Kochi Mahajan & Kashimath

Shri Kashi Math, was founded in 1542 AD and the first Swamiji Yadavendra Tirtha was given Deeksha by the celebrated Shrimat Vijayindra Tirtha Swamiji of Kumbhakonam Math. The Gowda saraswats of kerala and south karnataka were Vaishnavas and were followers of the Uttaradi mutt of Jayatheerth. During the 15th century, Sri Ramachandra Tirtha of Uttaradi mutt initiated Vibhudendra Tirtha and Sri Vidhyanidhi Tirtha to sanyasa. The latter became head of Uttaradi mutt and Sri Vibhudendra Tirtha founded a new Mutt at Kumbhakonam which came to be known as Purvadi Mutt (later became Raghavendra Swamy mutt, since great saint Raghavendra of Mantralaya fame belonged to this mutt). Gowda Saraswats of South Kanara and Kerala were transferred to this Mutt. When Surendra Tirtha was head of the Mutt at Kumbhakonam, one of his disciples, Vijayindra Tirtha (who was a Saraswat Brahmin) was invited by Cochin Saraswats to undertake Chaturmasya at Cochin in 1539–1540. They requested Him to initiate a Saraswat boy among them to Sanyasa. In 1541, Sri Hanumantha Bhaktha was selected and taken to Kumbakonam. The new Sanyasin was named Yadavendra Tirtha who eventually became head of the new Kashi Mutt at Varanasi established in 1542 AD. Shri Kumbhakonam Math gave the idols of Lord Raghupati (Rama) and Vyasa to Shrimat Yadavendra Tirtha along with the rights to guide the GSB Samaj in spiritual matters.

Details

The GSB community of Cochin (Kochi Mahajan) helped to buy land at Benaras for the Mutt. The mutt building in Kashi is a big mansion with about 110 rooms and in one of the pooja rooms, Shri Raghavendra Tirtha, the 5th Swamiji had darshan of Lord Narasimha.