Peeth
Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
श्री काञ्ची कामकोटि पीठ, काञ्चीपुरम्
Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, is a prominent Advaita monastic institution that traces its lineage to Adi Shankaracharya.
Overview
The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham is closely associated with the Kamakshi Amman temple at Kanchipuram. The Peetham states that it was founded by Adi Shankaracharya and has an unbroken line of 70 Acharyas.
Note on status
The four-Amnaya account of the Shankara tradition lists Puri, Dwarka, Jyotirmath and Sringeri. Kanchi's standing as a Shankara-founded Peetha is held by its own tradition and is not accepted by every Math; this page records it as the Peetham's tradition.
Present Acharyas
Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati, who received sannyasa on 29 May 1983, became the presiding (70th) Acharya on 28 February 2018. On 30 April 2025 (Akshaya Tritiya) he initiated Sri Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswati as junior pontiff and successor, counted as the 71st.
Institutions
Institutions linked with the Peetham include Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya at Kanchipuram.
