About
Sri Kshetra Adi Chunchanagiri has a history of 2000 years of its existence. It is the holy land engulfed with the divine resonance and vibration.
Sri Kshetra Adi Chunchanagiri has a history of 2000 years of its existence. It is the holy land engulfed with the divine resonance and vibration. Ancient Vedic culture was founded here on spirituality, where Nature is valued and worshipped. It was Yagnas and prayers that inspired cosmic peace here.
Sri Kshetra is blessed by Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva performed penance at Sri Kshetra, during which he devoured two demons, Chuncha and Kancha, who were pestering elements of the area for a very long time. At the end of his austerity, Lord Shiva entrusted a Siddayogi, establishing a ‘Natha tradition’ and guided him to disseminate the righteousness in the society.
Lord Shiva also assured to reside in Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri, in the form of Panchalingas viz. Lord Gangadhareshwaraswamy, Chandramouleshwaraswamy, Malleshwaraswamy, Siddeshwaraswamy and Someshwaraswamy; of which Lord Gangadhareshwaraswamy is known as the ‘Presiding Deity’. Thus, Sri Kshetra came to be known as “Panchalinga Kshetra”.
His Holiness Parama Poojya Jagadguru Bhairavaikya
Sri Sri Sri Dr. Balagangadharanatha Swamiji
71nd Pontiff, Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math
Founder President, Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust (500 institutions)
Sri Sri Sri Dr. Balagangadharanatha Swamiji (1945 – 2013) was a revered religious leader and a visionary social reformer who dedicated his life to the service of God and humanity. He was the 71st pontiff of the ancient Natha Center of Worship, Shri Adichunchanagiri Math, in Karnataka. He was born on 18th January 1945 as Gangadharaiah to a farming family in Bananduru village. He renounced his worldly life at the age of 19 and became a disciple of Shri Ramanandanatha Swamiji, who initiated him into the Natha Pantha tradition. He took over as the head of the Adichunchanagiri Math on 24th September 1974 and transformed it into a hub of spiritual, educational, cultural and social activities.
Dr. Balagangadharanatha Swamiji was a compassionate and generous soul who worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalized sections of the society. He established hundreds of educational institutions, hospitals, orphanages, old age homes, cow shelters and other welfare projects across India and abroad. He also promoted inter-religious harmony, environmental protection, organic farming, rural development and women empowerment. He was a patron of arts, literature, music and sports and encouraged young talents to pursue their dreams. He was also a great scholar of Vedas, Upanishads, Agamas and other sacred texts and imparted his wisdom to millions of devotees who flocked to his ashram.
Dr. Balagangadharanatha Swamiji was honoured with many awards and recognitions for his outstanding contributions to the society. He received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honour, in 2010. He also received honorary doctorates from several universities and accolades from various religious and cultural organizations. He inspired millions of people with his message of love, peace and service. He was a symbol of hope and compassion for the needy and the suffering. He was a true embodiment of the motto “Service to Humanity is Service to God”.
His Holiness Parama Poojya
Jagadguru
Sri Sri Sri Dr. Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji
72nd Pontiff, Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math
Chancellor, Adichunchanagiri University
President, Sri Adichunchanagiri Shikshana Trust (500 institutions)
Poojya Mahaswamiji, unlike many other youngsters, had an inclination towards Spirituality, Science and Service rather than Materialism. He adapted an ascetic life in 1998 and underwent formal training in the traditional knowledge systems. His unquenchable thirst for knowledge is evident from his attitude in conferences and functions wherein he listens to the discourses on Vedas, Upanishads and other Shastras like an eager young student.
Poojya Mahaswamiji passed his Diploma with Distinction securing 7th Rank for the State from Government Polytechnic College, Tumkur. Later he passed his graduation in Civil Engineering from National Institute of Engineering, Mysore, and did his M.Tech in Structural Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai. Swamiji was influenced by Life’s Practical Philosophy of Sri Sri Sri Dr. Bala Gangadharanatha Mahaswamiji. With a zeal to understand the eternal truth he studied Master’s degree in Sanskrit Advaitha Vedantha.
The Vision of Poojya Mahaswamiji is to follow the footsteps of his Guru, working tirelessly to “Preserve, Promote, Pursue and Progress with Passion in the Path of his Patriarch”. By considering the yeoman services to society, University of Mysore conferred the Honorary Doctorate of D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) on April 30th 2016 at Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri. Mahaswamiji was awarded PhD degree from Gulbarga University for the recognition of the thesis work entitled ‘Natha sampradaya a cultural study’ on 11th March 2019.
