Siddharameshwar Swami of Nagnur Rudrakshi Mutt has been chosen to succeed Tontadarya Swami of Gadag Mutt.
The Nagnur seer is known for his strong opinions and expression of views on current issues. He was among the frontline leaders of the movement for recognition of Lingayatism as a separate religion. He has a postgraduate degree in philosophy from Karnataka University, Dharwad, and a postgraduate degree in Sanskrit from Benaras Hindu University.
Siddharameshwar Swami has set up a preservation centre for palm leaf manuscripts and a library of Vachanas at the Lingayat Studies Centre in the mutt, and led a movement against blind beliefs. The centre has published over 85 books and has preserved 1,000 palm leaf manuscripts of Vachanas and other related literature. It won the Karnataka Rajytosava award in 2017.
He joined Nagnur Mutt at the invitation of Shivabasava Swami. He took charge as the head of the mutt after the death of the head who died at the age of 104 in 1994. He is the ninth head of the mutt. He led a movement for afforestation in Belagavi and Bagalkot districts and completed the plantation of 50 lakh saplings across the region. He set up an old-age home for destitute senior citizens, the S.G. Balekundri Institute of Technology in Belagavi, and other education institutions and hostels across the district.
Moreover, he is apublisher, translator and writer.
He has penned books on Basaveshwara, Vinoba Bhave and the philosophy of Islam.
He was born Gurupadayya Rudrayya Hiremath in Bilagi in Bagalkot district on December 12, 1958. His mother died a few days after delivery. Upset by this, his father Rudrayya attempted to take his own life, according to mutt sources. But the villagers stopped him and assured him that his son would be cared for.
Then, Gangamma, a married woman from the Hadpad barber community, acted as his wet nurse and brought him up. At a young age, he was selected by the seer of the Kalmath of Bilgi to undergo spiritual studies in Shivayogi Mandir near Badami.
He served as the junior leader of the Kalmath for a few years before shifting to Belagavi under the directions of Shivabasava Swami. He was considered to be very close to Tontadarya Swami.
