Dakshinamurthy Maharaj Swamiji Jayanthi - Sri Sri Dakshina Murthy Maharaj, the first Peethadhipathi (who was Jayanthi Mangayya Panthulu in the poorvasramam)

Sri Lalitha Peetham was established in 1931 at Lalithanagar, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh by a great sadhaka called Sri Jayanthi Mangayya Panthulu. Sri Sri Dakshina Murthy Maharaj, the first Peethadhipathi (who was Jayanthi Mangayya Panthulu in the poorvasramam) performed the prathisthapana of Sri Lalitha Devi Idol on 02 November, 1949. Because of the peetham the area is called as “Lalitha Nagar”. Jagadguru Sri Aadi Sankaracharya system of panchayathana pooja is established at Sri Lalitha Peetham. Recently, in January 2010, HH Sri Siddheswarananda Mahaswami presented Sri Dakshinamurthy Award to the noted poet Kondepudi Subbarao.

After Sri Dakshina Murthy Maharaj’s Siddhi on 28 June, 1956, his sishya Sri Avyakthananda Maharaj became the second Peethadhipathi. A big hall was built known as “Avyakthananda Darbar Hall” in the name of Sri Avyakthananda Maharaj, which is currently used for various functions during the festive seasons.

As no suitable successor was found, the Peetham was handed over to Sri Sivachidananda Bharathi Swami of Sri Siddheswari Peetham, Courtallam on 28 June, 1998.

During his tenure, the peetham was developed with more deities of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, Sri Sitharama, Sri Subrahmaya, Sri Gahesha Siva, Sri Nagendra, Sri Mouna Swami, Sri Krishna. Sri Sivachidananda Bharati Swami attained siddhi on 17 December, 2002.

His Successor HH Sri Siddheswarananda Mahaswami has established the great Manidweep in the campus of Sri Lalitha Peetham. Apart from Sri Lalitha Devi’s idol, which is in the center of Manidweep, there are other deities of Gayathri, Durga, Annapurneswari, Saraswathi, Kameswara, Ganapathi, Kali, Kalabhairava, Prathyangira, Mahishasura Mardhani, Rajasyamala, Varahi, Mahalakshmi, Madura Meenakshi, Bala. Also, Samadhi mandhirs for first and second gurus have been established in the campus.