Kesavananda Bharati facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kesavananda Bharati
Bharati visiting Shri Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal in October 2009
Birth Date	9 December 1940
Died on	6 September 2020 (aged 79) Kasaragod, Kerala, India
Guru/teacher	Shri Ishwarananda Bharati Swamiji
Philosophy	Advaita Vedanta

Kesavananda Bharati (born 1940, died 2020) was an important Indian Hindu monk. He was the head of the Edneer Mutt, a Hindu monastery in Kerala, India, from 1961 until he passed away. He is famous for a very important court case, Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala. This case helped create the "basic structure doctrine" for India's Constitution. This doctrine makes sure that the most important parts of the Indian Constitution cannot be changed by the government. He followed the Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

Early Life and His Role as a Monk

Kesavananda Bharati was born in 1940. His parents were Manchthaya Sreedhara Bhatt and Padmavathi Amma. When he was only 19 years old, he became a monk. In 1961, he became the head of the Sri Edneer Mutt in Kasaragod district, Kerala. He led the Mutt until his death in 2020.

As the head of the Mutt, he was known by a special title. This title was Srimad Jagadguru Sri Sri Sankaracharya Thotakacharya Keshavananda Bharathi Sripadangalavaru. He followed the Smartha Bhagawatha tradition of Advaita Vedanta.

Supporting Arts and Education

Kesavananda Bharati was also a talented musician. He was a singer of both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music. He was also a master of Yakshagana, which is an Indian art and theater form.

He strongly supported education and culture, especially Kannada culture and arts. He helped promote the use of the Kannada language in the border area of Kasaragod district. Under his guidance, the Mutt started several schools. These included a Kannada-medium school, an English-medium school, and a junior college. They also had a Sanskrit Veda Patashala, which is a school for studying ancient Hindu texts.

His Big Role in Indian Law

Kesavananda Bharati was the person who started a very important court case. This case was called Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala. It is one of the most famous decisions by the Supreme Court of India. This case created the "basic structure doctrine" for the Constitution of India.

What Was the Case About?

In 1970, Kesavananda Bharati filed a case against the Kerala Government. The government wanted to take over some of the Mutt's property. This was through a law called the Kerala Land Reforms Act. He argued that this action went against his fundamental rights. These rights included his right to religion and his right to property. His lawyer, Nani Palkhivala, helped him with this argument.

The Court's Decision

On March 23, 1973, the Supreme Court made a big decision. The court ruled that the Parliament could not change the "basic structure" of the Constitution of India. This decision was very close, with seven judges agreeing and six disagreeing.

This ruling created the basic structure doctrine. It protects the most important parts of the Indian Constitution. Supporters of this idea say it is a "safety valve." It stops the government from making changes that could harm democracy. Others think it gives too much power to the judges.

In 2013, a newspaper called The Hindu said that this case saved Indian democracy. They thanked Kesavananda Bharati and his lawyer for their efforts. This case was heard by the largest group of judges ever. All 13 judges heard the case for 68 days, which is a record.

His Views and Awards

Kesavananda Bharati was the only Shankaracharya to speak publicly about the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. He said it was wrong for the government to open the temple's hidden vaults. He believed that all the treasures found belonged to the temple. He also felt that the temple's own trust should manage these assets.

In 2018, he received the Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer Award. The Governor of Kerala gave him this award.

Death

Kesavananda Bharati passed away in Kasaragod, Kerala, on September 6, 2020. He was 79 years old. He died because of a cardiac arrest.

Images for kids

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  Procession of Swamiji by his disciples in Kumta, 2012

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  Shri Kesavananda Bharati (far right) with other Shankaracharyas in a regional Shankaracharyas' meet.

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  Shri Kesavananda Bharati Swamiji with devotees at Maha Kumbha Mela held at Allahabad in February 2013