Marking a milestone in the history of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham at Sringeri, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji performed Kumbhabhisheka at the 14th century temple of Sri Vidyashankara at Sringeri today.

On 15th February 2012, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji performed the Kumbhabhisheka of the historic Vidyashankara temple at Sringeri. The Jagadguru performed a special Puja to Lord Vidyashankara, consecrated on the Samadhi of the 10th Acharya of the Peetham, Jagadguru Sri Vidyatirtha. At about 10:30 AM, the Jagadguru performed the Kalasha Abhisheka atop the Vimana of the Vidyashankara temple.

Preparations for the Kumbhabhishekam of the temple began on Tuesday, the 14th of February 2012 in the Math. Today, Wednesday, the 15th of February, at around 9:15 AM, The Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji performed special puja to the Linga of Sri Vidyashankara at the temple, followed by the sonorous chanting of Vedic mantras by the Pundits of the Math and students of Sadvidya Sanjeevini Samskrita Mahapathashala.

After completion of the puja, at around 10:30 AM the Jagadguru ascended the vimana of the temple in a specially fabricated escalator and performed Kumbhabhisheka to the temple.

Tens of hundreds of devotees gathered at the temple to witness the once in a lifetime spectacular event.

The whole event concluded at around 11:00 AM after which the Jagadguru returned to Gurunivas to give darshan to devotees, as usual.

Below are exclusive photographs taken during the event.