THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Santhigiri Ashram celebrated 40 years of Sanyasa Deeksha on Sunday. The day began with prayer at 6am, followed by Pushpa Samarpanam at the Lotus Parnashala, led by members of the Guru Dharma Prakasha Sabha and the Brahmachari Sangh.
Gurustaniya Sishyapoojita Amrita Jnana Thapaswini addressed the gathering, sharing insights on the significance of the Parampara (spiritual lineage).
In a separate event, Ashram general secretary Swami Gururatnam Jnana Thapasvi presided over the Vidyarambham ceremony - a ritual that signifies the commencement of a child’s educational journey.
Around 100 children participated in the ceremony held at the Ashram’s prayer hall. The afternoon was dedicated to Gurudarshan and other spiritual observances.
The highlight of the day was the presence of Jagadguru Swami Avimukteswarananda Saraswati Maharaj, the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, who attended the dedication ceremony held at 5pm in the Sahakarana Mandiram.
Members of the Guru Dharma Prakasha Sabha welcomed the Shankaracharya at the Ashram gates. The day’s events concluded with the Deepapradakshina (ceremonial lamp procession) at 6 pm, bringing the annual celebrations to a graceful close.
The tradition of Sanyasa Deeksha at Santhigiri Ashram was first initiated by Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru on Vijayadashami in 1984.