This Sankarite institution belongs to the Urdhvamnaya division and follows Sama Veda. The presiding deities are “Nirajanesvara Mahadev and Bhadra Kali (Maya)”.
According to the Guruvamsa Kavya of Sringeri matha, Sri Sankara Bhagavadpada established five mathas while staying in Kashi. (However, names and location of these five mathas were not mentioned by Kashi Lakshmana Sastri, its author)
This matha has been under the royal patronage of His Highness The Maharaja of Benares. It was presided over by a Bengali dandi sanyasin during the last century.
The “Paduka Matha” is also known as “Sumeru Matha”. Many Acharyas have presided over the matha without any break since from its inception.
In an appeal issued on behalf of this Matha by some dandi-sanyasis, Mahamahopadhyayas and other respectable persons, the following statement appears :
” During His stay at the holy city of Kashi (Benares), Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Jagadguru Sri Adi Sankaracharya Maharaj established the Sumeru Math “…
Sri Sankaracharya visited this place which was then a thatched house belonging to a Maharashtra Brahmana. When the Acharya left the place, His followers there wanted some sacred object be left behind in His memory. The Acharya Blessed the disciple His divine Padukas which is worshipped there even today.
During the period of Lord Cornvallis, the Britishers were persecuting the then Raja of Benares, and the Raja had to run for his life. By chance he came to this matha. Being thirsty he wanted some water and the then presiding Acharya quenched his thirst and blessed him. Later the Raja regained his State and became a disciple of the matha and provided for Annual grants for the maintenance of the matha.