Commemorative stamp on Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Swamy – 27th August 2016.

Suttur Simhasana Mahasansthana Math is about one thousand years old in the ancient cultural and religious history of Karnataka. In the 10th Century Sri Shivarathri seer did penance for a very long time in Siddhagiri hills and came to the south and engaged in penance again at Suttur. Dr. Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji was the 23rd pontiff of the Suttur Mutt.

Born on 29th August 1916, Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji did his primary education at Suttur itself with his previous name as Sri Puttaswamy. His parents’ Sri Mallikarjunaswami and Shrimathi Marammanni were the residents of Srikshetra. Sri Shivarathreeshwara took the blessed one into his fold and officially named him as Sri Shivarathri Rajendraswamy. Sri Swamiji took to studying Sanskrit at the tender age of 8 in Mysuru as a disciple of the great Sanskrit scholar Basavaraja Shastri. On 24th February 1928 when Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Swamy was only twelve years old, he was anointed with the responsibilities of the Sri Math. After taking on the responsibilities of the Sri Math, Sri Rajendraswamy got engaged in social services. With the intention of supporting poor students who would otherwise drop out from education, Swamiji started free hostels. The student hostels have grown in number in several places and have provided boarding and lodging facility to thousands of children and have supported in their education. Sri Rajendra Swamiji who succeeded the Math with a great religious legacy, did not limit himself only to religious activities, but responded to the inequality, poverty and misery in the society. The services of the Math were extended very appropriately to the society. Much before India attained independence, the seer had identified that it is lack of education which was the root cause of problems faced by the masses and started the JSS Mahavidyapeetha in 1954 for providing education. Under the aegis of JSS Mahavidyapeetha, he started schools and colleges, hostels and hospitals that led to social development.

On the occasion of valedictory ceremony of the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Swamy a commemorative Stamp in denomination of Rs. 5 was released on Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Swamy by Minister for State (Independent Charge) Communications Shri Manoj Sinha in presences of Saints and other dignitaries on 27th August 2016 at the function held at Suttur Mutt in Mysore District.