A festival-like situation prevailed on the Moorusavir Mutt premises here on Thursday with hundreds of devotees congregating at the historical mutt to welcome back Sri Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami, who had, last year, announced abdication of the peetha.
Giving a warm welcome to the swami, the devotees took out a procession and took the seer to the mutt in a decorated chariot. All along the route of the procession the devotees burst crackers, and showered flower petals on the swami. Beginning from the Gabbur Cross on the outskirts of the city, the procession passed through the thoroughfares of the central business district that were spruced up for the occasion.
The return of the swami also coincided with the inauguration of the six-day Basava Jayanti celebrations at the mutt. Over 15 seers of Lingayat mutts from across the State, including Sri Shivaratri Desikendra Swami of Suttur Mutt, Sri Shivamurthy Shivacharya Swami of Taralabalu Mutt, Sirigere, Sri Siddalinga Swami of Tontdarya Mutt, Gadag, Sri Siddharama Swami of Naganur Mutt, Belagavi, and Sri Annadaneeshwar Swami of Mundargi, were witness to the event.
Earlier, scores of devotees, led by the former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, went to Hanagal to convince and bring the swami back, after taking the consent of the devotees of the Hanagal Kumareshwar Mutt, the previous abode of the swami. BJP State president Pralhad Joshi and the former Minister C.M. Udasi and a host of leaders from various political parties were present.
Pained by the developments pertaining to the issue of succession at the mutt and the pressure tactics allegedly employed by the followers of Sri Dingaleshwar Swami, one of the claimants to the peetha, the swami had left the mutt for Hanagal mutt on November 22, 2014 amid high drama, after announcing that he would abdicate the peetha. Ever since, efforts had been on to bring the seer back to the mutt.
