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A matha (also written math, matha or mutt) is a term for monastic
Monastery

Monastery , a term derived from the Greek language word ???ast?????, neut. of ???ast????? - monasterios denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of Monk, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in Cenobium or alone ....
 and similar religious establishments of the Hindu , Buddhist and Jain traditions. A matha is usually more formal, hierarchical, and rule-based than an ashram
Ashram

An "ashram" in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. Today, the term "ashram" is sometimes used to refer to an intentional community formed primarily for spiritual upliftment of its members, often headed by a religious leader or mysticism....
.

Advaita mathas: The oldest such institutions follow the Advaita tradition, where the head of a matha is called a Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya

Shankaracharya, is a commonly used title of heads of mathas in the Advaita tradition. The title derives from Adi Shankara, a theologian of Hinduism, who established four mathas in four regions of India....
, a title derived from Adi Sankara
Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara ; , also known as ' and ', was an Indian philosopher who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, the most influential sub-school of Vedanta....
. Sankara was a prominent religious teacher of the eighth century, from whose philosophies originate the environment of popular modern Indian thought.






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A matha (also written math, matha or mutt) is a term for monastic
Monastery

Monastery , a term derived from the Greek language word ???ast?????, neut. of ???ast????? - monasterios denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of Monk, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in Cenobium or alone ....
 and similar religious establishments of the Hindu , Buddhist and Jain traditions. A matha is usually more formal, hierarchical, and rule-based than an ashram
Ashram

An "ashram" in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. Today, the term "ashram" is sometimes used to refer to an intentional community formed primarily for spiritual upliftment of its members, often headed by a religious leader or mysticism....
.

Advaita mathas: The oldest such institutions follow the Advaita tradition, where the head of a matha is called a Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya

Shankaracharya, is a commonly used title of heads of mathas in the Advaita tradition. The title derives from Adi Shankara, a theologian of Hinduism, who established four mathas in four regions of India....
, a title derived from Adi Sankara
Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara ; , also known as ' and ', was an Indian philosopher who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, the most influential sub-school of Vedanta....
. Sankara was a prominent religious teacher of the eighth century, from whose philosophies originate the environment of popular modern Indian thought. Hindu tradition states that he put in charge of the following mathas his four main disciples: Sureshwaracharya, Hastamalakacharya, Padmapadacharya, and Totakacharya respectively. The four Amnaya mathas founded by Adi Sankara
Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara ; , also known as ' and ', was an Indian philosopher who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, the most influential sub-school of Vedanta....
, all of the Smarta tradition, are:
  1. Sringeri Sarada Pitham
    Sringeri Sharada Peetham

    Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Maha Samsthanam, Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri is the most important Hindu Advaita Vedanta Mathas, and the foremost among the four Amnaya Peethams, other three being Badari , Puri , Dwaraka ....
    , at Sringeri
    Shringeri

    Sringeri , also written as Shringeri, Srngeri and Srngagiri is a Tahsil located in Chikkamagaluru district in the Indian state of Karnataka, is the site of the first matha established by Adi Sankara, Hindu theologian and exponent of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, in the 8th century A.D....
    , Karnataka
    Karnataka

    Karnataka is a States and territories of India in the southern part of India. It was Unification of Karnataka on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act....
  2. Dwaraka Pitha
    Dwaraka Pitha

    The Dwaraka pitha or Dwaraka matha is situated in the coastal city of Dwaraka, Gujarat ? which itself is a popular destination of pilgrimage for the Hindus, dedicated to Krishna....
    m, at Dwaraka
    Dwarka

    Dwarka , also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality located in the Jamnagar district of Gujarat state in India....
    , Gujarat
    Gujarat

    Gujarat is a States and territories of India in western India. Gujarat borders Pakistan to the north west and the state of Rajasthan to the north and northeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, Maharashtra and the Union territory of Diu, Daman District, India, Dadra and Nagar Haveli to the south....
  3. Govardhana matha
    Govardhana matha

    The Govardhana matha is located in the city of Puri, Orissa in Orissa States and territories of India , and is associated with the Jaganath temple....
    , at Puri, Orissa
    Orissa

    Orissa , is a states and territories of India located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It was established on 1 April 1936 as a province in British India, and consists, predominantly of Oriya language speakers....
  4. Jyotirmath
    Jyotirmath

    Jyotirmath , also called Jyotir Math and Joshimath, is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in the Indian States and territories of India of Uttarakhand....
    , in Uttarakhand
    Uttarakhand

    Uttarakhand , is a States and territories of India located in the northern part of India. It was carved out of Himalayan and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming the 27th States and territories of India of the Republic of India ....


In addition, these Advaita mathas also state they were founded by Adi Sankara:
  1. Ramachandrapura Math
    Ramachandrapura Math

    "Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamstanam SriSamstana Gokarna Shree Ramachandrapura Matha" is a Hindu religious establishment that was established in Gokarna, India by Shree Shankaracharya for the propagation of Sanathana Dharma....
     at Ramachandrapura, Hosanagara, Shimoga Dist., Karnataka (http://ramachandrapuramath.org/).
  2. Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, at Tamil Nadu
    Kanchipuram

    Kanchipuram, Kanchi, or Kancheepuram is a city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian States and territories of India of Tamil Nadu....
     Sarvajina Peetam


Other important mathas of the Advaita tradition include the Kavale matha and the (both associated with Saraswat Brahmins), the , the Jyotirmath
Jyotirmath

Jyotirmath , also called Jyotir Math and Joshimath, is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in the Indian States and territories of India of Uttarakhand....
, in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand , is a States and territories of India located in the northern part of India. It was carved out of Himalayan and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming the 27th States and territories of India of the Republic of India ....
and etc.

VishishtAdvaita Mathas:

  • Vanamamalai Mutt - Sri Vaishnava tradition of Ramanuja
    Ramanuja

    Ramanuja , also known as Ramanujacharya, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Sri Vaishnavism as the third and most important teacher of their tradition, and by Hindus as the leading expounder of Vishishtadvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy....
  • Andavan Ashramam - Sri Vaishnava tradition of Ramanuja
    Ramanuja

    Ramanuja , also known as Ramanujacharya, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Sri Vaishnavism as the third and most important teacher of their tradition, and by Hindus as the leading expounder of Vishishtadvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy....
  • Ahobila Matha - Sri Vaishnava tradition of Ramanuja
    Ramanuja

    Ramanuja , also known as Ramanujacharya, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Sri Vaishnavism as the third and most important teacher of their tradition, and by Hindus as the leading expounder of Vishishtadvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy....
  • Parakala matha - Sri Vaishnava tradition of Ramanuja
    Ramanuja

    Ramanuja , also known as Ramanujacharya, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Sri Vaishnavism as the third and most important teacher of their tradition, and by Hindus as the leading expounder of Vishishtadvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy....
  • Chinna jeeyar math - Sri Vaishnava tradition of Ramanuja
    Ramanuja

    Ramanuja , also known as Ramanujacharya, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Sri Vaishnavism as the third and most important teacher of their tradition, and by Hindus as the leading expounder of Vishishtadvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy....


Dvaita Mathas: Dvaita
Dvaita

Dvaita is a dualist school of Vedanta Hindu philosophy. The Sanskrit word dvaita means "dualism". This school was established as a new development in the Vedanta exegetical tradition in the thirteenth century CE with the south Indian Vaishnavism theologian Madhvacharya, who wrote commentaries on a number of Hindu scriptures....
 philosophy was profounded by Shri Madhwaacharya.He saw Lord Vishnu as master of universe. He established ashta matha's ( eight matha's ). There after many other matha were added to it.
  • Shri Pejavara Matha
  • Shri Palimaru Matha
  • Shri Kaniyooru Matha
  • Shri Adamaru Matha
  • Shri Sodhe Matha
  • Shri Shiroor Matha
  • Shri Krishnapura Matha
    Krishnapura matha

    The Krishnapura Matha belongs to the Madhwa sect of Vaishnavism.The Krishnapura math one of the Ashta Mathas of Udupi. Ashta Mathas founded by Dwaitha philosphor Sri Madhwacharya of Udupi....
  • Shri Puthige Matha
  • Shri Uttaradi Matha
  • Shri Raghavendra Swami Matha
  • Shri Sripadaraja Matha
  • Shri Kundapura Vysaraja Matha
  • Shri Subrahmanya Matha
  • Shri Balagaru Matha
  • Shri Kanva Matha
  • Shri Sosale Vyasaraja Matha
  • Shri Bheemanakatte Matha
  • Shri Bhandarakeri Matha
  • Shri Majjigahalli Madhava Theertha Matha
  • Shri Kashi Matha
  • Shri Gokarna Matha
  • Shri Madhwa Prayaga Matha


Shakti Vishistadvaita(Veerashaiva) mathas:
  1. Rambhapuri Peetha, at Balehonnur
    Balehonnur

    Balehonnur is a village in the Chikkamagaluru district of the States of India of Karnataka. Town is located on bank of Bhadra river and is a green, picturesque place,with an average rainfall of 80 inches a year and dominated by coffee estates, arecanut, paddy fields, pepper, vanilla and other spices....
    , Karnataka
    Karnataka

    Karnataka is a States and territories of India in the southern part of India. It was Unification of Karnataka on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act....
  2. Ujjaini Peetha, at Ujjaini, Karnataka
    Karnataka

    Karnataka is a States and territories of India in the southern part of India. It was Unification of Karnataka on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act....
  3. Shree Shaila Peetha, at Shree Shailam, Andhrapadesh
  4. Kedar Peetha, at Kedar
    Kedar

    Kedar is a name that appears in both Judaism and Hinduism. It is also a raga in Indian classical music.....
    , Uttarakhand
    Uttarakhand

    Uttarakhand , is a States and territories of India located in the northern part of India. It was carved out of Himalayan and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming the 27th States and territories of India of the Republic of India ....
  5. Kashi Peetha at Varanasi
    Varanasi

    Varanasi , also commonly known as Benares or Banaras and Kashi , is a city situated on the left bank of the River Ganges River in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, regarded as holy by Hinduism, Buddhists and Jains, and is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities....
    ,UttarPradesh
  6. Sri Siddaganga Matha at Tumkur
    Tumkur

    Tumakuru , formerly Tumkur, is a city in Karnataka state of southern India. It is the headquarters of Tumkur District....
    ,Karnataka
    Karnataka

    Karnataka is a States and territories of India in the southern part of India. It was Unification of Karnataka on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act....


See also

  • Ashta matha

External links