Thousands of devotees offered prayers at the ‘Gadduge’ where Shivakumara Swami, the late seer of Siddaganga Mutt, was laid to rest on the mutt premises on Sunday. It was the first death anniversary of the seer.
Bhajans were sung at the Gadduge, which was decorated with flowers. Addressing a large gathering on the premises of the mutt, Minister for Kannada and Culture C.T. Ravi admitted that untouchability was still a reality in society and the caste system was weakening the nation.
He called upon people to once again be part of a social movement, like the one led by the 12th century social reformer Basavanna, to eradicate caste system and untouchability. The movement should change the mindset of people and promote universal brotherhood in society, he said.
Attacking the secular political parties, Mr. Ravi said, “It is unfortunate that the so-called secular people are the biggest casteists. If there is no caste system in the nation, such parties will not survive. And yet they claim to be secular.”
On Bharat Ratna
Meanwhile, the seer of Siddaganga Mutt, Siddalinga Swami, said that Shivakumara Swami was now living in the hearts of devotees and had become “Hrudaya Ratna”, and thus there was no need to posthumously confer the Bharat Ratna on him.
He said Shivakumara Swami never expected any awards or honours. “He just worked for the poor by providing free education, free food and free boarding to students, irrespective of their caste and religion, and provided food to all the devotees who visited the mutt.”
Industrialist Mukesh Garg and Maninderjeet Singh Bitta (M.S. Bitta), who is the chairman of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front, were felicitated at the event. Mr. Garg donated a silver idol of Shivakumara Swami weighing 50 kg to the mutt. It is to be installed at the Gadduge.
