CHENNAI:The 80th jayanthi celebrations of the head of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi was observed at the Sri Bala Vinayagar temple in Saligramam on Monday.
The Sri Bala Vinayagar Seva Trust organised the celebrations in concurrence with the 122nd jayanthi celebrations of the Kanchi Mutt’s Maha Periyavaal, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati swamigal, who is Jayendra Saraswathi’s predecessor. On Monday, Bala Periyava Sri Vijayendra Saraswati, who is the anointed successor to the Kanchi Mutt, honoured his senior by conducting ‘Swarnabhishekham’ before proceeding to shower flower petals by way of ‘Pushpabishekham’.
The temple trust handed out grants worth Rs 1.6 lakh to aged vedic scholars to commemorate their lifetime service and also in recognition of their vedic skills. Eighty scholars were the beneficiaries with a cash grant of Rs 2,000 and a silk dhoti given away. The festivities will continue till June 2, with the temple organisers stating that one homam has been planned for every day and worship including Avahanthi Homam, Ayush Homam and Chaturveda Parayanam are taking place. A special Sri Rudrakrama Parayanam for the peace and well-being of human kind has also been organised. Speaking to the assembled crowd, Jayendra Saraswathi wished for peace and happiness. The junior seer, Vijayendra Saraswati, spoke of how spiritualism should not be seen as a different entity to nationalism. “Nationalism and spiritualism are one and the same. All vedic and ethnic groups should practice the Vedas as decreed to them from birth. That is the way to salvation,” he said.
He also spoke of how the Kanchi Mutt’s various service institutions which had all started as minor charity services have gone on to become entities serving millions of poor people. “The eye hospital was started as a small service institution in Coimbatore. Today, it has provided eye care to many thousands,” he added reiterating that the Kanchi Mutt was strong on its service mentality.