A SEER WHO SAW IT ALL
01.03.2018
Jayendra Saraswathi Went Beyond Spiritualism To Work For Society, Sought To Mediate In The Ayodhya Issue, And Went To Jail In Connection With A Murder
A.Subramani@timesgroup.com
Anointed pontiff of the ancient Kanchi mutt when he was barely 19 years old, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi came to wield enormous say in matters affecting religious affairs in the country, including the Ayodhya issue.
Born Subramania Mahadeva Iyer on July 18, 1935, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi was in 1954 chosen to be deputy of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi and 69th pontiff of the revered institution.
In 1994, he became head of the mutt, which, during his stint, rose to be a spiritual and financial power house, running several hospitals and educational institutions, including a medical college. At one point, he was involved in negotiating peace during the Ayodhya dispute. And no Union minister, Prime Minister or President would draw an itinerary to Tamil Nadu without a stop-over for a darshan at the mutt. “He was a modern day Ramanujar, and started a large number of institutions and helped educate a vast section of backward sections of society. He was not liked by people who saw him as deviating from the norms fixed by his predecessors. He also ventured out of the mutt to reach out to people. But he was misunderstood,” says advocate V Raghavachari.
Controversies peaked, when the senior pontiff was arrested in 2004 in connection with the Sankararaman murder case, and faced harassment allegations levelled by a woman writer. Open negative criticism poured in from the media. On Diwali eve, November 11, Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested on charges for murder of Sankararaman, manager of Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kancheepuram. The seer was in jail till January 5, 2005.
It was nearly eight years later in 2013, that the pontiff and others from the mutt were acquitted of all charges by a Puducherry special court. The territorial administration, which became the prosecuting state after the trial was shifted out of Tamil Nadu, decided not to go on appeal against the acquittal.
According to the then advocate general of Tamil Nadu, N R Chandran, “The seer was more socially conscious than most of his predecessors. While Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi confined himself to pujas and shastras, Jayendra broad-based his vision and built schools, colleges and hospitals. As he wanted to be more social, he faced problems.”
Asked why he did not appear against the seer in the murder and other cases during former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s regime, Chandran said: “I told Jayalalithaa that I will not appear against him. She neither compelled me, nor removed me from the post of advocate general. She merely said, it is alright, you need not appear.”
The murder case and the sudden arrest of both Jayendra Saraswathi and his junior pontiff Vijayendra Saraswathi, however, robbed the spiritual shine of the Kanchi mutt so much that it stopped getting VVIP visits for several years thereafter. It was former President Pranab Mukherjee who broke the taboo when he made a visit to the mutt, weeks before the end of his term.
Now it is back to its spiritual bustle. And the death of the senior pontiff will weigh heavily on everyone associated with the Kanchi mutt for several years to come.
TRIBUTES POUR IN FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY
I was saddened when I got news about the passing of Kanchi Mutt’s 69th Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi.... Apart from his work of spirituality, he was also concerned about social upliftment. I express my condolence to devotees of Kanchi Mutt and its functionaries
Edappadi K Palaniswami TN CM
Sad to hear of the passing of Jayendra Saraswatiji, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Our country has lost a spiritual leader and social reformer of rare eminence. My condolences to his countless disciples and followers. #PresidentKovind (sic) @rashtrapatibhvn
Deeply anguished by the passing away of Acharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Jagadguru Pujyashri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya. He will live on in the hearts and minds of lakhs of devotees due to his exemplary service and noblest thoughts. Om Shanti to the departed soul @narendramodi
I pay my respects to Kanchi peethadhipathi Shri Jayendra Saraswati who attained moksha. His contribution for the welfare of mankind and in promoting spirituality will always be an inspiration for others. #JayendraSaraswathi (sic) @VPSecretariat
I was sad to hear the news of his passing. On behalf of DMK, I express my deep condolences to devotees of Kanchi mutt
M K Stalin DMK WORKING PRESIDENT
01.03.2018
Jayendra Saraswathi Went Beyond Spiritualism To Work For Society, Sought To Mediate In The Ayodhya Issue, And Went To Jail In Connection With A Murder
A.Subramani@timesgroup.com
Anointed pontiff of the ancient Kanchi mutt when he was barely 19 years old, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi came to wield enormous say in matters affecting religious affairs in the country, including the Ayodhya issue.
Born Subramania Mahadeva Iyer on July 18, 1935, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi was in 1954 chosen to be deputy of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi and 69th pontiff of the revered institution.
In 1994, he became head of the mutt, which, during his stint, rose to be a spiritual and financial power house, running several hospitals and educational institutions, including a medical college. At one point, he was involved in negotiating peace during the Ayodhya dispute. And no Union minister, Prime Minister or President would draw an itinerary to Tamil Nadu without a stop-over for a darshan at the mutt. “He was a modern day Ramanujar, and started a large number of institutions and helped educate a vast section of backward sections of society. He was not liked by people who saw him as deviating from the norms fixed by his predecessors. He also ventured out of the mutt to reach out to people. But he was misunderstood,” says advocate V Raghavachari.
Controversies peaked, when the senior pontiff was arrested in 2004 in connection with the Sankararaman murder case, and faced harassment allegations levelled by a woman writer. Open negative criticism poured in from the media. On Diwali eve, November 11, Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested on charges for murder of Sankararaman, manager of Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kancheepuram. The seer was in jail till January 5, 2005.
It was nearly eight years later in 2013, that the pontiff and others from the mutt were acquitted of all charges by a Puducherry special court. The territorial administration, which became the prosecuting state after the trial was shifted out of Tamil Nadu, decided not to go on appeal against the acquittal.
According to the then advocate general of Tamil Nadu, N R Chandran, “The seer was more socially conscious than most of his predecessors. While Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi confined himself to pujas and shastras, Jayendra broad-based his vision and built schools, colleges and hospitals. As he wanted to be more social, he faced problems.”
Asked why he did not appear against the seer in the murder and other cases during former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s regime, Chandran said: “I told Jayalalithaa that I will not appear against him. She neither compelled me, nor removed me from the post of advocate general. She merely said, it is alright, you need not appear.”
The murder case and the sudden arrest of both Jayendra Saraswathi and his junior pontiff Vijayendra Saraswathi, however, robbed the spiritual shine of the Kanchi mutt so much that it stopped getting VVIP visits for several years thereafter. It was former President Pranab Mukherjee who broke the taboo when he made a visit to the mutt, weeks before the end of his term.
Now it is back to its spiritual bustle. And the death of the senior pontiff will weigh heavily on everyone associated with the Kanchi mutt for several years to come.
TRIBUTES POUR IN FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY
I was saddened when I got news about the passing of Kanchi Mutt’s 69th Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi.... Apart from his work of spirituality, he was also concerned about social upliftment. I express my condolence to devotees of Kanchi Mutt and its functionaries
Edappadi K Palaniswami TN CM
Sad to hear of the passing of Jayendra Saraswatiji, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Our country has lost a spiritual leader and social reformer of rare eminence. My condolences to his countless disciples and followers. #PresidentKovind (sic) @rashtrapatibhvn
Deeply anguished by the passing away of Acharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Jagadguru Pujyashri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya. He will live on in the hearts and minds of lakhs of devotees due to his exemplary service and noblest thoughts. Om Shanti to the departed soul @narendramodi
I pay my respects to Kanchi peethadhipathi Shri Jayendra Saraswati who attained moksha. His contribution for the welfare of mankind and in promoting spirituality will always be an inspiration for others. #JayendraSaraswathi (sic) @VPSecretariat
I was sad to hear the news of his passing. On behalf of DMK, I express my deep condolences to devotees of Kanchi mutt
M K Stalin DMK WORKING PRESIDENT
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