Ramachandrapura Math (monastery) is a Hindu monastery located in Hosanagara taluk of Shimoga, Karnataka. The Matha is followed mainly by the Havyaka Brahmins in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala . It was established by Adi Shankaracharya originally near Gokarna, a holy town on the west coast of India. The matha was initially known as Raghuthama Matha. The Swami (or guru) of the matha is a celibate (brahmacharya) and a Havyaka by birth. He adds the title Bharati to his name. The present guru is Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Raghaveshwara Bharathi MahaSwamiji. He was initiated sanyasa by his guru Jagadguru Shankaracharya shri Ragavendra Bharati mahaswamiji the 35th Pontiff of Shri Ramachandrapura Mutt.
Adi Shankaracharya appointed his disciple Shri Vidyananda as the first guru of the matha. The matha has an unbroken lineage of mathadishas (head of the matha) since then. Shri Raghavaeshwara Bharathi is the 36th guruji.
History
Ramachandrapura Matha which is in 'Asoka' 3 about three k.m. from Gokarna (which is known as Southern Kasi) is said to have been established by Adi Shankaracharya. The present Ramachandrapura Matha is situated on the left bank of the river Sharavati Ramachandrapura is in the Hosanagara taluk of the Shimoga district of Karnataka state.
Present
Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati, the present pontiff is the 36th seer of Sri Ramachandrapura Matha, an unbroken lineage of Sri Adi Shankaracharya. He was ordained into sainthood by Sri Raghavendra Bharati, the previous pontiff, in April 1994.