[Chaturamnaya] Kalady’s Rediscoverer & Rediscovery - 7

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from previous post)
 
 https://www.sringeri.net/2010/06/26/articles/kaladys-rediscoverer-rediscovery-part-3.htm
 
As if willed by Divine Providence, a year earlier, in 1904, an Act of the Governor-General of India had been passed for
the preservation of antiquities and conservation of ancient monuments. The Travancore Maharaja Sri Moolam Tirunal decided
to act under this Resolution to immediately acquire the land of Kalady, freeing it from all encumbrances in order to
fulfill the desire of Sringeri Mahaswamiji. On 27th January 1906, a Government order was released saying – “As another
step towards the introduction of this scheme, the Government considers that measures should be adopted for the preservation
of the birth place of Sri Shankaracharya, the great religious teacher and reformer, whose name is held in veneration
throughout India. It is situated in the village of Kalady, Manjappra Proverthy, Kuttanad Taluk on the banks of the Alwaye.
The locality is treated as Sanketam or a place of sanctity … … There is a walled enclosure in a compound close to the river,
which according to tradition, is the site on which the remains of Sri Shankaracharya’s mother were cremated, and the ghat
in the river close by, is also held sacred as having been used by the great reformer in performing the obsequies of
His mother.”
 
Sri Moolam Tirunal handed over the deed to the officials from Sringeri as an offering to the Mahaswamiji. The Maharaja
also sanctioned a sum of Rupees ten-thousand for clearing the land and building a shrine there. The Mahaswamiji who came
to know of this through the agent, Sri Srikantha Shastri was overjoyed, and hastened with the mammoth task.
Sri A. Ramachandra Iyer of Mysore and Sri E.R. Subraya Iyer, a distinguished engineer who had also retired from
Mysore Government service, were deputed to oversee Kalady activities like clearing the limits of the Kalady Sanketam and
build the shrines for Adi Shankaracharya and Goddess Sharadamba.
 
To be continued …
 
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