Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi passes away, last rites to be held today

Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi passed away at a private hospital in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram on Wednesday. He was admitted to a hospital near Kamakshi Amman temple due to breathing problems.

The seer's last rites, described as 'Brindavana Pravesha Karyakramam', will be performed on Thursday, according to the mutt. The junior pontiff Vijayendra Saraswathi will succeed Jayendra Saraswathi. Devotees can have darshan pay last respects throughout ( including today night) until Thursday morning.

He was 82-year-old. The News Minute reported that the seer passed away due to cardiac arrest. He had not been in the best of health for some time.

The Kanchi mutt seer had collapsed at the mutt with shortness of breath. He was admitted to Chennai's Ramachandra hospital last month. As per Zee Media sources, his blood sugar had dipped. However, he was discharged and he resumed his normal activities. He had visited Delhi in November 2017.

He is 69th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. Shankaracharya was born on 18 July 1935 as Subramanyam Mahadeva. He was named by Chadrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal as his successor on March 22, 1954.

After the demise of the then Peethathipathi, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal, Jayendra Saraswati assumed charge as the Peetathipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham on March 22, 1994.

The seer was accused in Sankararaman murder case. Sankararaman, the manager of Varadharaja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram, a town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was murdered in the premises of the temple on 3 September 2004.

The report by investigative journalist Dhanasekaran Prakash in the Tamil weekly Nakkeeran and the confession by the surrendered led to the arrest of Jayendra Saraswati and Vijayendra Saraswati, the seers of the Kanchi Mutt.

Sankararaman is alleged to have constantly levelled accusations against the Kanchi seers and the functioning of the Kanchi Mutt. He is alleged to have sent anonymous letters to the Mutt.

Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested on the Diwali day of 11 November 2004 in Andhra Pradesh, while Vijayendrar was arrested on the Mutt premises on 10 January 2005.

On November 27, 2013, he was acquitted by the Puducherry Principal District Session.

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