The grand Ayuta Chandi Mahayaga, being conducted to propitiate the Divine Mother, in conjunction with the 61st Vardhanti Mahotsava of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, commenced today, the 6th of April 2011 at a specially built Chandi Yagashala at Narasimhavanam.

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji graced the Yagashala for the Sankalpa ceremony at around 9:00 A.M, and offered Diksha-Vastram, Rudraksha-mala and other atrefacts required for the performance of the Yajna to the officiating preists in the Varunam ceremony.

This grand Yajna, that is being conducted for the first time in the recorded history of Sringeri Math and the entire of South India is one of its kind, involving over 1,200 officiating priests who will together chant the Durga-Saptashati, also known as Devi-Mahatmya, a total of ten thousand times and the Chandi Navakshari mantra, a total of a crore times over a period of five days at the massive Yaga-shala specially constructed for the occasion. On the sixth day, the 1,200 odd priests will offer oblations of Payasa into one hundred Homa-Kundas blazing with the sacrificial fire.

As a part of the ceremony, the chief priest of the Yajna, Sri-Vidya-Upasana Dhurandhara Veda Brahmasri Narahari Subrahmanya Bhatt, Asthana Archaka of the Math at the temple of Sri Sharadamba will perform Kalpokta Avarana Pujas to the newly made murti and yantra of Devi Chandika throught the five days. On the sixth day, he shall lead the 1,200 odd priests in performing the Yajna and also conduct the Purnahuti ceremony in the august presence of the Jagadguru on the 11th of April 2011.