89-593: Pandharpur Wari or Wari is a yatra to Pandharpur , Maharashtra , to honor Vithoba . It involves carrying the paduka of a saint in a palkhi , most notably of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram , from their respective shrines to Pandharpur. Many pilgrims join this procession on foot. Warkari is a Marathi term which means "one who performs the wari ". The tradition is more than 700 to 800 years old. Marches happen on foot from various locations in Maharashtra to Vithoba Temple . This yatra takes 21 days. Along
178-582: A prasutishala (maternity house), vaidya (physician), an arogyashala (health house) and a viprasattra (kitchen) with the religious center where people from all social background could be fed and cared for. The historical role of mathas as knowledge and services repository is attested in early Sanskrit texts, as well as many historical inscriptions found along the ruins of Indian temples and monasteries. For example, several stone inscriptions in Sanskrit and Western Chalukya era Kannada have been found near
267-511: A 48 kos circumambulation parikrama of various Mahabharata -related and other pilgrimage sites, around the holy city of Kurukshetra in the state of Haryana , India. Within Kurukshetra, along with Brahma Sarovar, other important sites are Jyotisar (place of "Gitaupadesha" - the first Upadeśa or discourse of Bhagavad Gita by Krishna) and Sannihit Sarovar ( Hindu genealogy registers of Kurukshetra are kept here). Since this
356-644: A Shaiva matha , for example, dates to around 800 CE, which was attached to a temple. It hosted scholars and students for theosophical studies. Another inscription from about 1100 CE, states Hartmut Scharfe, attests that a matha was the center of medieval medical studies ( Charaka Samhita ) and of Vedic grammar in Tamil Nadu. Madhvacharya , the founder of Dvaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, studied in an Advaita Vedanta monastery, but found Advaita unconvincing, and launched theistic Dvaita school of Vedanta interpretation, establishing Mathas (monasteries) by
445-605: A dindi has continued in the present times. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the wari was reduced with fifty varkaris joining the march to Pandharpur. The paduka of the saints were either driven to or flown to Pandharpur for Shayani Ekadashi on July 1, 2020. The Dindi festival is an annual festival held in Margao , Goa 's Vitthal Rakhumai temple, and the Damodar Temple in the month of November. The Dindi festival
534-587: A distance of around 250 km. The Pandharpur Wari has been classified by the World Book of Records as "one of the most visited places in a day". The Dnyaneshwar palkhi is managed by Haibatraobua Arphalkar's descendants, the hereditary Chopdars, and the Alandi Devasthan Trust. The wari 's schedule is published ahead of time and is strictly followed. It is detailed and minute details are made available, including starting location and
623-752: A militant group, trained in arms, rebelled against Islamic rule and at times cooperated with the British colonial officials as mercenaries. Known for his egalitarian views in a time of political uncertainty and Hindu-Islam conflicts, Ramananda and his matha accepted disciples without discriminating anyone by gender, class, caste or religion (he accepted Muslims). Traditional scholarship holds that his disciples included later Bhakti movement poet-sants such as Kabir , Ravidas , Bhagat Pipa and others, however some postmodern scholars have questioned some of this spiritual lineage while others have supported this lineage with historical evidence. His ideas also influenced
712-595: A place for teaching the six systems of philosophy—namely the Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Mīmāṃsā, Sāṃkhya, Buddhist, etc.; a place for teaching the treatises on Yoga— namely the Lākulasiddhānta, the work of Patañjali, and others; a place for various [branches of] learning (vividhavidyāsthāna), such as the 18 Purāṇas, the Dharmaśāstras, all Kāvya compositions, drama, dance, and so on; a place for the provision of food (annadā- nasthāna) to
801-676: A pontiff, who is considered to be an authority on Saiva Siddhanta. Aadheenams are from the Vellalar community who are devout followers of Shaiva Siddhanta . Vellalars are a traditionally farmers and landowning community found in Tamil Nadu with a strong tradition of education and scholarship. There is also a Hawaii Adheenam , established by Srilankan Tamil immigrants in Hawaii. Nagarathars are also followers of Saiva Siddhanta. The history of Aadheenams in South India can be traced back to
890-515: A procession, or any festival which figures a procession, such as Kanwar Yatra and Rath Yatra . In Rath Yatra, chariots are pulled in parade down the streets of Puri in Orissa . In modern times the word can be used to denote marches or demonstrations, for political, environmental or societal causes. The terms ' jatra ' and ' zatra ' are derived from yatra. Holy deities: Kuladaivat Hindu families have their own family patron deity. This deity
979-528: A quick break for breakfast. An estimated one million pilgrims, either varkaris traveling with the palkhi or independent travelers, travel to Pandharpur each year, who require accommodation provided by the mathas and temporary lodging houses. Because the wari brings many people on the way to Pandharpur through many localities, public health measures have been implemented since the early British colonial period. These included compulsory vaccinations for diseases, such as cholera and plague , segregation of
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#17327801038981068-580: A range of names such as Jogi (Yogis), Natha , Darshani , Kanphata of Gorakshanath sampradaya . Shaiva Siddhanta is a theistic school of Shaivism based on dualism (human soul and God are different), and it established matha at least from the middle of 1st millennium CE. Archeological evidence dated to 724 CE suggests the existence of an influential Saiva Siddhanta matha named after Mattamayura . Other historical evidence suggests that these Shaiva monks were active in Shaiva theosophical scholarship and
1157-556: A scholar variously dated to be from 11th to 13th century, proposed a compromise that was inclusive of all Vedanta schools, stating that everyone is right, that truth is simultaneously Advaita, Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita at the same time, calling his philosophy as Dvaitadvaita or Bhedabheda system. He moved to Vrindavan-Mathura, and launched a matha centered around loving devotion to Radha-Krishna (Radheshyam) worship. This group emphasized togetherness of community, public singing and constant bhakti. The Mathas of this group are: Ramananda
1246-489: A short distance away. Thousands of pilgrims come to Puri during the festival with a desire to help pull Jagannath's chariot with ropes. This is the only day when devotees who are normally not allowed in the temple premises, such as non-Hindus and foreigners, can get their glimpse of the deities. [1] Spiritual Yatra Packages Matha Traditional A matha ( /mʌt/ ; Sanskrit : मठ , maṭha ), also written as math , muth , mutth , mutt , or mut ,
1335-509: Is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism . An alternative term for such a monastery is adheenam . The earliest epigraphical evidence for mathas related to Hindu-temples comes from the 7th to 10th century CE. The most famous Advaita Vedanta mathas or peethams , which came to be affiliated with the Advaita tradition in
1424-541: Is a monastery, often with numerous students, many teachers and an institutionalized structure to help sustain and maintain its daily operations. Their organization is more sophisticated than an Ashrama or Gurukul which is usually boutique and caters to a smaller group of students. A matha , like a college, designates teaching, administrative and community interaction functions, with prefix or suffix to names, with titles such as Guru , Acharya , Swami and others. In Lingayat Shaiva mathas for example, teachers are Gurus ,
1513-638: Is a site associated with the Mahabharata, it is an important place of pilgrimage for Hindus. It is one of 3 main pilgrimage sites related to "Krishna" circuit. The other two being, " Braj parikarma " in Mathura , Uttar Pradesh and " Dwarka parkarma " (Dwarkadish yatra) at Dwarkadhish Temple in Gujarat . The 84-Kosi Yatra is a tradition in Hindu religion that has been there for thousands of years with
1602-449: Is a very popular yatra destination for Hindus; about four lakh people visit during the season. Vraja Parikrama circuit of pilgrimage was formally established by the 16th century sadhus of vaishnava sampradaya with fixed routes, itinerary and rituals. The circuit covers is spread across 2500 km area with 84 kos or 300 km long periphery extending 10 km to east and 50 km to north and west. Braj has two main types of pilgrimage circuits,
1691-616: Is common to a lineage, a clan or a locality. Samadhis (shrines) of Sadhus (Saints): Alandi , Samadhi of Dnyaneshwar: Mantralayam , samadhi of Raghavendra Tirtha , Belur Math which enshrine that Holy remains of Sri Ramakrishna , Sri Sarada Devi , Swami Vivekananda Puri, and other direct Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, Tulsi Ghat , Varanasi where Saint Tulsidas left his mortal coil, Samadhi Mandir of Saint Kabir at Gorakhpur , near Varanasi , Panchaganga Ghat, Varanasi where Trailanga Swami lived and left his mortal body, Karar Ashram, Puri where Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri , attained
1780-613: Is dedicated to Hindu deity Vithoba , the festival dates back to 1909. It is one of the oldest festivals in Salcete (Margao) taluka. Yatra Traditional Yatra ( Sanskrit : यात्रा , lit. 'journey, procession', IAST : Yātrā ), in Indian-origin religions , Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism , generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of sacred rivers , sacred mountains , places associated with Hindu epics such as
1869-627: Is held every year in the month of Falgun in Hindu calendar. The Amarnath Temple in Jammu and Kashmir is dedicated to Shiva, one of the trinity of gods. The temple is on Amarnath Peak , and is among the most famous shrines in Hinduism. Every year inside the main Amarnath cave an ice Shiva lingam forms, along with two other ice formations representing Ganesha and Parvati. Amarnath yatra is held every year to pay homage to Shiva and Parvati. The temple
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#17327801038981958-548: Is in Kanchi, from the 4th-century CE. The matha tradition of Hinduism attracted royal patronage, attracting endowments to support studies, and these endowments established, states Hartmut Scharfe, what may be "the earliest case on record of a university scholarship". Some of these medieval era mathas of Hinduism in Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu , were for Vedanta studies, but some mathas from
2047-413: Is one of the holiest of Hindu pilgrimages that is held four times every 12 years rotating among the four cities of Prayagraj , Haridwar , Nashik , and Ujjain . The Mahamaham in temple town of Kumbakonam is also celebrated once in 12 years. Annual Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra , Shravani Mela at Deoghar , and Pitrapaksha Mela at Gaya are also notable holy fairs. Holy temples: Examples are
2136-756: Is one of the legendary monasteries in the Nath tradition which attracted converts from Buddhism and infusion of Buddhist ideas into Shaivism, and it continues to be a part of the Nath Shaiva tradition, particularly during the Kumbh Mela celebrations in modern times. The Nath Siddha tradition of Shaivism is credited with establishing numerous Shiva Hindu temples and monasteries, particularly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, north Bihar, and Nepal. The Gorakhnath matha
2225-472: Is one's spiritual guide, who helps one to discover the same potentialities that the guru has already realized. The guru concept is traceable to ancient Vedic times, found in traditional schools as well as a matha . The oldest references to the concept of guru are found in the earliest Vedic texts of Hinduism . The guru , and gurukul – a school run by guru , were an established tradition in India by
2314-436: Is someone who is a " teacher , guide or master" of certain knowledge. He or she is someone more than a teacher, traditionally a reverential figure to the student, with the guru serving as a "counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student." The term also refers to someone who primarily
2403-826: Is the abode of Shiva and circumambulating Mount Kailash on foot is a holy ritual. Another lake called Lake Rakshastal lying close to the west of Lake Manasarovar and The Great Mount Kailash. These lakes are the source of the Brahmaputra River and the Karnali River , a tributary of the river Ganges. The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Shiva, known as Kānwarias , to Hindu pilgrimage places of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch holy waters of Ganges River. Millions of participants gather sacred water from
2492-643: The Vishishtadvaita philosophy include Parakala Matha at Mysore , Karnataka; Ahobila Matha at Ahobilam , Andhra Pradesh ; and Srimad Andavan Ashramam at Srirangam , Tamil Nadu. Other major and influential mathas belong to various schools of Hindu philosophy, such as those of Vaishnavism and Shaivism. The monastery host and feed students, sannyasis (monks, renouncers, ascetics), gurus and are led by acharyas . These monasteries are sometimes attached to Hindu temples and have their codes of conduct, initiation and election ceremonies. The mathas in
2581-810: The Char Dham of Rameswaram , Dwarka , Puri and Badrinath ; Katra , home to the Vaishno Devi temple; Puri home to Vaishnava Jagannath temple and Rath Yatra celebration; Tirumala - Tirupati , home to the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple ; Sabarimala home to Swami Ayyappan ; the 108 Divya Desams ; the Shakti Peethas ; the twelve Maha Jyotirlingas ; the seven Sapta Puri ; the Pancha Bhoota Stalam . Holy processions: 'Yatra' can also be described as
2670-581: The Ganges River . In 2003, 55 lakh (5.5 million) pilgrims visited Haridwar. Other Tirtha pilgrimages are Char Dham Yatra, which involves Badrinath , Kedarnath , Gangotri , and Yamunotri ; Amarnath yatra in Jammu and Kashmir . There are numerous pilgrimage sites in India and elsewhere . In order of importance, in India there are 7 Sapta Puri holy cities, 4 Dhams ( Char Dham ) and 12 Jyotirlings devoted to Shiva , 51 Shakti Pithas devoted to
2759-473: The Mahabharata and Ramayana , and other sacred pilgrimage sites . Visiting a sacred place is believed by the pilgrim to purify the self and bring one closer to the divine. The journey itself is as important as the destination, and the hardships of travel serve as an act of devotion in themselves. A tīrtha-yātrā is a pilgrimage to a sacred site . Yatri is the term for anyone who undertakes
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2848-671: The Ratha Yatra at various sacred sites, the most popular one is Jagannath Rath jatra at Puri in Odisha. Other popular Rath Yatras are Dhamrai Jagannath Roth , Rathayatra of Mahesh , Manipur Ratha Yatra in Manipur which was started in 19th century and ISKCON Ratha Yatra in more than 100 places across the world. The Festival of Chariots of Jagannatha is held every year at Puri in the state of Orissa. The ten-day ratha yatra commemorates Jagannath's annual visit to Gundicha Mata's temple
2937-517: The 10th-century attached medical care along with their religious and educational roles. This is evidenced by various inscriptions found in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere. An inscription dated to about 930 CE states the provision of a physician to two matha to care for the sick and destitute. Similarly, a stone inscription in Andhra Pradesh dated to about 1262 CE mentions the provision of
3026-657: The 13th century, with its matha headquarters in Gorakhpur , Uttar Pradesh. Many of their mathas are found in the northern, central and western states of India particularly in the Himalayas, but archeological inscriptions suggest their mathas existed in south India as well. The early Nath monks received endowments in Karnataka, for example, between the 10th and 13th century, which later became a temple and Shaiva matha hub for them near Mangalore . The Kadri matha, for instance,
3115-566: The 14th century, are Govardhanmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ at Puri , Odisha ; Śārada Pīṭhaṃ at Sringeri , Karnataka ; Kalika Pīṭhaṃ at Dvāraka , Gujarat ; Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ at Badari , Uttarakhand ; and Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham at Kanchi , Tamil Nadu . The most famous and influential Dvaita Vedanta mathas or peethams are Ashta Mathas at Udupi , Karnataka; Uttaradi Matha at Bangalore , Karnataka; Vyasaraja Matha at Sosale , Karnataka; and Raghavendra Matha at Mantralayam , Andhra Pradesh. Famous mathas or peethams professing
3204-643: The 14th century, to propagate Shankara's view of Advaita. According to another tradition in Kerala, after Sankara's samadhi at Vadakkunnathan Temple, his disciples founded four mathas in Thrissur, namely Naduvil Madhom , Thekke Madhom, Idayil Madhom and Vadakke Madhom. Other Advaita Vedanta mathas following Smarta Tradition include: Shaiva mathas were established at least from the 1st millennium onwards, in Kashmir, Himalayan regions such as Nepal and throughout
3293-522: The 18th and 19th centuries. They were instrumental in the revival of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy during the 19th century, and they also played a major role in the Indian independence movement. Aadheenams continue to play an important role in South Indian society today. They are centers of learning and spirituality, and they provide social services to the community. Aadheenams are an important part of
3382-668: The 1st millennium BCE, and these helped compose and transmit the various Vedas , the Upanishads , texts of various schools of Hindu philosophy , and post-Vedic Shastras ranging from spiritual knowledge to various arts. The mathas hosted these teachers and their students as they pursued their studies. By about mid 1st millennium CE, archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggest numerous larger institutions of gurus existed in India, some near Hindu temples, where guru-shishya tradition helped preserve, create and transmit various fields of knowledge. The first epigraphical evidence of
3471-460: The 6th century CE. The first Aadheenam was founded by the Hindu saint Appar , who is considered to be one of the three Nayanars, or great saints, of Saiva Siddhanta. The other two Nayanars were Sundarar and Tirugnanasambandar . Aadheenams flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries, during which time they played a major role in the spread of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy. Aadheenams continued to play an important role in South Indian society during
3560-659: The 700 to 1000 CE period predominantly focussed on Shaivism, Vaishnavism, military, martial arts, music, painting or other fields of knowledge including subjects related to Buddhism and Jainism. There is evidence, states Hartmut Scharfe, of mathas in eastern and northern India from 7th century CE onwards, such as those in Kashmir , Uttar Pradesh particularly in the Hindu holy city of Kashi , Madhya Pradesh , Bihar and Odisha , but these are not from ancient temple inscriptions, but implied from traveller records (Chinese) who visited these regions. Brahmins were likely involved in
3649-685: The Advaita leaning of the Sannyasa Upanishads , the major monastries of the early medieaval period belonged to the Advaita Vedanta tradition, preserving and possibly adapting the Sannyasa Upanishads with their Advaita leaning. Mathas , as simple huts for wandering ascetics, are mentioned in chapter 12.139 of the Mahabharata and section 3.1 of Baudhayana Dharmasutras . Matha-s were regionally known by other terms, such as Ghatika-s and Khandika-s . The oldest verifiable Ghatika for Vedic studies, from inscription evidence
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3738-965: The Deccan region under Kakatiya dynasty sponsorship, many of which were destroyed in Hindu-Muslim wars that ended the Kakatiya rule. The origins of Golaki matha of central India has been traced to more ancient monasteries in Kashmir. In Karnataka, historical evidence suggests that Queen Alhanadevi established the Shaiva monastery called Kodiya matha which included a temple, monastic lodging and study hall, with scholarship on Vedas, Shastras and Puranas . The Chola dynasty sponsored many influential Shaiva mathas. While many Shaiva monasteries had attached temples, some did not and were entirely dedicated to education and scholarship. Adheenams are ancient Tamil Saiva Siddhantha monasteries and mutts in South India and Srilanka. Aadheenams are typically headed by
3827-607: The Ganga and carry it across hundreds of miles to dispense as offerings in their local Śhiva shrines, or specific temples such as Pura Mahadeva and Augharnath temple in Meerut, and Kashi Vishwanath, Baidyanath, and Deoghar in Jharkhand. At Kashi Yatra , it is customary for every Hindu to undergo Kashi yatra on barefoot. Pilgrims also visit Gaya to do Gaya Shraddha to their ancestors. Details regarding how to perform various rituals,
3916-516: The Himalayas, Dwarka in the west, Jagannath Puri in the east, and Rameshwaram in the south. The Char Dham is often considered the most revered sites for Hindus that have to be visited in one's lifetime. There is a Chota Char Dham as well includes Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath situated in Garhwal Himalayas . Deoghar means abode of the gods and goddesses. It is also known as Baidyanath Dham or Baba Dham situated on
4005-406: The Hindu months of Ashadha and Kartik . The tradition of performing a Wari is generally regarded to have existed for more than 800 years. Another theory credits Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram to have started the pilgrimage. They used to take a journey to Pandharpur by foot for 15 days, reaching Pandharpur's Vithoba Temple on Shayani Ekadashi . The tradition of carrying the paduka of the saints
4094-578: The Hindu tradition have not been limited to religious studies, and historical evidence suggests that they were centers for diverse studies such as medieval medicine, grammar and music. The term matha is also used for 'monastery' in Jainism , and the earliest monasteries near Jain temples are dated to be from about the 5th-century CE. Matha (Sanskrit: मठ) refers to 'cloister, institute, or college', and in some contexts refers to 'hut of an ascetic, monk or renunciate' or 'temple for studies'. The root of
4183-509: The Mahasamadhi. A yatra or pilgrimage across a much larger area covering multiple faraway cities or sites, related to a specific deity or theme, are called the "circuit". Three most important Hindu-Buddhist "Rahtriya yatra" (national pilgrimage circuit) are related to the important figures such as Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Guru Nanak, where they had personally visited are as follows. 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra , phrase meaning
4272-613: The Shiva temple and monastery in a village near Dharwad district (northwest Karnataka–Maharashtra border). These slabs have been dated to between 1094 and 1215 CE. One of these includes the role of Kodiya–matha – also referred to as the Dakshina Kedarasvera matha . It states: There is the Kōḍiyamaṭha, the place of Dakṣiṇakēdāra (dakṣiṇakēdārasthāna), location of a beautiful field of crops [which are] like hairs bristling for
4361-479: The administrative functions the responsibilities of Acharyas, and the community relations of Swami . A similar organization is found in Vaishnava mathas . The word Acharya in Hindu monastic tradition refers to either a Guru of high rank, or more often to the leader of a monastery and sampradaya (teaching institution, denomination). This position typically involves a ceremonial initiation called diksha by
4450-571: The belief that it gives deliverance to the performer from the cycle of 84-Lakh Yonis (the cycle of birth and death). According to Hindu belief, the king of Ayodhya performed the "yagna" in the "treta period" at a place in Makhurha in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh which included circumnavigating the six districts in the region. Some religious leaders believe that the right place to start the parikrama should be Basti instead of Ayodhya. According to some,
4539-406: The colonial era scholars trying to rediscover historic Indian literature. The four major Advaita mathas state in their founding documents that the respective responsibility of the mathas was to preserve one Veda each. Some Hindu monasteries offered hospice care for pilgrims and various forms of assistance to their local communities. Hindu mathas and temples – like Buddhist monasteries – had by
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#17327801038984628-478: The dates for 84-Kosi Yatra are fixed and takes place in the month of Chaitra . Mithila Madhya Parikrama is an annual fifteen days journey of the central part of ancient Mithila . It is the ancient circular circuit of the capital city of Mithila. In Treta Yuga , Lord Rama and Princess Sita took a circle journey of the capital of Mithila after their marriage in the court of King Janaka in Mithila. This Yatra
4717-785: The early 13th century. There are twenty four Madhva mathas set up all over India , including those in Udupi. The twelve Mathas that are descended through Madhvacharya's direct disciples, Adhokshaja Teertha, Hrishikesha Teertha, Narasimha Teertha, Upendra Teertha, Rama Teertha, Vamana Teertha, Janardhana Teertha and Madhva's brother Vishnu Tirtha in Tulu region are the Pejawara Matha , Palimaru Matha, Adamaru Matha, Puttige Matha, Sodhe Matha, Kaniyooru Matha, Shiroor Matha, Krishnapura Matha , Bhandarakeri Matha, Subramanya Matha, Chitrapura Matha, Bhimanakatte Matha. Out of these twelve Madhva Mathas,
4806-468: The eastern side of Jharkhand . The Baidyanath Temple is located here containing one of the twelve Shiva Jyothirlingams in India. The pilgrims carry the holy water of holy river Ganges from Sultanganj 's and offered to the Jyotirlingam of Shiva at Deoghar. These pilgrims called Kanwariya, reciting Bol Bam on the way of walk 109 km, The march of Kanwariya start during the holy month of Shravan
4895-425: The education and oral culture of textual transmission in ancient India through the gurukul tradition, but inscription evidence collected by E. Hultzsch suggests that at least some matha attached to temples were dominated by non-Brahmins by the early 2nd millennium CE. The mathas and attached temples routinely hosted debating, Vedic recital and student competitions, and these were part of community festivals in
4984-545: The fabric of South Indian society, and they continue to play a vital role in the Hindu faith. Some of the most famous Aadheenams includes The Nath tradition is a syncretic Yoga and Vedanta schools of Hindu philosophy based Shaiva tradition, that reveres Shiva and Dattatreya . Its founding is attributed to the ideas of Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath , developed further with an additional seven other Siddha Yoga Gurus called "Naths" (literally, lords). The Nath Yogi sampradaya and monastic organizations grew starting with
5073-1077: The feminine manifestation of the god, and the important Rama circuit ( Ayodhya , Chitrakoot , Hampi and Rameswaram ) and Krishna circuit ( Braj , Kurukshetra and Dwarka ). Holiest cities: Sapta Puri are Ayodhya , Mathura , Haridwar , Varanasi , Kanchipuram , Ujjain and Dwarka . Kurukshetra , includes Jyotisar where Bhagavad Gita was revealed, is another holy city. Holy rivers: The ghats of holiest rivers are sacred, including Ganges , Yamuna , Sarasvati River ( Ghaggar River ), Narmada etc. Holy mountains: such as Mount Kailash , Badrinath , Kedarnath , Gangotri , and Yamunotri , Sarasvatotri , etc. Holy tirthas (places): such as Char Dham and Himalayan Chota Char Dham ( Badrinath , Kedarnath , Gangotri , and Yamunotri ), and Varanasi , Prayagraj , Haridwar - Rishikesh , Mathura - Vrindavan , Ayodhya , Dwarka and Rameswaram . See also Tirtha and Kshetra . Shakambhari temple Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh Holy fairs and Hindu festivals : The Kumbh Mela (the "pitcher festival")
5162-888: The first eight are referred to as Ashta Mathas of Udupi . These eight surround the Anantheswara Krishna Hindu temple . These mathas are laid out in a rectangle, the temples on a square grid pattern. The monks in the matha are sannyasis , and the tradition of their studies and succession ( Paryaya system) were established by Madhvacharya. Along with twelve mathas, there are ten mathas that are descended through Madhvacharya 's direct disciples, Padmanabha Tirtha , Narahari Tirtha , Madhava Tirtha , Akshobya Tirtha and Akshobya Tirtha's disciple Jayatirtha . They are Uttaradi Matha , Vyasaraja Matha , Raghavendra Matha , Sripadaraja Matha, Kanva Matha, Baligaru Matha, Kudli Matha, Tambehalli Matha (also known as Majjigehalli Maṭha), Kundapur Matha, Sagarakatte Matha. Out of
5251-565: The founding of Sikhism in 15th century, and his teachings are included in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib . Shri Ramcharitmanas is a key text of this matha . While Shankara is traditionally regarded as the founder of the most famous monasteries in Hinduism, there are no records of those mathas before the 14th century. In the 14th century, the founders of the Vijayanagara Empire started to patronize Sringeri matha . In
5340-499: The function of mathas to include feeding the poor and devotees who visit, hosting marriages and community festivals, farming temple lands and flower gardens as a source for food and worship ingredients, being open to pilgrims as rest houses, and this philanthropic role of these Hindu monasteries continues. In the 15th-century, these monasteries expanded by establishing Ramanuja-kuta in major South Indian Sri Vaishnavism locations. Some Srivaishnavism monasteries include: Nimbarka ,
5429-475: The glories of Vithoba and songs like "Gyanba Tukaram", commemorating the saints. When they reach Pandharpur on Shayani Ekadashi, the devotees bathe in the sacred Bhima River before visiting the temple. Various views exist on the origins of the wari ( Marathi : पंढरपूरची वारी or वारी). According to one theory, Vitthalpant, the father of the Varkari saint Dnyaneshwar , began the wari to visit Pandharpur in
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#17327801038985518-597: The greatness of Kashi Kshetra. Importance of Kashi yatra is said in Kasi-Khand of Skanda Purana . Pandharpur yatra is one of the most popular festivals in India. The annual yatra to the famous Vithoba temple at Pandharpur is held every year during the month of June and July. Thousands of pilgrims come to Pandharpur carrying litters with the images of Jñāneśvar from Alandi , Tukaram from Dehu , Eknath from Paithan , and Nivruttinath from Trimbakeshwar . These pilgrims are referred to as Varkaris . Among
5607-818: The headquarters at Kanchi matha . Dwarka in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrinath in the North. Each math was headed by one of his disciples, called Shankaracharya, who each independently continued the Advaita Vedanta Sampradaya. The ten Shankara-linked Advaita monastic orders are distributed as follows: Bharati, Puri and Saraswati at Sringeri, Aranya and Vana at Puri, Tirtha and Ashrama at Dwarka, and Giri, Parvata and Sagara at Badrinath. According to tradition, each math
5696-463: The history of South Asia. These mathas were also the centers where many new texts were composed, as well as the libraries and repository of ancient and medieval manuscripts, where the old texts were preserved and decaying copies replaced over the centuries. The Thiruvavaduthurai Adhinam – a Shaiva matha about twenty kilometers northeast of Kumbhakonam , for example, was a major source of preserved palm-leaf manuscripts of ancient Tamil literature for
5785-620: The infected, and restrictions on mobility. According to Manjiri Kamat, the colonial administrators had other motivations, such as generating revenue by collecting pilgrim tax, or maintaining law and order for implementing public health measures. The colonial government's public health measures in the early part of the 20th century included attaching medical staff to different palkhis , removing infected persons, modifying wells for drinking water, digging trenches, providing bins for waste collection, and employing sanitation staff. The requirement to be vaccinated against cholera and typhoid in order to join
5874-738: The largest monastic Hindu renunciant community in modern times. The monasteries of these ascetics are found particularly in the northern and western states of India, in Nepal, but they are also found as wandering monks. The largest mathas of the Ramanandi tradition are in Ayodhya and Varanasi , and Ramanandi monks are also known as Bairagis or Vairagis (literally, detached ones), their groups called Akharas . The Ramanandi mathas are historically notable for being part of warrior ascetics movement in medieval India, where monks metamorphosed into
5963-560: The late 15th century, the patronage of the Vijayanagara kings shifted to Vaisnavism. Following this loss of patronage, Sringeri matha had to find others means to propagate its former status, and the story of Shankara establishing the four cardinal mathas , as cast in the wholly legendary digvijaya genre, may have originated in the 16th century. These Advaita mathas have hosted the Daśanāmi Sampradāya under five Maṭhas, with
6052-580: The lion's share in the task of developing and propagating the philosophy of Madhva . For this reason they can unhesitatingly be regarded as the intellectual heirs to the legacy of Madhva , Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha . The main center of Madhva's tradition is in Karnataka . The monastery has a pontiff system, that rotates after a fixed period of time. The pontiff is called Swamiji , and he leads daily Krishna prayers according to Madhva tradition, as well as annual festivals. The process and Vedic mantra rituals for Krishna worship in Dvaita monasteries follow
6141-432: The location of breaks, including lunch, rest and night stays. Every morning at early dawn, after worshiping the Saint's footwear, the palkhi leaves at 6am for the next stretch of the route. A tutari (wind instrument) is blown thrice to alert all Warkaris. At the first signal, all warkaris get ready to leave. At the second signal, the Dindis stand in line and start walking at the third signal. After 4 to 5 km, they take
6230-591: The monastery he founded. The monastery include kitchens, bhojan-shala , run by monks and volunteers. These serve food daily to nearly 3,000 to 4,000 monks, students and visiting pilgrims without social discrimination. During succession ceremonies, over 10,000 people are served a vegetarian meal by Udupi bhojan-shalas . Other Dvaita Mathas include: Ramanuja , the Sri Vaishnavism philosopher, studied at an Advaita Vedanta monastery with Yadava Prakasha before disagreeing with Advaita idealism, and launching his Vishishtadvaita (qualified Advaita) philosophy. Ramanuja
6319-539: The monastery, where the earlier leader anoints the successor as Acharya . In large denominations that ran a collection of historical monasteries, an Acharya may refer to the leader of a regional monastery school operated in that denomination. Alternate titles of the heads of Hindu monasteries are Jeer , Jiyar or Ciyar . The chief of a collection of large Hindu monasteries in a sampradaya has been sometimes referred to as Jagad guru . The matha host not only students but many Guru . A Guru , in Hindu tradition,
6408-594: The poor, the helpless, the crippled, the blind, the deaf, story-tellers, singers, musicians, flute-players, dancers, Vaitāḻikas, the naked, the injured, the mendicants coming from various regions, like Jain mendicants, those bearing a single or triple staff, the haṃsa and paramahaṃsa mendicants; a place for the medical treatment (bhaiṣajyasthāna) of the diseases of the many helpless and sick; a place for offering protection (abhāyapra- dānasthāna) to all living beings.– Stone inscription (1162 CE), Shiva temple and monastery, Sanskrit-Kannada hybrid (Tr: Florinda De Simini) The matha
6497-511: The procedure written by Madhvacharya in Tantrasara . The succession ceremony in Dvaita school involves the outgoing Swamiji welcoming the incoming one, then walking together to the icon of Madhvacharya at the entrance of Krishna temple in Udupi, offering water to him, expressing reverence then handing over the same vessel with water that Madhvacharya used when he handed over the leadership of
6586-572: The procession, and organizing the devotees or varkaris in Dindis (Dindi stands for a specific group of varkaris). The Warkaris—whose patron deity is Vithoba—undertake the wari to Pandharpur, reaching there on a day before Shayani Ekadashi, the eleventh lunar day ( Ekadashi ) of the bright fortnight ( Shukla Paksha ) of Ashadha (June–July). Pilgrims carry palanquins of the saints from the places of their respective samadhi . The concept of Dindi (Marathi: दिंडी procession) or troupes of warkari devotees
6675-465: The procession. Some walk in front of the palkhi and others behind it. During their march, flag and banner-carrying members are at the front of the troupe, and the drummer is at the center of the Dindi. Along with the procession, sevā is performed for the poor and needy, like dāna . The event is said to be one of the world's largest and oldest movement where people gather on one day each year and walk
6764-632: The spread of Shaiva ideas in north and west India till about the 12th century. Other major monasteries include the Golaki matha that existed by the 10th century, famed for its round temple shape, probably near modern Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. This monastery featured a cluster of Shiva temples, a hospital, college and lodging for students. The Golaki matha was a center for Vedic studies with parallel studies of Buddhist literature. Inscription evidence suggests set up numerous Shaiva monasteries in
6853-611: The subcontinent such as in Tamil Nadu . Many of the monasteries and attached temples, particularly in the northwest Indian subcontinent, were destroyed by Islamic armies after the 12th-century, and Shaiva monastic network severely disrupted from the consequent violence. In some cases, the Hindu monasteries were converted into Islamic ribats or madrasa (soldier barracks , schools) during the medieval period. The Shaiva monasteries have been from diverse schools of Shaivism, ranging from nondualist to theistic schools, and regionally went by
6942-522: The ten, the first three, the Uttaradi Matha , Vyasaraja Matha and Raghavendra Matha , are considered to be the three premier apostolic institutions of Dvaita Vedanta and are jointly referred as Mathatraya . It is the pontiffs and pandits of the Mathatraya that have been the principle architects of post-Madhva Dvaita Vedanta through the centuries. As a matter of fact, these have taken
7031-474: The traditional longer "Braj Yatra" encompassing the whole circuit, and the other shorter significantly modified contemporary point-to-point pilgrimage to visit the main sites at Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul , Govardhan . The former, longer traditional pilgrimage route, also includes additional sacred sites Nandgaon and Barsana with travel on foot. The Chardham or "four divine abodes" includes four major pilgrimage places in India. These include Badrinath in
7120-531: The way, many other palkis join the two most revered palkhis. Starting from their towns located in Pune district of Maharashtra: Sant Dnyaneshwar's palkhi leaves from Alandi , while Tukaram's begins at Dehu . The wari culminates at the Vithoba Temple on the holy occasion of Shayani Ekadashi . Devotees from across Maharashtra and nearby areas leave for Pandharpur, wearing holy basil beads and singing
7209-576: The wet season each year in India. Shravani Mela is the most celebrated 30-day festival in Baidyanath Temple Temple of Jharkhand. Mansarovar is a fresh-water lake in Tibet near Mount Kailash , and both are places of pilgrimage attracting religious people from India and neighboring countries. The mountain is considered a sacred place in four religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism , and Bon . According to Hindu mythology mount Kailash
7298-490: The word is math , which means 'inhabit' or 'to grind'. The oldest meaning of matha is "hut" or "hovel," "the hut of a nomadic arya." In time, it came to mean "the residence of various ascetics or religious scholars, sometimes attached to a grand temple." Patrick Olivelle mentions the absence of organized ascetic or monastic institutions within Brahmanism until the early medieval period. According to Olivelle, noticing
7387-409: The worship of the Śivaliṅga; the established place (niṣṭhitasthāna) for the ritual practice of the Śaiva ascetics who are perpetual chaste students; a place for the self-recitation (svādhyāyasthāna) of the four Vedas —the Ṛg, Yajus, Sāma, and Ātharva— along with their ancillary treatises; a place for teaching (byākhyānasthāna) grammar, like the systems of Kumāra, Pāṇini, Śākaṭāyana, and the Śabdānuśasana;
7476-594: The yatra. In present times, yatras are highly organized affairs, with specialized tourism companies catering to yatris. State governments are sometimes involved in the organization of annual yatras, stipulating numbers, registering yatris, and regulating yatri traffic. The Hindu sacred month of Shravan is also the time of the annual Kanwar Yatra , the annual pilgrimage devotees of Shiva , known as Kanwaria , make to Hindu pilgrimage places of Haridwar , Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to obtain water from
7565-579: Was a 14th-century Vaishnava devotional poet sant of Bhakti movement , in the Ganges river region of Northern India . He studied in an Advaita Vedanta monastery, joined the Ramanuja's Sri Vaishnavism tradition, then proceeded to start god Rama -based Vaishnavism movement from Hindu holy city of Varanasi. The Hindu tradition recognizes him as the founder of the Ramanandi Sampradaya ,
7654-434: Was first headed by one of his four main disciples, and the tradition continues since then. Yet, according to Paul Hacker, no mention of the mathas can be found before the 14th century CE. Until the 15th century, the timespan of the directors of Sringeri Math are unrealistically long, spanning 60+ and even 105 years. After 1386, the timespans become much shorter. According to Hacker, these mathas may have originated as late as
7743-522: Was introduced by Haibatravbaba in the early 1800s. A diṇḍī is a group of Hindu devotees of one caste or village who are part of a larger palkhi going to a holy site on pilgrimage. Some religious institutions and temples also have their own Dindi. Accommodation, meals and other facilities to warkaris are provided through their respective Dindi. Managing members of a Dindi usually travel ahead to make arrangements for food and shelter at their next stop. All registered Dindis are numbered and assigned their place in
7832-920: Was nominated as the leader of the Srirangam matha, after the death of Yamunacharya, though they never met. Along with his philosophy, Ramanuja is famous for his organizational skills and the lasting institutional reforms he introduced at Srirangam paralleling those at Advaita monasteries of his time. He also travelled and founded many Sri Vaishnavism mathas across India. The Sri Vaishnavism tradition believes that Ramanuja started 700 mathas, but historical evidence suggests several of these were started later. The Sri Vaishnavism mathas over time, subdivided into two, those with Tenkalai (southern) tradition and Vadakalai (northern) tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. The Tenkalai-associated mathas are headquartered at Srirangam, while Vadakalai mathas are associated with Kanchipuram. Both these traditions have from 10th-century onwards considered
7921-510: Was started by the Tukaram's youngest son, Narayan Maharaj, in 1685. Changes were brought to the pilgrimage in the 1820s by Tukaram's descendants and a devotee of Dnyaneshwar named Haibatravbaba Arphalkar, who was a courtier of the Scindias . Haibatravbaba is credited with the organization of the wari in use today. This involved carrying the paduka in a palkhi , having horses involved in
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