All schools and colleges in Karnataka will remain closed on Tuesday to mourn the death of 111-year-old Lingayat seer Shivakumara Swamy of the Siddaganga Mutt. As a result of the same, examinations of Educaion, Law, Social Work, MCA and integrated Biological Science of Bangalore University originally scheduled to be held on Tuesday will be held on Wednesday.
A three-day mourning period has been declared in the state with all schools under the Siddaganga Education Trust remaining closed for the next two days – January 21 and 22.
The 111-year-old seer who is known as the ‘walking god’ and a reincarnation of Basavanna, passed away on Monday. He was on ventilator support until recently and was brought back to the Mutt on January 16 after undergoing treatment for a lung infection that he developed after a liver bypass surgery in Chennai. Although his condition was stable and he was responding to medication, his health further deteriorated on Monday.
Officials of the Mutt have confirmed that the funeral rites for the seer will be held at 4.30 pm on Tuesday. The seer’s demise was condoled by senior leaders in the state and by his followers. Many prominent politicians from the state, including Home Minister MB Patil and Leader of Opposition BS Yeddyurappa, among others, visited the mutt upon hearing the news.
Shivakumara Swamy, who was the chief of the Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru was an influential Lingayat seer and had hundreds of followers visiting him every day. Even at age 111, he would sit in the ‘Hale Mata’ or Old Mutt inside the Siddaganga Mutt to meet devotees.
Although he chose to remain apolitical, the seer was a constant presence in the political circles of the state. He was visited by most of the political figures including PM Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy in the run-up to the Karnataka elections in 2018.
For the convenience of his followers for the next two days, KSRTC will operate 100 plus buses in Tumkur city from KSRTC bus stand, Railway station, APMC, Junior College to Siddaganga Mutt to facilitate devotees. Further, additional buses will be operated from all districts to Tumkur to cater devotees.