Sringeri Sharada Peetham

Sringeri Sharada Peetham is the first of the four Advaita Vedanta monasteries established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century, located in Sringeri town on the banks of the Tunga River in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka. Centered on the Sharadamba Temple dedicated to Goddess Sharada, the complex includes the historic Vidyashankara Temple and monastic institutions, and is notable as a major center of learning and pilgrimage in South India.

Visitors can expect a large temple-monastery complex on the banks of the Tunga River with the main Sharadamba Temple, the 13th-century Vidyashankara Temple known for its stone pillars and astronomical significance, prayer halls, and matha buildings. The setting is serene with river views, ghats, forested hills, and traditional South Indian temple architecture. Areas to explore include temple shrines, pillared halls, riverfront, and museum/library areas where permitted.

Established in the 8th century CE (traditionally c. 820 CE) by Adi Shankaracharya as the first of the four Amnaya Peethams (Dakshinamnaya) to propagate Advaita Vedanta. The Vidyashankara Temple was built in the 13th century and later patronized by Vijayanagara rulers. The Peetham has had an unbroken lineage of Jagadgurus and has been a center of Vedic learning for over 1200 years.

Principal center of Advaita Vedanta and Smarta tradition in South India. Presiding deity is Goddess Sharada, regarded as an incarnation of Saraswati, goddess of knowledge. The Peetham is a major pilgrimage site, center for Vedic studies, Sanskrit learning, and hosts festivals such as Navratri, Vasant Panchami and Shankara Jayanti.