A pall of gloom descended on Pejawar Mutt on Car Street when 88-year-old Mutt senior Pontiff Viswesha Theertha Swami, who was suffering from breathing problem and pneumonia, breathed his last at 9.20 am on Sunday, in Udupi.
The seer, who was admitted to KMC in Manipal on December 20, suffered from a severe lung infection and was treated by experts in the KMC, AIIMS and Manipal Group of Hospitals, Bengaluru.
For the last nine days, the seer continued to be critical. On Saturday, the health bulletin by KMC, Manipal, stated that his condition continued to be severely clinically critical. Besides the brain has become severe dysfunctional and was not improving as per the expectations of the specialists.
CM postpones prog
The chief minister, who visited the district on Saturday, cancelled his programme to be held in Shivamogga and stayed back in the district. As per the seer’s wish, on Sunday at 6.55 am the seer was bought in an ambulance along with the life support equipment, doctors and nurses to the mutt.
The seer was kept in his room inside the mutt and the disciples started chanting Vishnusahsranama, Srihari Vayustuti and Rudrasukta Parayana.
The sources inside the mutt told DH that the seer’s kith and kin, including sister Vasanthi, who arrived at the mutt in the early morning, offered water ‘Tarpana’ into his mouth.
At 9.20 am, the disciples of the seer came out of the main entrance of the mutt and shouted ‘Govinda, Govinda...’, which was the formal announcement of the death. The announcement was followed by the bursting of crackers.
Later, MLA Raghupathi Bhat and MP Shobha Karandlaje officially announced the death.
Even before the official announcement, two tempo traveller vehicles with disciples of Pejawar mutt left for Bengaluru carrying with them idols to perform puja.
At 10.20 am, the body of the seer with huge garland of ‘Tulasi’ seated in bamboo basket in ‘Padmasana’ posture carried in two long bamboo sticks was brought out of the mutt and the body was taken in a procession, where the seer was made to have the glance of Lord Krishna through Kanakana Kindi at 10:25 am. Later, the body was taken to ‘Madhwa Sarowara’, wherein it was given a dip thrice.
Following this, the body was brought to the Krishna temple and was made to sit on ‘Theertha Mantapa.’
Paryaya Palimaru Mutt seer Vidyadheesha Theertha Swami performed ‘Aarati’ to Lord Krishna and later ‘Aarati’ was made to perform by Pejawar seer with the help of his disciples.
Rituals led by junior seer
The rituals were led by the Pejawar Mutt junior Pontiff Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swami. The body was kept for 15 minutes inside the temple, where various ‘Parayanas’ were recited along with religious hymns.
Later, the body was taken out in a procession in bamboo basket all over Car Street and made to offer prayers at Chandramouleshwara and Anantheshwara temples in the vicinity of Udupi Krishna Mutt.
The mortal remains of the seer was later taken out in a decorated open jeep to Mahatma Gandhi District Stadium at Aajjarkadu, by passing through parking area, Kalsanka, Bannanje, Brahmagiri and Govinda Kalayana Mantapa Road for the public to pay tributes.
Gun salute
District Armed Reserve Police led by Reserve PI Murthy Naik offered three rounds of gun salute.
The national flag was placed over the body. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and others paid their tributes. After the public homage, the body was airlifted in an IAF chopper from Adi Udupi and brought to National College Grounds in Bengaluru for public homage.
