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CHITRAPUR
HERITAGE FOUNDATION |
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Background: About 300 years ago in the year 1708, the members of our community,
by the sheer Grace of Lord Mahabaleshwar, were
bestowed with our first guru, Param Poojya Parijnanashram I, who
subsequently established our Math in Bhandikeri, Gokarn, Uttara Kannada, in the present-day state of
Karnataka. Towards the end of His regime, He ordained Param
Poojya Shankarashram I as
His successor at the Gokarn Math also referred to
as Adi Math. This shishya sweekar essentially launched
our Guruparampara, a majestic lineage of our Mathadipathis. The year 2008 will witness a grand
celebration of the Tercentenary of our Guruparampara
with events that will be rolled out in several major cities across In 1757, during a sojourn to a village called Shirali, Param Poojya Shankarashram I suddenly fell ill and took samadhi in the house of the Nagarkattikars who immediately vacated their house and
offered it to the Math. His ‘Samadhi’ was built on the very site of this
house, now reverentially called the 'Hodi Samadhi'.
From then on, it became our Math in Shirali that provided a safe haven to
have constant communion with our Guru. In due course, the area surrounding the Math evolved into a
village called Chitrapur, and became the headquarters of our Guruparampara. In preparation for the 2008 Tercentenary Celebrations of our Guruparampara, truly a once-in-a-lifetime
event, our eleventh Mathadhipati of this illustrious lineage, Param Poojya Sadyojat Shankarashram Swamiji, has articulated a vision that resonates with Chitrapur Vaibhava, a dream project of Param Poojya Parijnanashram III.
Translating that vision into action is a three-phase Master Plan that has
been developed through a participatory approach with members of the laity.
Much of the work covered by the first two phases of the Master Plan –
community-oriented projects such as a school for the children, home for the
aged, clean water projects to help the entire village – has been completed.
Phase III projects include, among others, renovation of Shri Chitrapur Math, a
renaissance park, Chitrapur Heritage Foundation (CHF): In response to this
unique opportunity to participate in the Tercentenary Celebrations as well as
to support the projects identified by our Math in the Master Plan, a
charitable trust has been established, namely, "Chitrapur Heritage
Foundation, USA, Inc." and registered in the state of New Jersey, USA,
as a Section 501(3)(c) not-for-profit charitable
organization. Further, it is proposed to establish “Chapters” in select
cities that have a sizable laity community with a lead coordinator for each
Chapter to assist in the organization of events in his/her respective city.
CHF solicits the active involvement and support from the younger generation
in preserving our Heritage. CHF Mission: CHF has a two-fold mission: (a) in the
immediate term, to mobilize the community, especially the youth, to actively
participate and raise funds for the Master Plan projects vis-à-vis the 2008
Tercentenary Celebrations; and (b) in the longer term, contribute towards the
preservation of our rich cultural heritage and sustainable community
development in Chitrapur. CHF Goal: CHF has set a target to raise
about $550,000 over a two-year period from Chitrapur Saraswat families in Fundraising Plans: In the next two
months, CHF will sponsor briefing meetings/ fundraising events in four US
cities - September 22 in Edison, NJ; September 24 in San Jose, CA; September
30 in Houston, TX; and October 1, in Chicago, IL. Attending the briefing
meetings will be Vinod Yennemadi,
President of the Standing Committee, and Nayampally
Jayavanth Rao, Member of
the Standing Committee, Administration Committee, and Public Relations
Committee. Nandan Nilekani,
Chief Executive Officer, Infosys Technologies Ltd., and Special Advisor to HH
Swamiji, has graciously confirmed his participation
in two meetings - September 22 in Edison, NJ and September 24 in San Jose,
CA. The Tri-State Chapter of CHF is organizing a Walkathon on
Saturday, October 7 in For further information, please contact: Chitrapur Heritage Foundation 50 Eastern Drive Attn: Mrs. Shanta Bijur – sb7745@aol.com |