The 292nd pontiff of the Madurai Adheenam Sri Arunagirinathar passed away at the Apollo hospital in Madurai on Friday night. He was 77.
Mutt sources said that the pontiff was unwell for some time after he developed respiratory complications. He was admitted to the hospital on August 9. While he showed little progress, there was a sudden setback on Thursday. The Madurai Adheenam, an ancient Saivaite mutt, has huge assets, including immovables in the form of cultivable lands in Thanjavur district. The mutt is a trustee in four temples, including the Kanchanur Agneeswarar Swami temple in Thanjavur.
Prior to taking over as the pontiff of Madurai Adheenam in the 80s, Sri Arunagirinathar worked as a journalist with Murasoli . His association with the DMK and the late leader M. Karunanidhi was well known. The Adheenam had aired his views openly on critical issues involving Hindus in the past. In 2012, the Madurai Adheenam announced controversial seer Nityananda as the junior pontiff of the mutt. In a short span, many Saivite mutts and senior pontiffs from Kanchi and Thiruvavaduthurai condemned the move. Though the senior Adheenam remained determined initially, he withdrew the announcement after a few months.
Taken aback, Nityananda approached the court seeking justice and the Adheenam was in the centre of a storm for a few years. The case is pending in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, wherein Nityananda had claimed to be the next pontiff.
In the meantime, the disciples of Sri Arunagiri Nathar, after realising the deteriorating condition, locked up the rooms at the Mutt premises situated near the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai on Friday as a "precautionary" measure, sources said.
