Shivakumara Swami, ‘Walking God’ of Karnataka, passes away

DH

Bengaluru, 21 Jan: Shivakumara Swami, the head pontiff of five-centuries-old Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru passed away at 11.44 am on Monday. 

 

He was 111. Swami was battling lung infection and had been put on ventilator, according to the doctors treating him at the mutt. The 111-year-old swami who showed signs of recovery on Sunday witnessed complications in the wee hours of Monday prompting the doctors to put him on ventilator support.

 

 

The last rites will be performed at 4.30 pm on Tuesday, said the Mutt.

 

Meantime, the who’s who of state politics including Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, opposition leader BS Yeddyurappa and host of other leaders have cancelled their official engagements and rushing towards Siddaganga Mutt located at on the outskirts of Tumakuru city. Both Yeddyurappa and DCM Parameshwara have been camping at the mutt and held several rounds of meeting with junior pontiff of the mutt Siddalinga Swami, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of police and other district administration officials.

 

The Tumakuru district administration in consultation with the Mutt authorities have already banned the entry of devotees to see the ailing seer and cordoned off the two-kilometre area around the mutt regulating the movement of vehicles and people around mutt. Inspector General of Police, Central Range B Dayanand is supervising over the security measurements at the mutt.