Published in the Hindu, 21 October 2018
Sri Varaha Mahadesikan Swamigal took charge as the 12th pontiff of the Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam during a ceremony held in Tiruchi on Sunday. The new pontiff was anointed following the demise of Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan, reverentially referred to by devotees as Srimad Andavan Swamigal, in March this year.
The new Swamigal is the third son in ‘Poorvashrama’ of the late Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan – the 11th pontiff whose mortal remains were laid to rest at the Ashram premises along the Coleroon river bank.
A large number of devotees and followers of the around 300-year-old Srimad Andavan Ashramam from various parts of the country attended the holy ceremony. Holy garlands were brought from nearly 70 Divya Desams including Srirangam, Kancheepuram and Tirupati to the Ashramam in connection with the event.
The new Swamigal performed ‘Sanyaasa Sweekaram’ prior to formally taking over as the 12th Acharya of the Ashramam. The Swamigal has M.A. and PhD qualifications in Sanskrit from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchi.