Morari Bapu’s sacred journey pays homage at the first of the four Peethas established by Adi Shankaracharya
SRINERI, KARNATAKA | 12th OCTOBER 2026 | The Bharat Swastik Yatra reached Sringeri today, bringing Pujya Morari Bapu’s Ram Katha to the sacred seat of Sri Sharada Peetham, traditionally associated with Adi Shankaracharya and one of the foremost centres of Advaita Vedanta and Vedic learning in Bharat.
The arrival at Sringeri marks an important milestone in the Yatra’s journey from Kanyakumari towards Kedarnath. After beginning from the southernmost tip of Bharat and passing through Kalady, traditionally revered as the birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya, the Yatra has now reached the South Peeth associated with his Advaita tradition.
Pujya Morari Bapu held the Ram Katha in Sringeri on October 12, bringing the message of the Ramcharitmanas to a place where the traditions of Vedanta, Sanskrit learning, worship and the guru-shishya parampara have continued for centuries.
Bapu said, “The Swastik is a symbol of Mangal and also of folded arms — arms that embrace everyone and unite all. Its spirit lies in togetherness, auspiciousness and the welfare of all. The four forms of Mangal associated with Indra, Surya, Garuda and the Guru find their reflection in Hanuman ji. May the Bharat Swastik Yatra bring people together in harmony and goodwill.”
Bapu also visited the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, where he met Shankaracharya the Jagadguru Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam. The meeting was marked by a warm and meaningful conversations with the spiritual leaders reminiscing about earlier times.
Sringeri occupies a distinctive place in the spiritual geography associated with Adi Shankaracharya. Tradition holds that Shankaracharya spent considerable time here and established the Sharada Peetham, entrusting its leadership to his disciple Sureshvaracharya. The Peetham subsequently evolved into a major centre of Advaita Vedanta, Vedic scholarship and spiritual learning.
Shankaracharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham, had sent Representative at Kanyakumari for the commencement of the Bharat Swastik Yatra and brought the spiritual tradition associated with Adi Shankaracharya into the opening of the historic journey along with spiritual leaders including dignitaries, devotees and members of the local community.
The first Katha of this yatra began with Swasti Vachan by representatives of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, invoking auspiciousness and seeking blessings for the journey ahead. This was followed by the screening of a special video message from the Shankaracharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham – Sri Anand, who conveyed his blessings and best wishes for the Bharat Swastik Yatra and its larger purpose of spiritual and national integration.
This connection becomes particularly meaningful in the context of Adi Shankaracharya’s legacy. Tradition associates him with four principal Peethams in the four directions of Bharat — Sringeri in the South, Dwarka in the West, Puri in the East and Jyotirmath in the North. Together, they represent a spiritual geography that extends across the country.
The Yatra is itself travelling through this wider civilisational landscape. Its first phase began at Kanyakumari on October 10 and will culminate at Kedarnath on October 23, moving through several important spiritual and cultural centres along the way. The journey seeks to bring these different traditions and places into one larger narrative of Bharat.
Around 900 devotees will accompany Pujya Morari Bapu on this 9000 km during the Bharat Swastik Yatra on two special trains — the Kailash Bharat Gaurav train and the Chitrakoot Bharat Gaurav train, comprising 22 and 16 coaches respectively.
The Bharat Swastik Yatra is being organised by Santkripa Sanatan Sansthan and brings together devotees and people from different walks of life.
Madan Paliwal, Chairman, Miraj Group and Managing Trustee, Santkripa Sanatan Sansthan, said, “Sringeri represents a living tradition that has carried the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya across generations. Bringing the Bharat Swastik Yatra to this sacred Peeth is deeply meaningful for us, as it allows the journey to connect with a tradition that continues to preserve knowledge, learning and the guru-shishya parampara. It is a privilege to be part of this continuing spiritual legacy.”
The presence of Pujya Morari Bapu at Sringeri thus brings together two powerful dimensions of Bharat’s spiritual heritage — the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas tradition, and the Advaita Vedanta tradition associated with Adi Shankaracharya.
From Kanyakumari to Kalady and now Sringeri, the journey is gradually tracing a distinctive spiritual map of southern Bharat before continuing towards the northern Himalayas. The passage through Sringeri adds another significant chapter to this journey — at a Peetham that has preserved the Advaita tradition and the legacy of Adi Shankaracharya across generations.
For Morari Bapu, whose Ram Kathas have consistently carried the message of Satya, Prem and Karuna — Truth, Love and Compassion, the Yatra is an extension of these values into a journey across Bharat. The Ram Katha and associated programmes during the Yatra are open to all, with bhandara (vegetarian community meals) being organised at every location as prasad.
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