Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal took over as the 293rd pontiff of the Madurai Adheenam, at a grand coronation ceremony that took place on Monday.
After the recent death of the 292nd pontiff Sri La Sri Arunagirinadha Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, the historic Shaivite mutt had announced that Harihara Desika Swamigal would become the next pontiff as he was appointed as the junior pontiff of the mutt, in 2019.
Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambandha Desika Swamigal was born as ‘Bagavathi Lakshmanan’ to Gandhimadhinadhan Pillai and Janaki Ammai in 1954, in a village called Udankudi in Tirunelveli. He became a saint when he was 21-years old. For about 39 years, he has held different positions in famous Shaivite mutts such as Kundrakudi Adheenam, Thiruvavadudurai Adheenam and Dharmapuram Adheenam.
The ceremonies kick-started early in the day, with a puja inside the mutt’s premises in South Avani Moola Street, at 8. At 11, the ‘to-be-coronated’ pontiff visited the Adhenaam’s place in Munichalai where Arunagirinadha Swamigal’s mortal remains was laid to rest and a Guru Puja was conducted. A little later, the 293rd pontiff’s coronation ceremony took place in the presence of Masilamani Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, inside the mutt.
After that, a Maaheshwara Puja was performed by saints from different Shaivite mutts across Tamil Nadu. Later in the evening, the pontiff, along with the other saints visited the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, to seek the blessings of the Almighty.
Pattina Pravesam, a procession in which the 292nd pontiff was carried in a palanquin-like structure around the four Chithirai Mada Streets, was also held. Then, he returned to the mutt to provide his blessings to some devotees.
