head of ancient Dharmapuram Adheenam mutt in TN dies, aged 95 . . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200114094208/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/head-of-ancient-dharmapuram-adheenam-mutt-in-tn-dies-aged-95-119120401424_1.html . 14 January 2020.
  2. Singing of a Place: Pilgrimage as Metaphor and Motif in the Tēvāram Songs of the Tamil Śaivite Saints . 601112 . Journal of the American Oriental Society . Peterson . Indira V. . Indira Viswanathan Peterson . 1982 . 102 . 1 . 69–90 . 10.2307/601112 .
  3. Arabic-Tamil in South India and Sri Lanka: Language as Mimicry . 20840120 . M. M. M. . Mahroof . Islamic Studies . 32 . 2 . 1993. 169–189 .
  4. News: Krishnamurthy . R. . Succour for the sick . 18 May 2001 . The Hindu . usurped . https://web.archive.org/web/20021113233106/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/05/18/stories/13180906.htm . 13 November 2002.
  5. Web site: Seerkazhi Arunachala Kavirayar and Rama Natakam . 18 April 1978 . Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi .
  6. News: 31 January 2017 . Successor to Dharmapuram Adheenam named . . PTI. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200413055226/https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/successor-to-dharmapuram-adheenam-named/978116 . 13 April 2020.