Peethas

Peethas are religious seats or monasteries in Hinduism. The term comes from Sanskrit pīṭha, meaning seat or throne, and denotes a center from which spiritual authority, learning, and ritual oversight emanates. Peethas often house temples, schools, and monastic communities, and they maintain a lineage of teachers and monks (guru-parampara). They may oversee temple administration, Vedic study, ritual performances, and charitable works.

The most famous example is the set of four cardinal mathas established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century to preserve and disseminate Advaita Vedanta across India. These are Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the south (Sringeri, Karnataka); Dwarka Sharadapith in the west (Dwarka, Gujarat); Govardhan Matha in the east (Puri, Odisha); and Jyotir Math in the north (Joshimath, Uttarakhand). Each is traditionally headed by a Shankaracharya, the spiritual leader of the respective matha.

Beyond the four mathas, many other mutts or peethas exist across the subcontinent. They are associated with different sects and deities—Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, or Advaita—and typically function as centers of philosophical teaching, temple management, pilgrimage guidance, and social service. Their leaders, usually titled acharya, swami, or pandit, oversee religious instruction, rituals, and the monastic order.

In contemporary India, peethas continue to play a role in shaping religious discourse and practice, balancing traditional authority with modern educational and social responsibilities.