My maternal great-grandparents and my maternal grandmother, Kaveri, served the Partagali math for decades. As a result, the days spent at Partagali serving the revered Dwarakanath Teerth Swamiji and then the young Vidhyadhiraj Teerth Swamiji during our summer and winter vacations (1962-1975) are vividly etched in my mind.
The 550th anniversary of Shree Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math marks a significant milestone in the spiritual and cultural history of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community. For generations, the Math has been a place of memory and continuity—a sanctuary where families prayed, and the scenic river Kushavati carried centuries of tradition.
Today, that heritage is entering a transformative phase, propelled by an unprecedented wave of infrastructure development and guided by one of the youngest and most dynamic Pontiffs in the Math’s long lineage: H H Shreemad Vidyadheesh Teerth Shreepad Vader Swamiji. The historical foundation of the Math needs only a brief recalling. Born in 1475 when Sri Narayan Teerth established an independent Gurupeeth for the Vaishnav Saraswats, the Math moved from Bhatkal to Gokarn and finally to Partagali, growing steadily despite political, social, and colonial disruptions.
Over the course of five centuries, its Pontiffs preserved rituals, supported displaced Saraswats, strengthened community identity, and safeguarded temples across the Konkan. That long arc of history is important, but the real story unfolding before our eyes is a new era—a period where tradition merges with vision, youth, and modern capabilities. The present Peetadhipati embodies this evolution. Born in 1995 as Uday Lakshminarayan Bhat, he demonstrated early brilliance, discipline, and devotion. After completing his schooling in Belagavi and pursuing pre-university studies there, he joined the Mechanical Engineering programme at Maratha Mandal Engineering College. His future seemed set on a technical and professional path. But in 2014, during the Belagavi Chaturmas, the then Pontiff, HH Vidyadhiraj Teerth Swamiji, recognised a rare spiritual depth in the young student. Responding to the inner call, Uday Bhat took the extraordinary step of leaving his engineering degree midway—a decision that required immense personal sacrifices—and offered himself to the Guru.
Guided directly by the 23rd Pontiff, he matured spiritually and intellectually, receiving Shishya Diksha in 2017. When his Guru attained Vrindavan in July 2021, the young shishya ascended the Peetha. His rise was grounded in devotion, intellect, and humility—and, importantly, in the analytical clarity that comes naturally to one trained in engineering. It is this rare combination of devotion and technical mindset that defines the new ethos of the Partagali Math. Anyone who visits the campus today senses the scale, precision, and coherence of the ongoing transformation. To accommodate the expected four lakh visitors during the anniversary period—and many more in the years ahead—the Math has embarked on the largest expansion of permanent infrastructure in its history.
Over 600 newly built and designed residential rooms now stand ready for year-round use. These include multi-tiered guest blocks, family accommodations, spaces for scholars, seers, and visiting pontiffs, as well as upgraded Yatri Bhavans. Newly constructed facilities include a Sanskrit learning centre, a modern library, expanded Annadhana Mandaps capable of serving thousands daily, landscaped gardens, widened internal pathways, strengthened embankments along the riverfront, and full four-sided beautification of the campus.
Under the guidance of Central Committee Chairman Shrinivas Dempo and with the structural expertise of engineer Abhay Kunkolienkar, the entire complex has been developed with attention to aesthetics, stability, safety, visitor management, and environmental harmony. The built environment is already beginning to resemble the cultural hubs of Udupi, Sringeri, and Kollur, with the potential to surpass them in the years ahead. The centrepiece of this transformation is the monumental 77-foot bronze statue of Lord Shriram, which would be one of the most visually arresting religious landmarks ever created in the region. Rising above the Math, the statue is both a spiritual symbol and a cultural statement.
The presence of such a towering image in Goa extends the sacred geography of Rama westward and binds Partagali to a national spiritual narrative. The implications are far-reaching. With its new facilities, improved access, and increased visibility, Partagali is poised to emerge as a major spiritual and cultural tourism centre in South India. It has 33 branches of Maths across the country, more than 130 temples under its spiritual umbrella, and the ongoing nationwide initiative of completing 550 crore Rama Nama japa, ensuring that thousands of devotees will flow through the campus throughout the year. This will stimulate not only religious engagement but also local economic activity, cultural exchange, academic interest, and heritage-based tourism. Swamiji’s age—just 30—means he is likely to guide the Math not only through the current celebrations but well into the next major milestone: the 600th anniversary in 2075.
Few religious institutions in India enjoy such a prominent level of continuity. For the younger generation of Saraswats scattered across India and the world, this provides a rare sense of permanence and stability. Here is a Pontiff with the intellectual sharpness to engage modern minds, the spiritual depth to inspire devotion, and the youthful energy to steer institutional growth across half a century. This is why calling Partagali “the new Ayodhya” is not a poetic flourish. It is an accurate description of its evolving stature.
Both Ayodhya and Partagali carry ancient associations with Lord Rama. Both are tied to the philosophical and cultural threads of Sanatana Dharma. Both represent the resilience of tradition. And today, both are entering periods of extraordinary visibility and national significance. On November 28, when the Prime Minister unveils the towering bronze form of Lord Shriram, it will signify more than the beginning of an event. It will mark the arrival of Partagali on a larger map—spiritual, cultural, and national. For the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins of India and across the world, it will reaffirm that their ancestral Gurupeeth is not only alive but flourishing, evolving, and ready for the next century. Partagali, renewed and resplendent, truly stands today as a new Ayodhya—a bridge between ancient memory and a radiant future.
(Nandkumar M Kamat, who has a doctorate in microbiology, is ascientist and science writer)
