# Adi Shankaracharya Adi Shankaracharya (788-820 CE) — the great philosopher who synthesised Hindu thought into Advaita Vedanta — had a profound connection to Uttarakhand. He established or renovated all four Char Dham shrines, found the Badrinarayan deity image in the Alaknanda river and installed it at Badrinath, and founded the Jyotir Math at Joshimath. He is believed to have attained samadhi at Kedarnath at the age of just 32. The magnificent samadhi shrine with his statue, inaugurated in 2021, honours this extraordinary philosophical genius. His Advaita Vedanta — teaching the unity of Atman and Brahman — continues to be studied at the Jyotir Math. • Adi Shankaracharya (788-820 CE) was the great philosopher who unified Hindu philosophy throughAdvaita Vedanta. • He is believed to have visited, established institutions, and ultimately passed away in Uttarakhand. • Shankaracharya established or renovated all four of the Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand. • He is credited with finding the Badrinarayan deity image in the Alaknanda river and installing it atBadrinath. • He established the Jyotir Math at Joshimath — the northernmost of his four Shankaracharya Mathas. • The Jyotir Math continues to function as an important religious and philosophical institution today. • He is believed to have attained samadhi (final liberation) at Kedarnath at the remarkably young age of32. • A new samadhi shrine with a magnificent statue was built behind the Kedarnath temple and inauguratedin 2021. • His philosophical legacy — Advaita Vedanta — teaches the unity of individual soul (Atman) withBrahman. • Shankaracharya's influence on Uttarakhand's spiritual landscape is pervasive and continues to this day.