Gangaditeertha Vijaya Yatra

(Booklet commemorating visit of His Holiness to Kashi - 1934-35 )

Publisher’s Note

It is with unbounded joy that we bring out this booklet on behalf of the Reception Committee of His Holiness-Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya Swamijee Maharaj of Kanchi Kamakoti Pitha.

The 6^th of October 1934 is a Red Letter Day in the annals of Benares- the ancient and sacred city of the Hindus: when on arrival from Prayag after walking all the distance on foot. His Holiness was accorded a fitting reception by the Hindu Citizens of Benares as Chairman of the Reception Committee. It is in the same Sacred City several centuries ago, that Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavat Padacharya gave enlightenment to the world through His Bhashya in the presence of Lord Vishwanath and also obtained five famous Lingas from Kailas. The brief stay of His Holiness in Benares for a period of about five months and the celebration of Sarada Navaratra during the winter of 1934 which synchronized with a number of Yagnas and Homas (Havans) will be a memorable event to be cherished by the devout public of this ancient and sacred city.

The crowning success is due to the co-operation of the Hindu Citizens combined with reverential care and interest that was shown by His Highness the Maharaja Saheb of Benaras and Pandits of all grades and shades. The reception committee feels it is its duty to publish this booklet so that the future generations may know how the hearts of their fore-fathers leapt with joy on the momentous arrival of their Acharya.

Kashi is the nucleus of men of letters. The Holy Representative of Brahma-Vidya from the Sacred Kanchipitha of Sri Sankaracharya coming into contact with and being heartily received by the representatives of traditional culture, headed by their Maharaja at the religious Metropolis of Sanatan Dharma, is needless to say, an epoch in the history of Hindu India, the recording of which has fallen to the lot of our humble-selves, who crave the pardon of the public for any deviation from the sacred duty.

Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Ganganath Jha of Tirtharaj and Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Annadacharan Sharma along with a gallery of Pandits and heads of Mathas and other religious institutions submitted a public invitation to His Holiness to grace the Sacred City as early as December 1932. Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Phani Bhushan Tarka Vageesa, Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Anantakrishna Shastri and Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Manavalli Lakshmana Shastri along with the public citizens of the City headed by His Highness the Maharaja and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya welcomed His Holiness at the outskirts of the City. Ex-Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Bhau Shastri Vajhe were seen receiving His Holiness in the Sangaveda Vidyalaya the Dharmic ideal institution, where all the Pandits had also assembled. It was the privilege of Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Pramathanath Tarkabhusan to greet His Holiness on arrival at Shivala and at Benares Hindu University, while Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Giridhar Sharma from Jaipur, Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Harihara Kripaloo from Patna ( all these fountains of Oriental Culture) took part in the public farewell address presented at the Town Hall on the 16^th February, 1935, the function having been arranged by the Joint efforts of all prominent citizens and eminent scholars at Benares.

This note will not be complete without making a special mention of the names of Panditraj Rajeswar Shastri Dravid. Pandit Deonayakacharya, Secretary. All India Varnashram  Swarajya Sangh, Pandit Tribhuvan Upadhyaya M. A., Professor, B.L. Atreya M. A., Pandit Narayan Shastri Khiste and Pandit Venkatesh Shastri Dravid who have helped a good deal in bringing out this publication and Sreeman T.N. Mohan, M.A., a devotee of His Holiness, who has shared the expenses of this publication and to whom our thanks are due.

We dedicate this booklet to all the religiously minded of our Holy Land of Bharata-Varsha.