CHENNAI: The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam inducted 24-year-old Duddu Satya Venkata Surya Subrahmanya Ganesha Sharma Dravid as the 71st acharya of the Peetam. He was anointed by the current seer Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya at a function held in Kancheepuram on Akshaya Tritiya day.
Ganesha Sharma Dravid, a scholar of the three Vedas and several Vedic texts, was given Sanyasa Deeksha by the senior acharya after completing a series of rituals that began on April 25. He will now be known by his Sanyasa Nama, Satya Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal.
The final stage of the rituals took place before sunrise at the Sri Kamakshi temple tank. Dressed in a white dhoti, the pontiff entered the tank and publicly renounced worldly life by chanting Vedic mantras.
He then plucked a lock of hair, removed his dhoti, and handed over his clothes to his parents - signifying complete renunciation.
The pontiff was then given saffron robes by the Peetathipathi of the Kanchi Math, followed by the placing of a Sudarshana Salagramam on his head and the chanting of Mahavakya Mantras. The senior acharya pronounced his Sanyasa Nama thrice and blessed him. Both acharyas were taken to the Math in a grand procession.
Governor RN Ravi, state BJP president Nainar Nagenthran and other dignitaries were present.