About Sringeri

Sringeri, 100kms from Udupi, is a well-known centre of pilgrimage situated on the banks of the river Tunga and at the foot of the Sahya Mountain - a part of the Western Ghats, in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. It is as sacred as Kashi, Rameshwaram, Puri, Dwaraka, Tirupathi, Srishailam, Srirangam, Pandharpur, Badrinath and Pashupathinath. This place is held in high esteem also because of the Maha samsthan of Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya.

It is here that Sri Adi Shankarachrya, the exponent of the Advaita system of philosophy, established the first southern centre ("Sringeri Math") for propagating the Sanatana Dharma. Sharada being the Goddess worshipped here, this holy place is known as Sharada Peetha. While moving all over India, Sri Shankara selected a few places for establishing his spiritual centres. Sringeri is prominent amongst such places, the others being Puri, Dwaraka, Badrinath, Kashi and Kedarnath. Sri Shankara spent a longer period of his life at Sringeri. It was here that he wrote several of his treatises.

His Holiness Sri Bharati Teertha is the present Shankaracharya of the Sringeri Peetham. Sri Sharada temple is the oldest temple at Sringeri and Sri Vidyashankar temple, on the elevated banks of the Tunga, is a fine blend of architecture. This temple looks like a beautiful chariot and is renowned for its architectural excellence. The 12 pillars of the temple are said to represent the 12 zodiac signs. Every month the sun's rays fall on the pillar representing the corresponding zodiac sign. There are choultries and guest houses at Sringeri for the convenience of the pilgrims. There is also meal arrangement for food at the Math.