Chennai/Srirangam: Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan, widely known as Srimushanam Andavan, the 11th ‘Peetathipathi’ (pontiff) of ‘Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashram’, one of the oldest Vaishnavite monastic orders in the South, passed away in Chennai on Monday after a brief illness. He was 83.
Thousands of devotees thronged the Andavan Ashram branch in Chennai to pay their homage to the revered seer before his mortal remains was taken to Srirangam later in the evening. The last rites would be performed there on Tuesday and his body would be laid to rest in the ‘Brindavanam’ at Srirangam, adjacent to his Guru's resting place in the pilgrim-island.
Born in June 1935 in Srimushanam in Cuddalore district, the Vaishnavite Acharya ascended to the ‘Peetam’ on June 1, 1989, as the successor to Mysuru Andavan Swami, who headed the mutt for just 43 days, following the passing away of Sri Thirukudanthai Andavan in 1989.
Srimushanam Andavan, on ascension to the pontifical seat, assumed the Sanyasa name, Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan', mutt sources said, adding, he headed the order for 29 years. Well versed in the Vedas, ‘Sri Baashyam’ and ‘Geetha Baashyam’ of Sri Ramanuja and ‘Rahasya Triyasaara’, Srimushanam Andavan has travelled widely across the country to take the message of ‘Sanatana Dharma’.
A polyglot, Srimushanam Andavan fluently gave lucid discourses in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. He was a great musicologist and was equally at home in other fine arts like ‘Silpa’ and ‘Alankara Sastras’, besides astrology and ‘Ayurveda’. He had also established several ‘Veda Patasalas’.
As a strong believer that traditional, spiritual education should be blended with modern education, he established the ‘Srimath Andavan Arts and Science College’ in 1996 at Srirangam, where 92 per cent of the students are from the oppressed classes, the sources added. The institution’s output has been so impressive that UGC has conferred it autonomy status.
CM condoles: Chief Minister, Mr Edappadi K Palaniswami in a message said, he was deeply pained at the passing away of Srimushanam Andavan Swamy. Lauding his phase as a Tamil teacher, Palaniswami said, besides his spiritual work, the Seer has done yeoman services for social good.
