Desist from taking bribes, Siddaganga seer advises bureaucrats

Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga Mutt on Saturday called upon the bureaucrats to desist from taking bribes and respond to the sufferings of people in the villages.

The pontiff, who turned 110 on Saturday, said there was a need to change the pattern of education in the country. The devotees should follow the teachings of reformer Basavanna, the seer, who read the written speech without the help of spectacles even at this age, said.

He recalled the speech made by Lord Macaulay in the British parliament, in which he said the British could make Indians dance to their tunes by merely changing the country’s traditional education system and culture.

In his speech after inaugurating the Gurvandana organised as part of the pontiff’s birthday celebrations, Governor Vajubhai Vala said the seer symbolised Indian culture. He recalled the contributions of the pontiff in the last eight decades.

The governor called upon parents to ensure that their children study Sanskrit. About 10,000 children were being taught the ancient language at the Mutt, Vala said.

Speaking on the occasion, Siddeshwara Swami of Jnanayogashrama, Vijayapura, said Shivakumara Swami had turned his life into a kind of yoga. Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami of Suttur Mutt, Mysuru, said   Shivakumara Swami had brought worldwide fame to the Mutt through his deeds.