The Sri Saradha temple in Sringeri, which is a striking example of the simplicity of South Indian temple architecture, was originally an unpretentious structure erected by Adi Sankara in which the sandalwood vigraha of the Goddess was installed and worshipped. It was Sri Vidyaranya, the 12th Acharya, who renovated the temple and installed the gold vigraha of Sri Saradhambhal. This is the vigraha that abides in the temple at present. The tiled roof that he laid in the 14th century stood till 1907 when the 33rd Acharya decided to put a more substantial edifice in its place. The work he began was completed by his successor who performed the kumbhabhishekam in 1916.

Adi Sankara installed the image of Goddess Saradha over a Sri Chakra engraved on a rock on the left bank of the river Tunga. Saradha here represents the aspect of the Supreme Absolute. She displays in her hands a jar full of nectar, symbolising immortality, a book signifying the highest knowledge, a rosary with the beads denoting the bijas (seeds) from which the gross forms of the universe emanated and the Chinmudra displaying the identity of the jiva with Brahman. One can have darshan of the eight-armed Mahishasuramardhini and Rajarajeswari inside the temple hall. The three-tiered gopuram was added by the present Acharya.

On the southern prakara of the temple is the Silver Pitha also known as the Vyakyana Simhasana. While normally the seat is adorned by the vigraha of Sri Saradha, on the day a new Acharya is installed as the disciple of the Mahasannidhanam, the disciple is seated on the Simhasana and is said to represent Vidyadevi. Next in importance to the temple of Sri Saradha is the temple of Sri Vidyasankara or Lord Siva. Known for its architectural excellence, it was built in 1346 A.D. in a confluence of Dravidian and Hoysala styles. It contains in finely carved stones the essence of Yoga sastras, astronomy and every other subject of practical interest. The gopura of the temple resembles a recumbent elephant with a raised trunk. This is also the adhishtanam (samadhi) of the 10th Acharya of Sringeri.

The main hall of the temple has 12 pillars on which are marked the 12 signs of the zodiac. The rays of the sun fall on them in the order of the solar months with only one pillar being lit up by the sun's rays each month. The Mutt compound that houses the two temples also has shrines to Maha Vishnu or Janardhana. The temple of Adi Sankara is located in the quadrangle of the old mutt building. The smaller temples are mostly samadhis of the previous Acharyas in which lingas have been installed and worship carried out. The wide quadrangle in front of the various temples is airy and spacious and bespeaks peace and quiet.

When Sankara established his mutt at Sringeri, he first built four guardian temples on the surrounding hillocks that were to protect the village from dangers, diseases and forces of evil. On the eastern hillock he built a temple for Kala Bhairava, on the west for Anjaneya, on the south for Durga and on the north for Kali. Pujas are being continued at these temples. Adi Sankara, who was born on  at a time when the people were forgetting the teachings of the Vedas, was the exponent of the philosophy called Advaita. Translating to "monism", this system states that the individual (atman) is one with the universal (Brahman). Adi Sankara's writings are simple yet extremely complex. One sloka on Lord Siva resembles the undulating movement of a serpent while the Maneesha Panchakam talks of the oneness of every human being. He wrote it after Siva appeared to him in the form of a chandala. The short Dakshinamurthi Slokam, in praise of Siva, actually contains the essence of Advaita. It has been explained and commented on at length by his chief disciple, Sureshwara. 

Today the Sringeri mutt is a great institution propagating ancient values, religious and philosophic knowledge. It has a strong philanthropic aspect to its functioning, which can be seen in the service of the poor and the sick. The Mutt runs a number of educational institutions and a big hospital. The preservation of ancient Hindu culture through the Guru Sishya paramparya is another signal service of the Sringeri mutt. The mutt has two main centres in Chennai. The earlier centre is in Mylapore and the latter one is in T.Nagar.

Ambujam Anantharaman

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